Review: Beautiful imagery
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 5, 2014
Well, I think I will identify this as a 4.5 with the narration being a 5 and the story being a 4... I would have liked to see more of a creative epilogue, as thinking back on it, the story deflated at the end. There was such a beautiful build up throughout the story that the last chapter had a rushed feeling...I think my review is affected more by the narrator, as it could be considered a slow read, but the world building and details about the tattoo master's role in society touched close to my heart as an artist and someone who has drawn tattoos for my fellow Marines back in the day. Not much sex, and the angst was tear jerking for me in the last few chapters, but Shannon Gunn's narration added so much depth to me. A very lovely story to listen to.<spoiler>Some may question the way the story ended, but I think, because I was so emotionally invested in Etan finding Robert, that I took it as an HEA where they basically had a role reversal of sorts as to who was taking care of who..It did make me sad that the author seemed to 'destroy' how they both self-identified themselves, but in the process, like the illustration on the cover, it was like Etan ended up arising from the ashes as a phoenix (like the tattoo illustration on the cover model's back) and we, as the reader, knew he was more than what cirmcumstances made him.I also think that they had their HEA because they were 'setting up house' (so to speak) together and hanging up a sign over 'their' business, and it did put Robert in the role of having to become the teacher dependent upon Etan rather than the master that Etan had to depend on previously. I guess in a wierd way, it made them equals for different reasons in my eyes.It could be just that I was so tired when it completed last night that I felt immense releif that they had found each other, and I always want to think its an HEA. *grins* </spoiler>I would definitely recommend this story, but more so the audiobook, and if you purchase the kindle edition, you can get it at Audible for a steal...