Instruct: Classify an Amazon review into positive or negative sentiment.
Query: Calm, Beautiful Realism

Bujold has a knack for verisimilitude. If I didn't know better, I could almost swear this was a historical novel instead of a fantasy, not due to any lack of fantastical elements (of which there are many), but simply because of the calm, beautiful realism of the text. This one isn't quite as rip-roaring as the series' first installment, but, for all that, it's characters are just as interesting, and its plot, if anything, is more intricate. It does get a bit talky and repetitious in places, but aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed this new trip into Chalion.