Aran is a kelpie/water horse shapeshifter and originally a servant to Poseidon, who has a new found family that he's torn about eventually leaving. Half of the story takes place in the present, and the other half is as reflections on past events, told in tales to his young sibling. Narrative style is that type of back and forth between present-ish and past, which is far better than an ugly prologue dump at the front but also not a narrative style I'm particularly fond of. Some like it, some don't. Reader preference there. I media res my own work, so take that note with a grain of salt.

In terms of items that will be liked: YA novella with Greek gods, shapeshifting ponies. Its length is low commitment, and the past portions cover the start to end in terms of plot/narrative pretty well. On the other hand: Present Aran is an 8000-year-old demi god who looks like he's 17, who is adopted by another shapeshifting family whose Mom is probably way younger than him, and Dad even more so. He sometimes gets into "territory" disputes for no real explained reason, especially since his territory was never the Pacific. And yeah, present has a bit too many plotholes. But he can become a pretty pony, gets wet and naked a lot, and... Don't get me started on the thing about the boat. Interesting angle but, it also created more holes.

Runte was very devoted and clear on the backstory, and that part is fleshed out well. The present is lacking, and almost exists as padding. I'd have liked to have seen that part built out, where it's a two to three chapters of present, then a juicy backstory chapter chunk, repeat. Makes the book longer, but the present needed the length, and a bit more plothole bulletproofing.