Four children, all having suffered tragedy of some sort and all essentially orphans, are discovered to have magic and brought to magic school, where they can't get on with anyone until they find each other. That's it in a nutshell, basically, and to be honest it is a little repetitive, with the book really too slight to give more than surface exploration to any of its characters. But it's still enjoyable, and as with most of Pierce's books that I've read, the vast majority of the characters are decent well-meaning people. I appreciate that.

I also appreciate that the magic these kids have is based in crafts. Weaving, for instance, and metalwork, that sort of thing, and they are expected to learn and practice these crafts in the same way as everyone else, as the better they are as craftspeople, the more useful their magic will be. I enjoy the focus on artisanship here; I think it's my favourite thing about the book. All I can think is that Sansa Stark, with her delight in sewing and textiles, would fit right in, and would certainly be better off in a series that doesn't sneer at her for wanting to make things.