This book is set in Pierce's Tortall universe which is a classic fantasy world, it is not the first book in the universe, but I like this one better as an adult reader. If you are 12 you might like Alanna better - go for it. The book is about Keladry who wants to become a knight in a world where only one other woman has done that in 200 years and the other woman disguised as a boy to make it. Keladry wants to train as a knight with the boys. It is very much about determination, about not accepting the glass ceiling, about working within a hostile organization, about fighting bullies. It is also a book about friendship and about a teenage girl with male friends who she is not romantically involved with. Keladry is focused and ditermited and so freaking kickass.