Who recommends: Preeti, Julie, Laurie, Shelly, Rebekah, Tanya
Who discommends: Barbara, Edith, Lynn, Isabel, Margaret

I didn't care much for THE SHAPECHANGER'S WIFE. The ending did not convince me it was HEA. Half-hearted resolution to the story, IMO. If I remember correctly, Barb had the same objection.--Edith

I love Shinn's other books but this one just didn't grab me.--Isabel (31 Jul 99)

I just finished The Shape-Changer's Wife this weekend and I loved it. I loved Shinn's Archangel books but I didn't know she had a story like this one in her. The style was reminiscent of McKillip's Winter Rose; it was very lyrical and haunting. I liked the fact that it wasn't a world-sized fantasy, but a small personal one. It's about a young wizard who goes to study under a powerful, reclusive, slightly mad wizard (is there any other kind?), and finds a mysterious woman living there as the wizard's wife. He spends the book getting to know the truth about her, about himself, and about the nature of love. The romance may not be a satisfying to some because it's not an obvious happy ending, but I think the epilogue gives it a happy ending. It will go on my SFR101 list. If I ever get around to writing it.--Shelly (23 Sep 99)

A quick-moving but sensual and beautifully drawn book. Hints of McKillip is the descriptions and the magic of shapechanging (but that might just be because I compare everyone to McKillip. ;)) Shinn manages to take a relatively simple story, one which could be done in 10 pages in an Andrew Lang Fairy book collection, and enriches it without losing the fairy tale quality. The ending was well done - not cheating any of the characters or the story but still hea.--Rebekah (30 Nov 99)

I recommend this, too: didn't expect to like it, as I'm not too keen on 'Jovah's Angel' etc, but it surprised me, pleasantly.--Tanya (19 Oct 00)

I just couldn't get into this one.--Margaret (08 Jul 01)