S.M. Boyce has done it yet again. The Grimoire Saga may have ended with the release of Illusion last year, but my adventures through the world of Ourea are far from over. The Misanthrope is a welcomed return to the magical, dangerous world that Boyce created, and I couldn't have asked for a better story to read.

Like the read of the books I've read from Boyce, there is no lack of genius writing. Each setting is written beautifully. Whether it's on Earth or in Ourea, I felt like I was there standing beside the characters, taking in the scenery, sounds, and scents. That's one of the things that drew me in early on.

Strong, well fleshed out characters are also offered up in this book. Stone, the main character, was able to develop more in this book compared to when readers first read him in the later Grimorie Saga books. I felt like I was able to understand and sympathize with him even more having read his story, now. The side characters, while not the main focus of this story, were also brought to life to the point that I would enjoy reading books focused on their lives, as well. Each character has something to hook me in and make me curious about what makes them tick.

Another thing that I thought made me enjoy The Misanthrope just a little bit more was that, while being part of a spin-off series to the Grimoire books, it felt like a book all its own. The was much shorter in length, yet packed just as much of a punch. it was a bit faster paced, and I think the story benefited its brevity in certain sections. For a book that covers many decades of Stone's life, it didn't feel like it was jumping forward too fast, nor did it feel like it was bogged down on any one time period.

As with my reading of Boyce's previous books, I'm already getting impatient about her next release. Credric's story will be the next in The Ourean Chronicles and I have no doubts as to whether or not it'll end up at the top of my tbr pile once it's released. ( )