@Tak@reading.taks.garden Strong agreement with these feelings. You put this much better than I did.

I think it's especially it's just that after finding the iridium and setting herself up as the Countess, everything moves VERY quickly to the end.

Rough page counts: * 25% initial setup and trial * 25% in the Pit * 30% with Davedeo and Dominique, going to Bocas, meeting with Baroness, initial negotiations with Invicta * 20% the final diplomatic meetings, plus a little wrap-up

I think I was good for the first 50% or so, and I really enjoyed the idea of the final diplomatic meeting to bring back Lyric and Alba for a final thematic betrayal, but plot wise the pacing felt very bad and the worldbuilding so thin that the payoff feels weak. I mostly blame the novella format for this too, and I think a novel could have let it stretch its legs a little bit more.