From the first page, I could already note that this story is intricately crafted, and the world-building and atmosphere are absolutely fantastic. Initially, I went into this story expecting to see actual angelic beings playing out important roles. However, it turns out that the "angels" in this context are more like historical myths that the society on Absolphus Island has completely idolized and worshiped. The lore and the atmospheric dark themes are just so rich and atmospheric.

The characters in this book are deeply well-rounded with incredibly rich backstories. Echo, the FMC, suffers from memory loss and doesn't really remember her origins or her past. Watching her constant inner striving to uncover the truth and remember who she is, felt like a personal journey I embarked on with her. I also loved how the storyline explored the moral ambiguity of the MMC, aka the Doubler. It beautifully illustrates how sometimes, the morally wrong things a person is involved in are simply a function of the dark environment or family they were born into. It isn't always entirely the fault of the individual, and his arc captures that perfectly.

Let me tell you, I am still so pained by that cliffhanger at the end! 😭 The only thing giving me hope right now is knowing that this is just the first book in a series (Pleiadies Academie 1). I should state that people who don't read or enjoy high fantasy might not appreciate the pacing or style of the story.

While this book contains a lot of setup, it was executed flawlessly. I am perfectly cool with it being a foundational book, and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next books in the series to get even more action and adventure!