The City of Gold and Lead

The city feels so alive and menacing—I'm curious whether the setting was based on a real place or entirely fictional. Did the author draw from any specific influences?

The protagonists face some tough decisions that made me think about how young readers interpret themes of right and wrong. How do others feel about the moral ambiguity here?

The pacing kept me hooked, but the emotional depth added a lot of weight. I wonder if this was intentional to engage both adventure lovers and those seeking deeper themes.