What a majesty of a book. This is nothing like R.F. Kuang's previous books, but she shows that she can really write any genre. Pivoting from fantasy to a literary fiction thriller, we follow Juniper as she commits publishing crime after publishing crime with little to no consequence. This book critiques so many aspects of the book industry, especially that of author toxicity and the effect of publicity. The best part of it all? That no one in this story is "good". These are predominantly morally gray characters, only looking out for their best interest. There are a few allusions to Kuang's own life, with all of Yale references and notes on translations. Some critiques mention it being a bit on the nose which is true. But I'd rather have it be on the nose than indecipherable. And honestly, watching Juniper descend into madness was delectable.