This book was such a great new magical adventure, I loved the magic system and the characters and it was full of action! The pacing in the beginning of the book was really slow, it starts with a slow chapter, then one packed full of action and intrigue and excitement, then back into a slow part, and then more action, and then slows down again. It was a little dragging at the beginning, but there's enough enticement to get you to continue to the next chapter, which was usually a huge shock of info and action. If you can make it through the beginning, this book will not disappoint! The characters were fun and each showed their own growth in their own ways. Matilde really grew into her own, Sayer showed significant growth, restraint, and maturity by the end, and Aesa seems to learn to accept herself. I'm really excited to read more about Fen, she was the most enigmatic of the group and didn't get her own chapter, so I can't wait to learn more about her in the next book.