I thought that the underlying weakness in Ekata's characterization was that she made no sense as part of her family. I could believe her not wanting power. I could believe her thinking that, if she tried to take off right then, she'd end up dead.

I couldn't believe that she wouldn't make sure that certain members of her family never woke up. It was like she'd somehow grown up with a clear idea that her family was terrible but without any of that affecting her personality. I could believe the ignorance of politics/trade/history, but I didn't believe the ignorance of interpersonal maneuvering because not dying and getting permission to leave for university had to have taken active effort.

I found the narrative compelling in other ways but can't put my finger on exactly what they were. I just know that I stayed up late to finish the book and that I was pleased that the protagonist had to admit that living in an autocracy sucked all around, even when one might become the autocrat. I'd have preferred if her epiphany had been based on something besides needing to keep her older brother from killing her, but that feels like a lot to expect from a teenager.

I think I also liked that the magical otherworld had some of the same reasons for ruthlessness as the human world did.