There were parts of this I really enjoyed, particularly the immersion into Yugambeh indigenous culture and exploration of life in what we now call Australia before invasion and colonisation. And that last page! It's living in my head rent free. In saying this, I felt there were some parts that could've been better, such as more fleshed out characters and better pacing (particulalry through the middle and the resolution of the conflict). I also wasn't particularly invested in the romance, which took up a bit of time in the second half, which may have been why the pace felt a bit slow for my liking.

Overall, I would recommend this as a novel with fantasy elements that explores First Nations culture, history and experiences. The downfalls, in my opinion, are understandable for a debut novel, so I would be interested in reading another by this author in the future.

Note: I debated giving this a higher rating, understanding that we don't have as much First Nations fiction as we should, but I decided to go with my gut feeling at the end. Anything 3 stars or above is a good rating to me, and means I enjoyed the book and would recommend.