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jackiehorne's review against another edition
3.0
Was looking forward to this one, as the gendered set-up is opposite many of the previous books in the Celta series. Our heroine, Helena (Del) D'Elecampane, is the head of her house, and her profession (cartographer) leads her all around the world. Our hero, Raz Cherry, is the son of a GrandLord, but not his heir; instead, he's an actor. Del is 36, while Raz is 28. And it's Del who knows that they are Heartmates, while Raz is left in the dark, needing to be wooed.
Del, an introvert, hates city life and expects to just arrive in Druida, claim her Heartmate, and integrate him into her wandering life. Raz, an extrovert, not only loves city life, but is committed to his career. He has no interest in taking on a Heartmate at this point in his life, and refuses to see the bond Del is offering, despite his attraction to her. Del, it seems, has her work cut out for her.
As an introvert, Del appeared to my introverted self. But other than her introversion, she doesn't seem to have much character. At one point Raz notes that she's the most undemanding woman with whom he's ever been involved. She shows little of the resourcefulness one would expect from a woman who spent most of her adult life traveling alone in unfamiliar lands. There's also an underlying anxiety in the text about her appearing to be, or actually becoming, a dried-up old spinster, "fossilized and a caricature of a frontier woman" (319), an anxiety that the plot assuages by having Del give up her wandering ways and by. Yes, Raz has to compromise a bit, too, but he still gets to practice his profession; we're left not quite sure what Del will do with her time. It's been interesting to me to watch Owens' attempts over this series to become a bit more progressive, gender-wise, but to see how many of her underlying ideological assumptions often get in the way.
On the last page, Owens makes a glancing reference to a male Heartmated couple; am wondering if she'll ever write a homosexual heartmate story...
Del, an introvert, hates city life and expects to just arrive in Druida, claim her Heartmate, and integrate him into her wandering life. Raz, an extrovert, not only loves city life, but is committed to his career. He has no interest in taking on a Heartmate at this point in his life, and refuses to see the bond Del is offering, despite his attraction to her. Del, it seems, has her work cut out for her.
As an introvert, Del appeared to my introverted self. But other than her introversion, she doesn't seem to have much character. At one point Raz notes that she's the most undemanding woman with whom he's ever been involved. She shows little of the resourcefulness one would expect from a woman who spent most of her adult life traveling alone in unfamiliar lands. There's also an underlying anxiety in the text about her appearing to be, or actually becoming, a dried-up old spinster, "fossilized and a caricature of a frontier woman" (319), an anxiety that the plot assuages by having Del give up her wandering ways and by
Spoiler
getting her pregnant almost immediately, something that usually takes Celtans, even Heartmates, several yeearsOn the last page, Owens makes a glancing reference to a male Heartmated couple; am wondering if she'll ever write a homosexual heartmate story...
birdloveranne's review
5.0
Wow I really loved this episode SO much. It was amazing. At first I was reluctant to start it, until I read in someone's review that the Ship was in it. So worth the read
h3dakota's review against another edition
2.0
As long as this one took me, clearly the characters just didn't appeal to me. I liked Del ok, but just didn't enjoy the match of Del/Raz. The ending was just a little too sappy-pat for me too. Meh.
alboyer6's review against another edition
3.0
Another good story in the Celta's Heartmate series. Not the strongest story of the bunch but still good. Del is a cartographer by trade and has no desire to settle down and live in a city. Raz is an actor who enjoys his life and independence. When they meet a relationship immediately forms but neither wants to commit to each other and admit they are heartmates.
cranberrytarts's review against another edition
3.0
It took me a long time to get into this book. I picked it up and put it down several times before finally getting into the story. It didn't grab me like many of the others in the series. I enjoyed it, because I always enjoy this world, but it isn't a favorite.
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