Naomi B. (tripleguess) reviewed on 7/24/2011 + 48 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

The more I re-read this book, the more I like it and the more I appreciate the tightness of the plot and the wonderful, genuine character interactions and bondings that take place throughout, sometimes so subtly that you don't realize what's going on until the third reading. "Castle in the Air" and "The House of Many Ways" don't begin to compare.

I am not a fan of witchcraft, and I'm grateful that the book doesn't go into great detail on this. The most disturbing scene in this sense is the one right near the end with a certain golem -- but the somewhat gruesome details are spoilers, and rather confusing even in the book. It's open to debate whether the magic users of this world are simply exercising natural gifts (this is strongly implied), or practicing actual witchcraft with all that involves (there are some hints to this as well, though they've been run through the usual fantasy makeover).

Still, this has grown on me to the point where it is now one of my favorite books. I can't but recommend it to anyone liking halfway sensible fantasy.

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