As often happens in long-running series, unfortunately, I feel like Hearne has lost touch a bit. Atticus, the Iron Druid, is what drew fans into this world, and yet we're constantly forced into these other perspectives (Granuaile and Owen) who are neither captivating nor relevant to the overarching story. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy Owen to a degree with his crotchety remarks and humorous ignorance of anything newer than 2000 years, but while his goal of establishing a grove is interesting in passing, I don't want the main story being interrupted to hear about it over and over again or to spend time with the impossible-to-like Greta. 
 Speaking of impossible-to-like women...Granuaile may be what keeps me from continuing this series. Her personality is strangely under-developed, and what little is there just feels like a copy-cat of Atticus. She is way too powerful, especially considering how recently she gained powers, and she gives off that Little Miss Perfect vibe that makes me want to punt her off a cliff. I think we may just need to add Hearne to the ever-growing list of authors who can not write good, strong female characters to save their soul. He can have that spot right next to Jim Butcher. 
 To top things off, apparently there was a lot of important information in the preceding novella. I do not read novellas. They are usually hard to find at the library and are often not worth the money to purchase or the time to read. When an author starts publishing novellas that are integral to the main plot of the series, it's a pretty bad sign anyway. I find that many times it means their ideas aren't worth flushing out to a full length novel, and after suffering through the Granuaile and Owen fluff in this novel, I'm starting to think Hearne has written himself into a corner. 
 I might read the next book whenever it comes out, but it's entirely possible this series is at an end for me. I hate it because Atticus and Oberon are two of my favorite characters, and Hearne is an extremely talented, witty writer, but this seems to have run its course.