BJ Vaughan is having a rough time - her mother's recent suicide has disrupted her concentration and, even though she's almost done with vet school, she isn't sure that she'll be able to finish. Her perspectives begin to change when one of the professors invites her to join a selective large animal rotation. In the class, she and her fellow students are introduced to Crossroads, a parallel world that intersects the 'real world' where the veterinary students encounter challenges that they had never imagined. They must learn to practice medicine with little access to information on the physiology or treatment of unicorns, griffins, or centaurs, among others. As each of the students discovers that the world is a bit larger than they believed, BJ must face her fears and discover whether or not she is willing to accept a new view on her own reality.
Unlike most fantasy books, this one is very strongly rooted in reality - the experiences of the students are told with explicit description of veterinary examinations and procedures. At the same time, the book is about the people as much as it is about the medicine. The story focuses primarily on BJ and her struggle to make difficult decisions in her life, although, personally I didn't feel all that sympathetic even though her character is well developed. Perhaps this is partly because some elements of the story seemed predictable, even from the start. The narration of the story actually switches between the students and the king of Crossroads (Brandal) which is a little confusing at times and is never entirely resolved even at the end of the book. Overall, even though the book had some issues, they were relatively minor and didn't detract from the story. I would still recommend this book to readers, especially those who enjoy 'real world' fantasy books.
- If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dragonhaven, Dark Lord of Derkholm, or The Wish List
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