(4.5/5 stars) There were a lot of unexpected elements in this book, which I really enjoyed. The story starts out as a classic "our heroes go on a quest" fantasy, but then it evolves into rich character studies that kept me engrossed. Carl, Sinnie, and Finn are fun characters to get to know, and each grows in their own way during this tale. Though this tale wasn't as epic as I imagined, I would recommend it to any fantasy lover!