I didn't know anybody else had read this! I definitely enjoyed it a lot, though I haven't had time to reread it or find the sequels yet. It's one of those where the writing is technically far from sterling, as you say, but it really doesn't matter. Almost all of the themes touched on were well-worn, but Stevermer has a wit to her writing that made them live again. I even liked the magic school, and I was beginning to think there were no interesting portrayals of magic schools left. It's a fun universe.