This book is what I've come to expect from Shannon Hale: good story, good characters, good writing, and a good ending. I've loved the previous books in this series The Goose Girl and Enna Burning and was not let down by this story. Rizo is a great character who undergoes a lot of changes as he discovers himself in this book. My favorite part of Shannon Hale's books is that they are prefect faire tales without being overly fantastical or magical. There is just a sprinkle of magic and good common sense. While I think her previous book would be good for boys and girls this book is the first with a male lead and may bring her books to the attention of more young men. Overall, I think this is a great story for both kids and adults. I highly recommend it, but if your new to the series you may want to start at the beging so nothing is given away.