Daughter Of The Burning City

When I picked this book, I thought it would be a YA fantasy with interesting ideas, cool concepts, and diversity. It most certainly is all that. But it's also a murder mystery with detailed world-building and complex political intrigue in the background. Actually, the world-building is so good and it feels so real, hinting at so much more, that I feel like one book isn't enough, it begs for more stories set in this world. The character development takes a backseat in favor of the plot and the setting. Sorina goes through a lot and she learns from her experiences, but she doesn't grow all that much by the end of the story. Her family, her illusions, are two-dimensional, despite the effort to flesh them out. Her father figure is a vague mentor, and her mother figure just serves as motivation and occasional foreshadowing. The most interesting and most developed character is the guy who helps her in the investigation. He and Sorina are the only ones that feel real. The plot kept me desperately turning the pages with its twists turning left and right at unexpected moments. Some are barely set-up, others are predictable, but then some are just right, perfect. In the end, this book is beautiful. I loved Sorina's internal conflicts. I loved the representation and diversity. I loved the plot. I loved the mystery. I loved the world. And I loved how it all came together.