While billed as a young adult novel for grades eight and up, the story follows real adults finding their identity in the world and working to accept their past. The writing is well paced and high quality. Great focus. The magic is weird and self-consistent, and characters recognize their own dependencies and work through their psychological pasts in order to become better people. It's emotional, uplifting, and redemptive.The female lead Matt can speak with all inanimate objects, and ask them to do things for her. The male lead follows the Spirit at the heart of possibility and acts as a troubleshooter for needful things. The book follows them as they travel together and heal themselves. I'll say it again -- terrific and compelling prose.The major stuff is well-resolved, but the last thing the main characters say to each other in the book is 'What happened with XXX and with YYY?'. (Spoiler free, here!) Cliffhanger (resolved in book three). Since it is resolved eventually, I can safely give this a full five stars.Edit: A Stir of Bones is book one -- read it first. (The book reviewed here is #2). Past the Size of Dreaming is the direct sequel (#3), and covers for the incomplete ending.