This was easily my least favorite of the series so far.
How did adding a POV somehow make me dislike a character more than I already did? How do you even do that? Generally putting me in anyone but a straight villain's head makes me empathize more with them, makes me realize why they do what they do and understand the perils of their existence. Or at least not want to bash them over the head repeatedly with a blunt object.
I never really "got" Shane, admittedly. You know how sometimes you have a friend who is dating someone, and you are completely bemused by why they are into this person? You're willing to trust your friend that there is a reason you just aren't seeing as long as they treat said friend "right," and you chalk it up to one of those inexplicable universal things?
Claire was the book version of that friend for me.
And this book was the last straw before I would stage an intervention.
Shane was an absolute horror throughout. I am supposed to forgive him because of spoilery reasons, I think, but I'm never going to look at him the same way I did before his actions here, and being in his head for some of it made it significantly worse. His anger issues have gotten way out of control, he treated Claire (and all of his friends!) like garbage, and he was forgiven as though what he had done throughout was minor. It was not.
Maybe the next book deals with the ramifications of his actions, but to be honest, despite it having been months since I read this, I haven't picked up the next book, because I'm still angry and I don't want to have to deal with him.
Myrnin remains fantastically quirky throughout and is probably the highlight of the series.
I know I will continue this at some point, because I like the supporting characters, I like the town and the weirdness of it, I like Claire, but I am really hoping that there is significantly less Shane after this point, because I am very done with him.
Rating: 2/5
