I loved how straightforward the narrative appeared while slowly becoming more twisty and uncertain over time. I was drawn in quickly, totally invested in this completely unbelievable competition and the people (and gods) involved. Thankfully, the range of emotions each character experienced and the fact that the story was allowed to get as dark as it did helped make the unbelievable much more believable.

Van and Miles were the keys to my enjoyment of this story. Lore and Castor were so enmeshed in the stories they were taught as children, the fate they believed was not only deserved but wanted; if they were the only focus here, the story could have quickly become very dark but monotonous. Instead, Van and Miles provided levity and a refreshing perspective on what is a genuinely insane proposal. Training your children from an early age to grow up to kill others to gain the powers of gods is abusive and wrong and only possible when you are in a long line of people who have been brainwashed over generations to believe the same bullshit. Somehow, Van seems to be the only one who understands this. He provides the support necessary to protect those he loves, but he has no desire to fight, compete, or win. Even better, Miles is a brand new perspective on the entire situation, which allows him to have a sense of humour while participating in what must seem like a game. His intelligence and sense of self contribute significantly to the plot and to helping the other characters develop into better and more interesting people as the story continues.