*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I have worked with Susi Wright before so I knew the style of writing and narration I was getting into when I agreed to read and provide a review for this book. Wright is addicted to detail, that is the first thing I will say about this book and I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way.

On a positive note: the wording and descriptive phrases used were phenomenal. I could perfectly imagine every situation, character, and location and I appreciated the little things such as the weather, the color of a character’s eyes, the way their hair moved when they tossed their head back, the feel of the warmth of the sun. All the minor details added up to a bigger picture which demonstrated all the care and effort put into this book.

Now, the only thing I didn’t like about all the detail was that it sometimes felt like there was too much. The first example is that there was a preface and a prologue. I’ve said it before and I’ll shamelessly say it again, I don’t like “pre” or “pro” anything, I don’t read them. Just no. Granted, some prologues actually contain vital information that may help prevent any confusion in the story. But I just don’t like them. Whatever needs to be said should be included in the story. BUT this is a personal preference and has no weight on my review.

What does carry some weight in this review is that the story could’ve been about half as long as it was. As much as I enjoyed and appreciated every detail and description, it felt like the book was 70% description and 30% story. I probably sound like I’m contradicting myself right now. What I mean to say is, the story was written well, the detail was beautifully crafted, but there was just too much of it.

Now back to the positivity. This story is a great addition to the fantasy genre. It has a fine, balanced mix of YA characters, struggles, and attitude, with the maturity of a strong and imaginative fantasy novel. Even though this book is part of a series, I think it’s good enough to stand on its own but that doesn’t mean the rest of the series should be forgotten. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages. Those who enjoy fantasy and YA fiction will definitely want to check out all three books.