💭my opinion : roman empire, academy vibes, complex worldbuilding? yes, PLEASE. i devoured this. its SO good and i 11/10 would recommend it. instant “my taste”. i dont think ill ever find a book to top this.

☹️downsides : only downside i can think of is that the main character is very main character-ish. i dont know how else to describe it.. like very harry potter-ish. like hes the best, the smartest, the strongest and all that. but i still empathize and root for him despite finding him super unrelatable.

🤩highlights : obviously the worldbuilding is the crown jewel in this book, followed by the breathtaking plot and the well made characters. they grow on you slowly, but you end up attached to them without realizing it. and the dialogues are one of my favorite parts - vis’ friends are all very funny, and most characters will drop unexpected but great life lessons and thought-provoking quotes. the social commentary ad psychological aspects in this book are also very appreciable.

💜my favorite quotes (some are translated so while the meaning is exact, the wording may slightly be different. please do correct me)

death is meaningless only if it doesnt change us, vis.

pride and self-respect may mean we never give in, but if they are all our enemies, we will never be happy.

you should be glad youre unsettled. if youre unsettled, it means theres fear to face. those who are never unsettled never strive for anything. those who are never unsettled never grow.

the power to protect is the highest of responsibilities, diago. when a man is given it, his duty is not only to those he thinks are worthy.