Update on the Mercy Thompson series

[celestineangel]

I...

Okay, let me start by saying that I'll be at the very least picking up the fourth book. After that, I don't know; from now on I'll be going book by book.

Comments

[lit_wolf]

You definitely need to pick up the next book because Adam explains that, while he would of course love to have sex with Mercy, he doesn't expect it right then and there. It picks up right where this book leaves off, in that same scene and Adam turns her down. Mercy misunderstood what the mating bond needed; she thought it needed sex to become permanent but it really just needed her agreement to become Adam's mate.

Don't worry, I feared they would launch into sex right after her rape but that doesn't happen. They actually take it really slow, with Adam being understanding of Mercy's fears and past trauma and not forcing her into something she isn't ready for.

[teahound]

This! I'm nearly halfway through Bone Crossed atm and lit_wolf is exactly right. It's actually not bad so far.

[celestineangel]

While it's good to know it isn't what it looks like, it's still disturbing that Briggs thought this was the perfect place to end the book. It was actually the worst way to end it, for exactly the reasons stated in this review and below... it's far, far too easy to misinterpret what's going on in a very bad way.

[cyranothe2nd]

What I have issues with is Adam showing up in Mercy's bed about a week after her rape, obviously expecting sex.

Wut? GROSS.

[lit_wolf]

Adam is NOT EXPECTING SEX.

At the end of the third book, Mercy THINKS that is what he is expecting but he is clearly more than happy to give her the space she needs (he backs off and is going to leave before another werewolf stops him!) Mercy only offers herself to him because she thinks that is what he wants. Adam admits that he would like to have sex with her (and has had this desire for a while) but he makes it VERY CLEAR that he doesn't need sex right then and there to make their mating bond and he will wait until she is ready. He turns her down when she offers herself to him. What more proof do you need that he is not EXPECTING sex.

The fourth book clears it all up and shows that Adam is content to wait.

[cyranothe2nd]

I'm still a bit disturbed by the internalized misogyny inherent in her offering herself to him at all. Its...weird.

[celestineangel]

While knowing what happens after the end of this book makes me feel somewhat better, I still question the decision to end Iron Kissed at that particular moment, because it did make it seem very much like Adam came to her intending to seek sex.

Basically, it was an extremely bad place to end the book, and I would rather have seen the entire scene together, and ended it with Adam's acceptance of her needing time, OR not seen this scene at all in this book.

Briggs should not have made her audience wait for another book to come out to clear it all up; bad decision, whether it was hers, or the publisher's.

[kira_snugz]

like everyone above me says, the fourth book clears everything up. and the series does get better.

[celestineangel]

Still think it was the worst place to end the book, and it shouldn't have ended there. :/ But glad to know it isn't what it seems.

[czol]

Honestly the explanations just show up a different problem. A book ends with a couple of characters getting into bed together & making like they're gonna have sex & the book just ENDS. Then the next book picks up at that scene which apparently has no real importance other than for one character to state their intentions about their relationship?

What kind of place is that to end a book? There's neither closure nor a ciffhanger. Did she just get bored of writing it & send it off to the publisher unfinished or something?

[celestineangel]

Agreed. Completely. I have no idea what went through Briggs' head when she figured this was the perfect place to end her book. Just... What? There are cliffhangers, and then there are unresolved endings that completely tear apart all the well-done handling of a difficult situation you've built, and the end of Iron Kissed was definitely not the first.

[czol]

It strikes me as an odd way to end a chapter, let alone a book.

[celestineangel]

True. Though at least I could have flipped to the next page and kept reading.