Things pick up in the last three hundred, as Elspeth does what she does best in the Red Land. Fans will revel in the conclusion of Elspeth's tale, if they survive its bulk. Carmody's signature 'world building on the go' style is in evidence, and her prose has matured since the earlier instalments. Her storytelling is as artlessly genuine as ever, and Elspeth's journey is worth seeing through to its end.