If I had to classify this book, I'd classify it as dark academia - it reminded me a lot of Lord of the Flies that meets The Secret Stranger with a bit of Harry Potter thrown in for good measure. The main character is Vis, a teenage ousted prince whose kingdom has "civilized" (aka invaded and taken over) by The Hierarchy, a Roman/Greek type of society where its members engage in a pyramid structure of "will ceding." The lower classes are at the bottom of the pyramid and they cede their wills to those that occupy the higher levels, with the few at the top getting will from the thousands of people below them. The ones who receive the will receive tremendous physical benefits, but the ones that cede their will suffer terribly in the process. It's an awful caste system that is reminiscent of apartheid or slavery. Vis, an orphan on top of being ousted, is adopted by a prestigious family and sent to "The Academy" by his adoptive father in order to investigate his adoptive uncle's death.
This lengthy novel is VERY ambitious. There are themes of colonialism and capitalism, nepotism, definitions of family and friends (i.e. how do you define them?), loyalty and revenge. In spite of taking these own in a heavy handed manner, Islington is subtle in how he presents these, and the book is action packed, making it both exciting and interesting. I didn't lose interest, that's for sure. Vis, and many of the other characters, are very complex. Vis especially has to struggle with anger, scars and a strong moral compass that compels him to do the right thing in spite of the odds and pressures being put on him. I often forgot that he was only 17 in the book (he turns 18 at one point).
There are a lot of training montages in this novel and the vast majority of the book occurs in an academic setting so if that's not your favorite, then stay away. Otherwise, pick this up! I couldn't put it down.
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