"Gotta say, a lot of the reviews on this book do NOT pass the vibe check. The idea that this is "just relationships" when we get that scene towards the end that shows the impact of these relationships on Jerd and the other women on the trip... it just shows how women's stories or themes that are seen as being traditionally feminine are still often not valued in the wider fantasy readership. Totally get if the book's pacing was not for people - it very clearly was just spliced from a bigger book, and do agree some of the conversations got repetitive. But for me, I was all in on the relational journeys our characters were going on and can't wait to see what happens now that they are where they are by the end of the book"