Similiar to the last one, this didnt age well. The red-headed Shang warrior named Liam, the constant use of the word "female" in a negative way, describing the north asian cultures as Barbaric in contrast to the western ones.... its jarring to read from a 2025 perspective. I think it was made worse by the accents in the audiobook. 

Still, love the story, love Alannas growth and Hea, and I always feel the tension in that final battle. Overall, not my favorite series by Tamora Pierce, but it gets props for nostalgia and being the OG.