![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaLovely kids book.
+ I loved the whole concept of a witch finding sacrificed children in the forest, feeding them on starlight and taking them across to a new town and new family where they grew up cherished and happy. The story overall was good.
+ The whole story of the tiger/Sorrow Eater and how that intersected with Xan and the reveal at the end about how she became like that was good. I liked the slow reveal that "the Witch" was in the tower the whole time.
+ I loved the end with Glerk taking dead Xan with him into the Bog. That they weren't separated. I like to think that she stayed with him and they explored the world and then the implication at the end that after a long life Luna would join them makes it perfect. And the family would be reunited. (And Fyrian is a dragon so of course when Luna left with Glerk he would join them.)
+ An enmagicked child sucking up the magic of any witch/wizard that lives with them as they grow up is really tragic and horrible, and yet somehow the book managed to blunt/smooth over that tragedy a surprising amount. Probably because Xan was so accepting and Luna doesn't actually deal with that truth on page.
+ I liked the final message that love isn't divided, it's multiplied. That you can love your adopted family and your lost biological family. That love expands.
+ I liked that Luna was reunited with her mother but that Adara wasn't healed simply by them being reunited. That it would take time and effort and love but that Luna and Ethyne and Antain would be there to give her all that.
+ Considering how much time was spent on Antain I was surprised that he didn't have more of a role at the end.
+ I liked that in the end the volcano erupted because letting nature take it's course was the right thing to do but that the witches came together to protect what needed protecting.
+ I was surprised that Xan's home, and the goats and chickens, perished. I thought for sure Luna would bubble it since it was on her mind.
+ I loved the whole concept of a witch finding sacrificed children in the forest, feeding them on starlight and taking them across to a new town and new family where they grew up cherished and happy. The story overall was good.
+ The whole story of the tiger/Sorrow Eater and how that intersected with Xan and the reveal at the end about how she became like that was good. I liked the slow reveal that "the Witch" was in the tower the whole time.
+ I loved the end with Glerk taking dead Xan with him into the Bog. That they weren't separated. I like to think that she stayed with him and they explored the world and then the implication at the end that after a long life Luna would join them makes it perfect. And the family would be reunited. (And Fyrian is a dragon so of course when Luna left with Glerk he would join them.)
+ An enmagicked child sucking up the magic of any witch/wizard that lives with them as they grow up is really tragic and horrible, and yet somehow the book managed to blunt/smooth over that tragedy a surprising amount. Probably because Xan was so accepting and Luna doesn't actually deal with that truth on page.
+ I liked the final message that love isn't divided, it's multiplied. That you can love your adopted family and your lost biological family. That love expands.
+ I liked that Luna was reunited with her mother but that Adara wasn't healed simply by them being reunited. That it would take time and effort and love but that Luna and Ethyne and Antain would be there to give her all that.
+ Considering how much time was spent on Antain I was surprised that he didn't have more of a role at the end.
+ I liked that in the end the volcano erupted because letting nature take it's course was the right thing to do but that the witches came together to protect what needed protecting.
+ I was surprised that Xan's home, and the goats and chickens, perished. I thought for sure Luna would bubble it since it was on her mind.
