A new fairy tale in the old ways with plenty of delightful surprises. By the end I was so attached to the characters I was crying over what I thought could happen to them. A largely character driven story that will break your heart even as it gives you hope. The plot is slow moving but you barely notice as you become untwined into the lives of the main characters. The maiden, the king, the hero and the monster, all of which are questioning their lives and trying to find themselves. Turing was by far my favorite and despite the length of the novel I wish there had been more of her. She had the best journey. It sounds like there will be a second book because this one left us with as many questions as it did answers. There is plenty of romance and it doesn’t shy away from lgbt elements but doesn’t use them as simply a plot device. Gorgeous cover that fits in with the book.