i adore seanan, and i adored middlegame. i didn't adore this (audio)book, for two main reasons: the at-times-irritating repetition (how many times can we repeat that harry and melanie love each other, are in love, are dating, are childhood sweethearts, are perfect together, etc. before it grates?), and that harry goes through character regression a few times. accepting that magic/alchemy exists is a process, i'm sure, but harry "accepts" it and then goes back to not believing in the things he's witnessing several times. it's explained that melanie

being constructed by alchemists instead of conceived naturally

means that she accepts it more easily, and harry

not having an attendant Corn Jenny for most of the book

means that he has more trouble. but it's still tedious to read, and makes you roll your eyes at him no fewer than four times.

overall, the story and concept are fun, but these characters just don't seem as well-considered as roger and dodger from middlegame. not as fleshed out, not as considered, dare i say not as realistic? not my favourite seanan book by far, but still a way to pass the time with her lyrical prose and murderous (white) women.