The Innkeeper's Song is a grownup book, with decidedly grownup themes, but the brilliance of its style and the engrossing nature of the adventure tale make it very attractive to young adults as well as their elders. The magic in the novel, while very lively, reflects no particular religious point of view, and the catchall chapel on the inn's grounds reflects a religious tolerance that is to be found throughout. The only passage that might give readers pause is the sexual encounter in the room of the three women; it is a confusing scene, presented in a circumspect way, during which Nyateneri turns out to be a man, Soukyan. This turn of events is upsetting to the other participants in the encounter, all of whom are heterosexual and uncertain of what to make of Nyateneri/Soukyan's behavior. It is particularly humiliating to Rosseth, who had been...