|| 3.5 ⭐️ ||

This is a fun, easy read for wintry days, and in a lot of ways a great early fantasy for middle-grade aged kids just getting into the genre. At the same time though, there are a few issues with it that would prevent me from recommending it to a kid who is still learning discernment, including nods to evolution, magic/spells, and the whole ordeal where the main character does a lot of rebellious things she wasn’t allowed to do and doesn’t really have to face consequences or punishment for them because everything “turned out alright in the end” and “she had the right intentions”.