I first read this when I was 13; it was my first ever fantasy novel—or the first I remember and connected with anyway. I guess you could say I was converted to the genre; I realized “fantasy” could be more than dudes and dragons and sword fights and long, confusing descriptions of landscapes. Pieces of the story stuck with me so much, I kept the book, even when I got rid of most as I grew older. It came with me on dozens of moves, to 3 states. I finally reread it at 40 — it hit different but was still lovely, fun, and thought-provoking.