This is a short novel following a bit player from the Enlightenment series Iain Sinclair. Iain and James are childhood friends, though Iain is a few years older, that have a falling out. This book goes back and forth, showing bits from their relationship out of order as well as showing the present when they are no longer on good terms. As the story unfolds it is revealed just how much Iain has failed James over the years and how much they meant to each other. The problems they face and their misunderstandings feel legitimate and raw. As with the rest of the series the stakes are not high beyond the couple’s problems and the plot is not complicated. It is a pure relationship story with lots of interesting secondary characters (and I loved getting a brief glimpse of David and Murdo).
