Spikenard: Freedom to Fly by Winnie Jerome

[reviews_and_ramblings]

The novella travels in two different parallel universe: a fantasy China of 400 B.C. and modern San Francisco.

In the first universe Zhong Shi is a young shapeshifter dragon who is in love with Chen Jing. Chen Jing is much older than Zhong Shi and he assumes a bit the role of master in their relationship, in all the meanings of the term. He teaches Zhong Shi how to behave among human, and also how to master his powers. Then, during a mission, Chen Jing is cursed, and he becomes a totally burden for Zhong Shi. The young dragon doesn't reject his new role as caretaker, but probably it's too much for him.

In modern San Francisco Sebastian is a young College student who is in a fated relationship with Luke. The sex is good, but truth be told there is not much more between them. Then Sebastian meets David, a way older IT consultant; David is past forty, almost fifty years old but he came out only two years before. In the blink of a moment, he saw his entire world crash down, his ex wife took all his money and his lover dumped him just before he moved to San Francisco. Even if older, David is like a newborn baby who trusts Sebastian as a friend. And when things between Sebastian and Luke get worst, maybe also as something more.

It's nice to try to relate the fantasy dragon pair with the modern men: who is who? it's not clear since the power games inside the couple change a lot. The dragon pair started as master and ward, to then changing in burden and caretaker. The modern couple started as young student and experienced mam, to moving toward lovers and in a way shortening the age difference.

I have to admit that I prefer the shapeshifter dragon pair, they are more sexy than the modern one. Today Sebastian is an interesting character, but David seems to me a bit too weak; maybe, knowing the end, it's not a wrong side of him, but still, I really had the idea that Sebastian was way more smart and interesting than David. For how he behaves, I also think that David's character was too old: all right, he has to be a man who came late to realize who he really was, but maybe a thirtyish man would have been more up to the character than a fortyish. Anyway this is only a novella, and it's to praise how the author manages to bring on the roles play not letting the reader being sure of who is who almost till the end. Nice supporting character role for Hector, Sebastian's cat, who has a scene all of his own and a really interesting personality.

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Amazon Kindle: Freedom to Fly: Spikenard

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