There is an explanation for that rating. It's not that the plot is overwhelmingly great or that I discovered something new and fantastic after reading this book.
It's just that this book and I have chemistry.



Despite the fact that the first half of the book was just world building and the characters getting to know Meg, I was really enjoying it. Honestly, a good chunk of the book was just Meg sorting mail, but I found it entertaining. Everything was just so cute, especially Meg and Sam, and I could have sat there watching them do geometry problems. That's how much I like the characters. I even grudgingly like that Asia Crane lady because how can you not feel even slightly entertained by a person who turns everything into a TV drama?

I like the world Anne Bishop has built here, though it is fairly simplistic in the base mythology. The Others never pretend to be human in any aspect and there is a lot of amusement to be derived from their non-understanding of humans.

“Humans don’t like mice?” “Not in the building!” Meg said. “And not around food,” Merri Lee added. The three terra indigene looked baffled. “But it’s fresh meat,” the brown-haired woman finally said.

There is a refreshing lack of romance here. Yes, Simon is possessive of Meg etc. but her decided lack of oohing and aahing over him is a relief. Plus it will take him ages to figure it out anyway.

All in all, I have a new author to obsess over.