Right from the start, creates a sympathetic character surrounded mostly by pretty horrible people. And it's creepy without being terribly creepy. As with any draft reading, the primary question I ask after reading (the synopsis, first paragraph, prologue, first chapter, etc.) is "Do I want to read more?" Here, the answer is definitely "Yes." There are characters I want to learn more about, to know better. There are characters I hope will suffer. There are questions I want to be answered. Where is this place? When? What culture allows for such behavior (no spoilers here)? Class structures and jobs? It feels like this story is going somewhere interesting and I'd like to find out more.