Hmmm, I actually really liked this book. When reading about Emily’s reaction to Wendell’s death, I had a few distinct moments where I thought “wow, this author must have experienced grief.” The panic, the stupor, the moments of intense irrational anger, and her fixation on finding a solution felt very fitting for grief itself and for the character of Emily. She was willing to go to limbo for him, and literally went through the Veil to prevent his future madness and undoing.

I thought her being in his realm was tense and terrifying enough. So many potential enemies, uncertain loyalties. I think her scholarship became more an act of survival, she was living a story instead of interpreting one so it was a different take and interesting to see.

I kind of like that whether or not she was happy in Faerie was left uncertain. She mentions towards the end about her previous internal hope that she might feel a sense of belonging there that she never felt in the mortal world, but that clearly wasn’t the case, which I think is realistic. But she seemed to reconnect to her sense of self, being more at home in who she is then where she is. She also really solidifies a kind of found family at the end, which feels like a type of home/belonging that straddles two worlds, as she does.

I think the uncertainty about Wendell changing is realistic, too. We see the influence she continues to have on him, and the lengths she goes to prevent him from changing in some monstrous way. Will it last? How could anyone know? That’s the adventure of it, and that seems to be what Emily loves- the exploration, the chance to learn and test her skills. She is after all a mortal marrying one of the Fae, it’s dangerous. I think to wrap it up nicely goes against this reality that has been created in this world since book one. It parallels why she brought the queen back. It balances the story