The Tainted Cup

I loved Bennett's inventive cultures and cities in his last trilogies, and he does it again in the Tainted Cup. The whole kingdom of Khanum, of which we see the coastal areas, seems to exist to keep incredibly huge- mountain-sized- sea creatures from destroying the land and peoples. Much of the government (and its legionnaires, medickkers, and those who research so-called grafts and suffusions) is focused on this purpose. The concoctions when applied to the folks of the land give them protection from various toxic natural elements in the environment. Or they may enhance the person speed, hearing, memory, etc.

The story begins with several mysterious murders that appear caused by a contagion. In a domino- like effect these deaths cause a breach in the battlements against the leviathans.

So the book is about the investigation into the murders and is also about the investigators. I enjoyed the characters and how the reader learned more about their backstory. I'm definitely looking forward to learning more about the land, the people, and the sea creatures themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.