YMMV / Masks of Aygrima

• Ass Pull: The fact that Catilla's father discovered the cave system that houses the Secret City is information that is in the Palace archives is somewhat understandable, however Stanik being able to recall this information perfectly at a mention of her first name is too much.
• Complete Monster: The Autarch is the despotic ruler of Aygrima and the creator of the masks. He is introduced destroying a village for harboring his enemy, the Lady of Pain and Fire. As Autarch, he makes most crimes punishable by execution, to the point where the masks allow his soldiers to know if people have traitorous thoughts, with treason having the criminal's entire family killed. Shortly before the series, he altered the masks to change people's personalities to be more submissive to his rule. Citizens who fail their maskings are sentenced to work in a slave mine in the mountains. His desire for immortality makes him sap magic from his subjects, personally showing up at the maskings of several gifted for this purpose, causing their maskings to fail. He has a group of young gifted follow him around so he can sap their magic, leaving them sickly and weak. When the Unmasked Army attacks the capital city he uses his masks to force all of the younger citizens to fight them, causing many to die. At the end of the series, it's revealed that his ultimate plan is to continuously possess people's bodies to live forever, leaving the original person's mind fully aware but unable to do anything.
• Moral Event Horizon: The Lady of Pain and Fire crossed it when she drained the life of several slaves and then wiped Mara's memory to keep her under her thumb. This is the moment where we realize that she's not as well intentioned as she seems and not long afterwards she drops all pretense of good intentions.
• Nausea Fuel: The various gruesome deaths can make stomachs turn.
• Squick: The Autarch being attracted to Mara while also planning on possessing her body. Fridge Horror sets in quickly when you think about what he may do after possessing her.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character:
  • Shrela, the Mistress of Magic is implied to be a very important part of The Circle but all we see of her is her training Mara on how to use Magic.
  • The girls from the wagon, despite being interesting characters are not mentioned much in the second book and especially the third book.
• The Woobie: Mara, she's taken away from her family on what is supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Has to learn that, her dad specifically planned her mask's failing. Is taken away from The Secret City and almost rapped. Is dragged off to the Magic Mine and has her arm broken. Accidentally has her friend sent to the barracks. She's plagued by nightmares of people she kills and has to watch one of her friends die because she wanted to save her friend from the mine and ultimately fails to save her friend who ultimately admits that she never considered Mara a friend. That's just the first book.