I am not entirely sure what to make of this one. I have ended up thinking it was a solid 3.5 but there may not be enough here to get me to continue with the sequels. The premise of a balkanised Europe was interesting enough and the author has a way with describing place that is really evocative. However, the characters didn't stick with me and the style of telling the story in disconnected vignettes blurred any sense of narrative flow. I could still recommend if the particular sub-genre tickles your pickle.