I picked this up because Tamsyn Muir described it as having many of the same cool elements that she put into Gideon the Ninth.

So I started this expecting something Gideon-like. But for the first third of the book or so, it made me think of nothing so much as a (way darker) Goblin Emperor. (And also, for obvious reasons, Tombs of Atuan).

As the narrative goes on, I think the Gideon comparison becomes more and more apt--queer longing, sass, wizards rolling their eyes at each other. I had a great time with this book all the way through.