4.5 stars.

A companion novel to Star Mother, this novel blends so many of the things that I love about Charlie N. Holmberg's writing. Everything feels natural and yet a touch ethereal, with the atmosphere and the universe creation developing in a way that somehow feels comforting and continuously compelling. Her worlds and characters have something to them that just seizes my heart.

The plot follows a mortal woman, Aija (Ai), who finds herself unknowingly in love with the Sun God (Saiyon) while a celestial war wages. The relationship in this novel follows a much more adult feel in the emotional component and it has been fun to watch the evolution of Holmberg's characters in a way that somewhat parallels her own age. Aija, unlike most fictional adult heroines, is in her thrities. I appreciated the introspective consideration of Ai's character and love that she fits right in among Holmberg's tendency toward strong, independent female protagonists. She is stubborn & fierce & often a force to be reckoned with.

The pacing was a bit slower in this novel than the first in the duology, but there was a lot of introspective character work and an establishment of fantastic relationships between Aija and all of the people and cosmic beings who surround her. I enjoyed the quest aspect to the plot and loved seeing the exploration of different ecological areas. There is a touch of darkness to Aija's Earth and the interactions with the celestial world, something that definitely increases my interest in a plot.

This is a fantastic mix of Holmberg's strongest talents. Fantastical quest plus beautiful romance. I had a lot of fun with the duology and, as always, look forward to reading more of the fantastic things that Charlie N. Holmberg puts to the page.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *