Here is how I saw the true love conversation in TM and why Mab’s version of it can be defended, but even my explanation isn’t perfect. Short version, it’s complicated and that is a problem in and of itself.
When Thomas first told Harry that objects or people touched by true love is a kind of poisson for the White Court or at least House Raith, it was straightforward and easy to understand. The exceptions or what can disable true love protection appeared to be easy to grasp as well. Now that Harry is no longer protected, Mab tells Harry true love protection is more like a complex equation and one incorrect variable can give the answer a null value. “That love protection no longer adds up Harry, sorry.”
Here is how Mab’s explanation works. I can say that if Murphy had survived the battle, but she had been severely injured, maybe crippled for life, Harry would have still blamed himself and felt unworthy of being loved, because feeling guilty is what Harry does, but Murphy remaining alive would have held the love protection together, even though it would take time before Harry once again felt worthy of her love. Simply feeling unworthy of being loved only ends true love protection if the other partner isn’t there to help sustain it. So, Mab’s explanation can work, sort of, but damn it’s messy.
I disliked Mab being able to explain; or fully explain, how Harry’s love protection disappeared. I can’t remember which novel; maybe it was Death Masks, Harry asked Bob to conduct a search and Bob told Harry that he couldn’t do it. The reason Bob gave is because Bob is a memory spirit and he would be crossing boundaries into spiritual areas he wasn’t meant to cross. I think something similar for Mab; though not exactly the same, would have worked much better than what we actually got. When Harry asked why his love protection had vanished Mab might have told Harry something like this:
“My Knight. Of course I am aware of love protection and how it protected you from Lara Raith and others of her kind. I was once mortal once. I know what love is and I can recognize it in others, as I recognized your brother was in love. But love and emotions in general are not where I excel. I can tell you what I know, but in truth my sister the Summer Queen is better suited to answer this question, but I do not recommend that you seek her council in this matter. She lacks my sense of humor; and frankly, I don’t think she likes you.”
Then, whether Jim had Mab give the exact same explanation of how love protection works or came up with a slightly different explanation, it would have created some wiggle room in the reader’s mind. I think a lot of people would be much more happy if Mab’s explanation seemed incomplete or was questionable because Mab didn’t fully grasp how love protection works. Then we could make up our own explanations to fill in the gaps. I think the way Jim had Mab explain love protection to Harry, it seemed watered down or as others hasn’t put it, less special than our earlier understanding.
Actually, I think the kiss scene between Lara and Harry needed some serious improvement as well. I think more was wrong with it than Lara not being burned. However, I think that issue needs a separate post of its own. I might not be able to get to it until tomorrow, but I do have something to say about that.
