Flamme part en flèche

The tropical island backdrop adds so much character to the story. I wonder if the author based it on a real place or created it from imagination.

The story shifted gears during the training segments, which made me curious if that was intentional to build tension or just a natural part of the story flow.

The horses seem so spirited and intelligent—does this help foster empathy for animals among young readers, or could it create unrealistic expectations?