This was one of my favorite series as a teen and one of the only high fantasy books I enjoyed (pretty much this and Tamora Pierce). I've reread a lot of Pierce's work in the past two years and while I still enjoy them, they're riddled with issues that make me cringe as an adult. I was worried Pellinor would be a similar situation, but I adored this book just as much as I did fifteen years ago.

Maerad is a great character. She's the chosen one with a great deal of power, but it feels like every chapter almost we're learning something new about her and her past and her abilities. Not like it's trying to top itself, but just that the main characters are coming from the same place of ignorance as the reader. They just literally don't what she can do and there's so much to explore. It never gets boring.

I love her relationship with Cadvan. I think he's a fascinating character on his own because he's someone with a dark past who's gone so far in the other direction out of necessity. He has to be what he considers objectively good, but he's also a jerk and rude sometimes. It makes him more interesting, and I love how the trust between Cadvan and Maerad is built.

My main issue with this book is that there is a lot of info dumping. They do it through songs and stories and lessons, but it does feel like something that's constant throughout this book. Honestly, I skim those parts a bit. It's good information, but not always super interesting. I wish it had been woven into the story a bit more naturally.

I wish the magic itself was explored a little better. I feel like after rereading this, I still don't have a good grasp on what it is or how it's practiced. (And okay, I know Cadvan would get irritated at me for calling it "magic," but whatever.) I can't remember if it's dealt with more in later books, but it left me wanting a little more.

I mostly just adore the story. It's so well crafted and there are so many moving pieces that all fit together. It's masterfully done. Croggon is a wonderful writer.

Rereading this has made me want to immediately delve into the rest of the series because it's been so long since I experienced them all. This wasn't even my favorite book of the four back when I first read it, so I can't imagine how much I'll enjoy the rest of them. I highly recommend this book if you like YA fantasy. It's just fantastic in so many ways. Truly one of my favorites, and probably always will be.