Oh boy what a wonderful, rich, refreshing read! I'm sad I didn't encounter this book as a kid--I really think it would have blown me away. As it was, I was sucked into the world almost immediately, and really enjoyed spending time in it- the magic was just this like delightful thing that wraps you up and really makes you feel like comfortable or uncomfortable, depending on what is happening. And the way that Duane makes tone happen is a really delightful part of this book--like I said, I was so sucked in and so delighted by the world and the characters, and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series!