I really loved this book. I was pretty sure for the first 50 pages or so that I was in for a boring doorstopper, but the next thing I knew I was several hundred pages in and physically stricken at the prospect of something bad happening to one of the characters. The characterization in this book was real and intricate enough that I felt actual love for the characters, which isn't something I get to say about a book often enough. And the world-building was masterfully done; it really felt like an ages-old established universe.

I don't think this book is for everyone; if "friendship-heavy bureaucratic fantasy" doesn't sound like your thing, it's probably not for you. There's a lot of the bureaucracy. I'm also willing to admit that the end of the book gets a bit repetitive (probably an understatement) and could have been pared down. If you're waffling on this one, I'd say The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison is a pretty good litmus test; you'll be more likely to enjoy this one if you liked that one.

In short, this was a fantasy about good people becoming friends and working to build a better world—warm-fuzzies for the detail-oriented. And the persistent. I can't wait to read the next one!

Really liked this, definitely a pleasant surprise to find a secret agent/espionage story that I actually enjoyed and genuinely just gave me an overall sense of happiness while reading it! I feel like this worked because it leaned into just how over the top these plots typically tend to be in media, and referenced a lot of pop culture examples directly. The story dealt with some timely real world topics (the rollback of queer & trans rights, people using religion for their own material gain, corrupt politicians, billionaires steamrolling anyone under them to get what they want) but it had fun along the way, and I really enjoyed the ending. The themes of queer joy entwined with resistance was done well, and I liked the cast of characters (although some gained more depth as the story went on while others felt a bit unexplored/surface level). I also really liked how it explored the pressure of choosing a career and “making it” that the MC is feeling in his mid-20s. The dialogue here was probably one of the only times ever that I’ve laughed out loud multiple times during a book. All of the elements here blended together to create a story that was campy and ridiculous and also a good time, and that ended with a sense of hope and joy. I really hope this turns into a series because I would love to see more of Andrew and the Tuxedo Society save the world again!