I was at Barnes and Noble, because my library, somehow, does not have a copy of Nnedi Okorafor's Who Fears Death. As I was picking it up, the lady next to me said "Oh shoot!" while holding the first book of Naomi Novik's alternate history with dragons that talk.... She had read it already, we started talking, I pointed out V. E. Schwab's Darker Shade of Magic, which she promptly picked up (and bought, I saw her check out) and walked to Anne Bishop's book and handed me this one. While it might take a second read to see if I really mean the five stars, the story of finding this story is worthy.