Well this was a great fantasy epic. I don't know if this is supposed to be the case or not, but it reminded me of Beauty and the Beast. A curse to make someone fall in love with a "beast" whose face one cannot see and whose people/kind one inherently hates. Even though this "I love you" didn't come in time, this story tells a more intense kind of love. One where other lives are at stake and what one would do for love, what sacrifices they would make, are well and truly tested. It explored physical tests, emotional/trust tests, and what parts of oneself (innocence, self-image, wholeness) a person would give up for the love of their life. I appreciated the story from that angle very much...it was a realistic portrayal of what love means, what a person would give up or do for love. Would you kill an innocent person to save the one you love? Would you kill an innocent person to save the rest of a population? These questions aren't usually asked in stories like this without a loophole or another way out. This story was real in its telling...sometimes there is no other way and you have to chose. So I respect the author for that. Quite a bit. I was impressed with this story in general, it's development (the pacing was great, both in general story-telling and the realistic way love developed over time - things like "melting icy hearts" are not instantaneous), and the overall feel. This was one magical story and I am excited to read the next one.