A charming protagonist, and an interesting world. I enjoyed the complete hodgepodge of cultures thrown together to create the Republic of Califa, and the author pulls off the non-standard speaking patterns well, enough that I'm getting the urge to greet people with an ave or to say "ayeh, so," whenever I'm thinking. This is definitely a kid's book, though, not just a book appropriate for kids, and the plot points are mostly predictable from a mile away. Still, I love the house spirits, and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author