Excellent reading of a thoughtful story
I worked my way through this series as one who is not an avid reader of romance, but rather a lover of fantasy. I think I felt somewhat the absence of tension and adventure, but I nevertheless found the pacing of this novel a welcome change from my "comfort zone." Deborah Harkness keeps to an even pace, and it works. It is relaxing to hear her smooth, rhythmic development...and there certainly are moments punctuated by very real intensity. You cannot help but enjoy the contrasts in the protagonist's character. She is devoted to her husband and enjoys the attributes of femininity while somehow always straying outside the lines a bit. There are times when Harkness makes it clear that her story has a very clear point -- it is about accepting each other's differences while really uncovering the sameness that lies in our souls as humans...or "creatures." And there are times when she flips genders, brings into the discussion the love that two men or women share, and casts the woman as the savior and ultimately most powerful creature of all. But this is not done roughly or blatantly at all. The woman has to let go of her fear, and discover her power in time...while recognizing that it might be too great for her to control sometimes. Jennifer Ikeda is simply a splendid narrator. She brings this series to life in a way I suspect few people ever could. This is definitely a great introduction to the magic that is audiobooks...and would be a great gift for a young woman looking for a little dash of steaminess in a varied story that is largely about relationships between people, groups and families.