It is challenging to write a story from the perspective of a child. Writing a novel for an adult, where the main character is just a handful of years old at the start, is difficult. Especially when you want the adults to be able to connect to the main character, and still stay true to the developmental age of the main character. It is no surprise that Lawrence is able to pull this off beautifully. He has a gift with developing characters and making them seem more real then people you meet off the page.

I was hooked on this story from the start, when we first see the little girl who could juggle effortlessly. Yet, the story kept capturing me as it revealed itself layer by layer. Even when I knew that there was more to know, I was enthralled when it was woven into the story. Then, like life, there were times that an element was introduced to the story that there was no warning for, and then the entire story changed. This is one of those novels that going back you could see what was happening, but only if you already knew what happened.

Everything in fantasy has been done before. Yet, Lawrence presents this world in a way that seems fresh and new. He does not give you pages of history, but unveils it in subtle ways. He trusts to reader to understand. My favorite part of the book was when Nona learns about the moon. It is the perfect example of doing a double take as a reader, and rethinking the entire world.

Overall excellent book. I cannot wait to finish with the series!