I liked the character of Cornelia Naismith in the earlier two Vorkossigan novels, and was glad to see Bujold return to focus on the character in this book. Sadly for me, it was my least-favorite book of the series by a wide margain. The stakes begin on a personal level, as they have in the other books, but they never expand. No spies, no intrigue, no battles. And in the end, not much happens. Bujold loves these characters, clearly, to the expense of a compelling narrative. It's not a bad time, it's just a real let-down.