Review: What can I say? I loved it!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 18, 2011
Awwww! Beautiful!The writing is really a part of the story and it enters your mind, holds your hand and takes you to another world, another place. There's also a fine humorous vein that made the darker moments a bit lighter. It was as if the author was telling the story whispering in my ear, but the writing is not shy at all. It's intimate and personal, the perfect instrument for the narration.In the previous book, Ayden and Freyrik had to face their own prejudice and that of Freyrik's people to find love in their relationship. Ayden was the one who faced distrust and danger, who had to fight to keep his pride intact, while falling in love with the enemy, with the man who kept him prisoner. Freyrik had to balance his status as a ruler with his role of lover.In this book, Ayden and Freyrik both have to face danger, deceit and betrayal in a hostile setting. The political scheming in the Aegis' High Court kept me always on edge because it translated into Freyrik's inner torment and into Ayden's physical harassing, but it was beautifully balanced by the sweetness and tenderness of Ayden and Freyrik's relationship, their pure and unquenchable desire and love.Both men have to question their loyalties, which have the potential of bringing them apart. Both aim to noble goals, to the freedom of their peoples, and these may be conflicting, but Ayden and Freyrik are loyal to each other and incredibly they find the way to make things work, each sacrificing something in turn. Each of them has to make difficult choices and sometimes it's only the blind faith in their love that makes them strong and makes them endure their trials.In this book Freyrik seemed to me more emotional and fragile. He is forced to become a leader against his inspiration, he doesn't shy away from his responsibilities, but he is conflicted and I liked the way he sought comfort from his elf. Ayden, stripped of his mind-ear, devoid of his song, has to learn to be human in a way, to get accustomed to imperfection, and to understand Freyrik the hard way, with human senses. For his king Ayden swallows his pride time and again, trying to keep him sheltered from the things which could hurt him.The story, the romance, the setting, the writing, each element is really beautiful and crafted with skill and passion and took me on a journey that I enjoyed to make. Big time.