Through the Fairy Tree

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at the ‘marriage contest’ setup—until Marion McEwan opened her mouth. Stockton writes her as the kind of heroine who smiles sweetly while mentally drafting your obituary, and Diane Brooks *gets* it. Her performance turns Marion’s internal monologues into the audiobook’s highlight, especially in scenes where she’s forced to play the dutiful daughter while plotting her escape. The romance simmers slowly, which I appreciated; this isn’t insta-lust but a grudging respect that ignites into something fiercer. The Highland games themselves are more than window dressing—Stockton ties each event (a particularly brutal caber toss, a deceptively simple storytelling challenge) to Marion’s emotional arc, making the contests feel urgent rather than ornamental. That said, the pacing stumbles in the middle. The political maneuvering between clans drags when it should snap, and one secondary character’s redemption arc feels rushed compared to the meticulous buildup of the love triangle. Brooks’ narration papers over some of these cracks with her impeccable timing, though I wished the audio production had leaned harder into ambient sounds—imagine the clash of swords or the wind through the fairy tree—to deepen immersion. Still, the final act delivers a payoff worth the wait, blending folklore and feminism in a way that feels fresh for the genre. If you’re tired of demure Highland roses, Marion’s thorns will delight you.