This was an enjoyable read with all the details and characters one would expect to find in a traditional fantasy, minus dragons. I'd say this book is also pretty safe. It's perfect for those that think A Game of Thrones is too violent, The Kingkiller Chronicles are too long-winded, and the Wheel of Time has too many characters. By the end I liked Persephone and Raithe more than I had at the onset of the series, and look forward to The Age of Swords.