I've been rereading this series (one of my favourites as a kid) and I was wondering a little, before I started, if I'd love it as much as an adult, and I do. That said, I don't think Pearl is as good as the other two. It doesn't have quite the level of atmosphere as book 1, or the same level of wonder and colour as book 2, but it's still pretty fantastic. There's a lot about it to love: I love that the romance goes so very badly, I love the focus on women and female friendship and power, on mothers and daughters and sisters - pretty much all the main characters are women at this point, apart from Irrylath, and he's the least compelling of the lot, lol.