interesting viewpoint. I always read Damar as Arabic, a mixture of 1001 nights Baghdad and nomadic tribe culture (except for the farm population). I definitely did see the Imperial British analogue for Harry's home country *nod*.

So for me the emphasis on Aerin as a girl (and sole surviving child of the ruler) in a patriarchy far outweighed the racial connotations. I don't even remember them ^^, but I haven't reread that book in two or three years, I'm sure.