The Spirit Ring

I bought The Spirit Ring by Lois McMaster Bujold on a whim.  It was on sale, in a genre I generally enjoy (Sci-fi/fantasy), and looked interesting.  The book is set in a renaissance Europe with one minor change: magic is real. The ramifications of that premise, which is an interesting one, are not fully explored, though they are hinted at in interesting ways. 

The book works through the viewpoint of two protagonists, a male and a female.  The book somewhat toys with how cliche this dynamic is.  While it is clear that they are going to fall in love, based on the story telling formula, the book comes right out and tells you it is going to happen through a magic ring.  The story then changes from a relatively obvious will they/won't they dynamic to the more interesting how dynamic.

The most compelling character in the book though was the villain.  Unlike many books, this humanizes him, without redeeming him.  At one point the book talks about how angels weep for sinners (Side note: The book is very heavy with Christianity, however it makes sense for a story set in that time period) not for the evil, but for the good that is wasted in that evil.  I thought that was a pretty poignant remark.  If I remember anything from this book, it will be that.

The book does not raise any interesting philosophical questions and will not leave you awake at night worrying about the characters, but it is a fun read.  If you are looking for a fantasy book that is fun for all ages, I recommend  picking it up.

Overall, I would give this book a 83%.