Meralda Ovis is the first woman, as well as the youngest to be appointed as the Mage in the kingdom of Tirlin. The Accords, an annual political event, is about to take place in Tirlin this year. In anticipation of the Accords, the King issues Meralda a near-impossible task of moving an ancient tower's shadow so that it doesn't fall on the King when he makes his speech. Meralda visits the rumored-to-be-haunted tower and makes the calculations necessary to perform the shadow moving spell. But it soon becomes apparent that the tower doesn't want anyone tinkering with its magic and attempts to chase away anyone who dares to enter. Meanwhile, there is mystery and evil brewing in Tirlin, as a wicked mage from another kingdom attempts to ruin the Accords, and the mysterious Hang people from across the sea have decided to take part in the Accords, something which has never happened in the history of the Accords. To make matters worse, Meralda appears to be falling in love with one of the mysterious Hang men who also happens to be an extremely good cook.
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Best part of story, including ending:
It is a very light fantasy book with lots of cynical humor and likeable characters.
Best scene in story:
All scenes involving Meralda and the houseplant are enjoyable.
Opinion about the main character:
Meralda is independent, intelligent and unlike many YA protagonists, possesses a good dose of common sense. There is nothing much to dislike about her.
