https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3063539.html

When I first read this in 2000, I wrote:

"The brilliant young scientist who is embittered because the world will not accept his work cures and falls in love with the girl who will help him learn once again what it is to be human. The rather magical tone of the story lifts it above the cliche - just."

If anything I liked it rather less on this reading. The protagonist is a wizard rather than a scientist, operating courageously without peer review or external funding. The love interest comes out of nowhere and exists only to be cured and fall in love with him. The tone is indeed well executed (see above), but strikes me as rather less special now than it did eighteen years ago. I guess it may be better written than most of the stories it was competing with; as far as I can remember I have read only one (see below) which I liked rather better. ( )