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I liked this quite a bit - definitely close to Mistborn in terms of enjoyment for me! Vivenna might be one of my favorite Cosmere characters to date. I loved her arc and the gradual yet effective changes her character went through. The other perspectives were solid, though Siri's chapters grew a bit repetitive in the middle half of the book.

The book establishes a unique magic system that is the foundation for the political turmoil at the heart of the book. The concept of breaths as currency is interesting, and it leads to some fairly interesting social commentary you don't always find in fantasy. The explanation of certain aspects of the magic system could have used some cleaning up (it gets a bit info-dumpy at times), but I enjoyed seeing the creative uses of it throughout. The twists and reveals are GOOD.

I have mixed feelings about the ending - I think everything comes together satisfyingly at the climax, but the resolution feels a bit too speedy for a book that is otherwise fairly slow and intentional with its pacing. I have many questions and there are several loose ends that feel unfulfilling. I can see why the book wouldn't land for all fantasy fans since it touches on several tropes without committing to a single one. It has action, but less than what you might initially expect. Since we're (eventually?) getting a sequel to this I can't complain too much, but that seems far out.

Overall, I enjoyed this for what it was. I had a great time with the characters and I'm always a fan of slow-burn, politically-driven fantasy novels. What's holding this back for me is ultimately that it feels a tiny bit like a set-up novel more than a complete standalone story in its own right. If you've already invested (ha) in the Cosmere I think this is another good entry, but as a first jump into Sanderson I'm not sure I'd recommend it!

Note: I haven't read any of the Stormlight Archives at the time I'm writing this, so some of these critiques may change!