Jamie McLachlan

I really, really hate it when books end in cliffhangers, especially when it's been sort of obvious that the person in question isn't really all that trustworthy (an incident where Moira should have noticed that he exhibited empathic capabilities... She doesn't trust anyone at first, so why him?)

I liked the book in general and read it quickly because I wanted to find out what happened--Moira's own personality was starting to frustrate me even though I knew it was her background that made her react the way she does to things.

I wasn't sure that bringing up the whole issue of Keenan's past was necessary. It seems like the characters are never in a mild state of emotion--it's always one extreme or the other. I think I would have been much happier with the book if it hadn't been for the epilogue--it really seems Moira should have been smarter than to go alone.… (more)

** spoiler alert ** I liked this book but was a little thrown by one aspect of it--it's an alternative reality historical novel, but the speech is sometimes jarringly modern. At least, I thought of it as an alternative reality historical novel. I liked the heroine, Moira. Her perspective on life is very much painted by her experience as an empathic concubine who has been nothing more than property and treated as such. The development of her character, which is very gradual, as she works with Keenan, the police detective, is interesting to watch as his character slowly becomes more accepting. They both have secrets. Moira, having grown up under a system of cruelty and punishment, is not one for trusting people. The book has its faults--sometimes Moira seems oddly weak for someone raised in those conditions, but it's interesting to see both her and Keenan start to trust each other.… (more)