This is an overwhelming story - huge convoluted story, cast of many, much world-building -- and I loved it. There is so much going on, and we get such a small part of the story, that it came as no surprise that this is the first book in a planned series. As it is also Stronach's first novel, and it came out this year, I respect that I'm going to have to wait for book two, but oh, I have such hopes for it. 

I described this elsewhere as 'weird-tech fantasy', it could also be equally unhelpfully pigeon-holed as a 'far future/second world science fantasy with cyberpunk overtones and superhero/magicians'. Although the tech is bio-tech, there was so much about the way it was incorporated into the story, and the way that it affected the story telling that is very reminiscent of William Gibson's early cyberpunk works. 

I love that Stronach has incorporated aspects of New Zealand speech patterns, possibly against their editors preferences, given the author's note at the beginning (which, I loved so much I've read it out to multiple people). 

At the superficial level, this is a city devolving into religious control, and possibly civil war. It is also an amazingly pointed commentary on policing, and our protagonist, Yat, has a whole lot of learning to do about their complicity as a police-officer.