Recovery narratives are hard to write and I always have mixed feelings when magic is an integral part of the story.
On the one hand, it feels strange to discuss coping with trauma through something unavailable to us, but even worse to leave it out of the story entirely. Of course if magic existed it should be used to help with psychological distress.
Interesting to me that this bothered me not at all in the previous book.
Anyway - I find Tano's entire story and point of view of towards the inGara to be a really interesting way for Neumeier to write about the morality of the Ugaro culture from an insider's perspective rather than an outsider trying to decide what is good and bad. I am fascinated by the role that punishment/absolution plays in her image of Ugaro culture, but also the way that both the Ugaro and the Lau are not judgted by the narrative except within the culture clash.

I keep wondering if Neumeier actually shades into the "noble savage" trope in the way that both beatings and honor function in Ugaro society, especially honor and truth, but it feels like I need to think on it more. Might also be useful to have more cultures to compare them to. What else is the next book for, after all?