I did enjoy this book. I think Melina Marchetta did an excellent job of foreshadowing important events to come in the story, while at the same time delivering the occasional "plot twist" and surprise. The characters truly came alive for me. I could picture myself in each one's position, and to me that is what makes a well-written story. I felt their pain and laughed when they laughed.
Sometimes I thought that the romance between two of the characters (I'm not telling who!) was a little forced or sudden, but towards the end it became more natural.
The pacing was not too slow or too fast, it was a perfect goldie-lock's standard. Melina Marchetta did a fabulous job describing a certain prophecy, which was my favorite part of the book.
I did not think the sentences were all beautifully and ornately written, but I loved the simplicity that some sentences had.
For someone on the brink of requesting/buying this book: GO FOR IT. I do not think you will regret it in the slightest.
