La Cité de l'Eau noire

The descriptions made the setting feel so vivid, but I wonder if the characters’ development kept pace with the world-building. Did others feel disconnected or fully immersed?

The world-building felt really inventive, and I’m curious whether it was based on personal experiences, myths, or pure imagination.

The story seemed to hit a slight lull before picking up again. Do others think that was intentional to build suspense or just a natural part of the narrative flow?