A thoughtful and accomplished retelling from Walton, continuing her interpretation of the Mabinogion. I'm not hugely familiar with Welsh mythology though I have a vague and excessively superficial understanding of the main players, but one doesn't need prior knowledge to understand what's going on here. A young and well-meaning king makes a mistake that dooms his land to emptiness (all the inhabitants being turned to butterflies or dragonflies or somesuch) and it's up to his long-suffering stepfather - who's not actually a stepfather - to out-think the otherworldly force behind all this trouble. It's an enjoyable read, simply and quietly told, with the odd moment that really gleams (usually in the characterisation), but I feel more admiration than emotional connection.