This was a good end to a good series. We saw Kel all the way through her trials, and now we got to see how she handled herself as an adult and as a knight after all her trials.

Her title and the series' title, the Protector of the Small, finally makes sense here, although it can be seen throughout the other books clearly. The way she handled her demeaning role as leader of a refuge camp, being kept safe inside Tortall's borders, was great; we got to see how she handled herself in a leadership role, how she behaved as a lady knight, and how she used all the skills she had learned up until now.

The way she gained respect from everyone in Haven, from the soldiers to the convicts, from the staff to the refuges, was believable and increased her honour and worth. Her fight to the end was enjoyable all the way through, making the slow trip there completely bearable.

I didn't like how the "final boss" was dealt with so easily, however. It almost cheapened her effort, but the way she fought hard for the outcome was worth it in the end as she wasn't deemed a traitor and she saved the children and what was left of her people.

The humour in the book was good, too. Tobe was a nice addition to the cast, and having Neal and Dom around was a nice touch. The pacing was great, and not a single scene felt out of place; everything flowed well. It wasn't the excitement I was expecting, but it suited Kel's end nicely.

Our farewell to Kel was a good one. We left her in a valiant state where she proved herself and upheld her ideals no matter what the consequences were, and that is a great message to be left with. She was a great character to follow and her journeys were always fun to read, making this a series I would definitely revisit (again) in the future.