Coatsworth admirably recreates Buddhist legend and tradition in a nonjudgmental fashion. She neither preaches nor condemns; instead, she leaves it to the reader to formulate his or her own ideas about the religion. The novel explains the spiritual aspects of Buddhism in a fashion which young adult readers can clearly understand, yet with a certain subtlety and charm.

As a Western author, Coatsworth avoids cultural stereotypes; instead, she realistically creates a fantasy while at the same time being informative.