I really enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful exploration of a culture's myths and folklore that I previously had little to no experience with. I thought the story was very interesting and fun, with just the right amount drama and romance. Li Lan was a well written and believable main character - a girl who makes spur of the moment choices and is a feminine character (a bit sheltered/virginal, which would be unbelievable in another story or culture, but correct under these circumstances), but with just enough spunk to get her through everything she faces. And the development of her love choices with Tian Bai and Er Lang was well done...and of course I love the choice she made in the end. The interaction and juxtaposition of the real and spirit worlds, how the plot develops through both simultaneously and together, is a great device that I think the author manipulated nicely. I think there were a couple instances where the pacing was off, a little too fast versus a little too slow, and a few times that the voice seemed to change a little too much (maybe it was the different tenses used?). But all in all, I really liked the story and the culture. A wonderful, spiritual read and a fantastic first novel.