4.5 stars
Though this book was not perfect, it was pretty damn good. It consisted of well-developed characters, lots of detailed world-building, numerous references to Asian cultures and their histories (which helped ground the novel and showed Goodman did her research), and a plot that also kept me guessing. I admit it was a bit dry and the pacing was a bit slow at times, but by the time I reached the end, I was already wishing I had the sequel,
Eona.