I started reading this at night time to Mel but she falls asleep so fast and then doesn't remember any of it, so the following night we have to back up and re-read most of what we just read. I was worried we'd never finish it! So I just read ahead and finished it. 
 It was nice to revisit the characters from the book. I don't think it would have stood on its own very well had it not been for that.