"The battles of politics and war give a real feeling of tension and life to this novel. Readers who enjoy the political complexity and epic battles of A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin as well as the classic fantasy of The Nutcracker will enjoy this stand-alone."– Library Journal"Readers who crave a touch of whimsy in their dark family sagas will get both itches scratched by this one."– Publishers Weekly"Framed inside the stunning worldbuilding of sentient lichen and antique toys lies a heartfelt story of family seeking resolution and absolution from their own madness."– SciFiNow “Daniel Polansky is one of my favorite new writers. Again and again, he manages to reinvent and invert well-worn genres.”– David S. Goyer, screenwriter and director“Polansky is his own genre.”– Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times-bestselling author of Star Wars: Phasma“Surges like a revelation.” – Matt Fraction, Eisner Award-winning comic book writer“This f*cking guy. He’s too good to live…”– John Hornor Jacobs, author of Southern Gods