I really enjoyed all the different character dynamics. For example, the glimpses we get of the relationship between Elogast and Arren immediately appealed to me, and got me interested in Elo's journey as a whole (even though I can't say Elo as a character got me very invested). The same is true for Inara and Skedi—I really liked the arc of their relationship and the impact it had on the story. I'm a bit more lukewarm on Kissen in general, her character/POV was the least interesting to me.

There is a minor romantic element, but I was lukewarm about this, too.

The story is decently paced, and it manages to balance plot with character development, despite being a very short book. The world itself feels a bit small in scope, though. We're told early on that there seems to be some political upheaval brewing, which would've made for an interesting backdrop as the characters continue their travels, but ultimately it felt like the impact of that was minimal. So far the story is only concerned with Middren, but it's possible that this will change in the next book.

There's honestly nothing particularly wrong with the writing, the story, or the characters, but there's also not much to get excited about. I was also left with way more questions than answers, but the ending was interesting enough that I will probably pick up the sequel.