hiba's Reviews > The Tainted Cup

who would've thought a murder mystery set in an attack on titan-like world would work so well. i loved how the fantastical worldbuilding was slowly introduced to us through the investigation and the fast-paced, high stakes nature of the mystery itself (a murder mystery with the threat of enormous world-breaking sea monsters hanging over it is certainly a unique spin).

in true knives out style, the why and how of the mystery was way more intriguing than who actually committed the crime. i really liked seeing how the bits and pieces of the puzzle eventually came together for the dramatic final reveals.

ana and din's detective duo was pretty fun to read - eccentric, blunt old woman investigator and her deadpan bisexual young assistant made for an engaging dynamic. i really appreciated both characters being neurodivergent (din having dyslexia) and how we're shown din's painstaking struggle to gain a respectable position in a society built to exclude people like him.

we didn't get to learn a lot about ana and din's backstories (which makes sense considering the mystery and its tight deadline), so for the sequels i'm hoping we get a closer look at our protagonists. overall, i'm looking forward to seeing what else rjb has in store for this series.