This is a compelling read; it’s a real page turner and will appeal to those that love adventure stories that hint of times past as we travel the high seas and traverse the desert with Aleja. Our heroine is full of curiosity and spirit and we revel in her thirst for knowledge, wanting to explore with her. The places she visits are full of noise and colour and excitement, all the while with a sense that danger is everywhere. As the story draws to a close, there are hints of further adventures and, if The Ship of Shadows is anything to go by, then readers will be eager to continue the quest along with the charismatic crew.