A very quirky ship with societies filled with interesting roles and rules. This book is primarily the story of two sisters as they are chased and courted by wild AIs, endure attacks and strange threats, and traipse across the ship. The nanotechnology is interesting and very different from most takes I’ve seen; the world is a dark mix of broken and advanced to the point of looking like magic. It never feels like magic, however, which must have been a hard line to walk… it’s always a ship and technology, no matter how advanced. Rien and Perceval’s relationship is quirky but feels appropriately complex. Rien makes an excellent pair of eyes to explore; she’s been so isolated that she provides a great viewpoint for exploration; her amazement matches ours.
While this book is the first book in a series, it feels like a stand alone novel. At the moment, I’m inclined to treat it that way– but it was strongly written, so I may very well continue the series when the sequel comes out later this year.