liked this one better than the previous book. Alanna is an adult now, unexperienced but an adult nonetheless, and she strives to find her life's purpose and her place in the world. She also learns to come to terms with her womanhood (and here the age of the book shows, no modern book would treat the matter of babies in such a way, but it nonetheless surprised me about the handling of a young woman sexuality), with love and death.
Great series, the author does a good job of letting the adventures and adversities grow apace with Alanna's discoveries about herself. Also, great ending.