This is a standalone novella, but in the end it reads more like a first in a series. Not super sure I would return for the second. The basic plot is somewhat familiar--some people are born with magical powers, and the powers that be manage this by heavy handed control.
Fellian (a Lamp mage) becomes more interesting as the book goes on as she is a questioner, pushing back on what she's being told. She does not take it for granted that people who come to rescue her (the Monarchists) are necessarily better than the cruel leadership (the Liberationists) that she has been living under. She says the quiet parts out loud, embarrassing her comrades many times.Unfortunately I found the book confusing and hard to read. Lots of dangling references and kind of hammy plot points (Fellian ends up involved in a direct confrontation between the leaders of the two groups, which felt a bit contrived). I would say there's potential here (I don't think Unconquerable Sun had these problems) but it wasn't quite ready.
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