Considering I don't even like westerns and country music makes me want to shove Q-Tips into my brain through my ears, I'm surprised how much I enjoy this fic.  ^_~  You've done an excellent job explaining why the characters are where they are and have successfully given them a back-story that's believable.  Most authors just plunk down Japanese names into whatever country or time period they want to write about.  You didn't; you went out of your way to give them a credible background.  The characters themselves are not OOC to the point that they're unrecognizable.  This is a major fault in most AUs and you've avoided it.  You’ve managed to work in the lore of the series (youkai, miko, and the like) into your AU and that’s an achievement.  It’s obvious that you’ve researched history and the area that you’re writing about which is another huge plus.  You’re not so in love with your OC’s that you’re scared off of causing them strife.  Furthermore, you’re handling the issue of religion with grace and that’s not easy to do when you have characters that believe in their Faiths so passionately.  Often fics come off as ‘preachy’ or as condemning a religion and the people that practice it.  You’re rounding these dangerous curves expertly, though.  So many authors would have gone the route of Shinto being the “One True Religion” when Kagome managed to use her miko abilities, but you had the Christian characters view it as an answer to prayer.  It’s very realistic in keeping with the times. If I had one criticism it would be that I feel as though you wasted your ample opportunity to build the passions between Sango/Miroku and Kagome/Inuyasha.  Sure, they all had their little scenes, but you readers are pretty much starved for those moments.  Considering that your main plot revolves around these men taking wives, it’s surprisingly sparse of romance (either angst therein or tender bonding moments).  Even when you’ve had the chance to expound on a character’s feelings for their intended, you’ve skirted the issue.  They had all that time to grow together and apart again and yet such instances are few and far between.  If you ever do a revision, that would be what I would personally add. Please keep up the excellent work!  I look forward to your next installment. 

This piece has been nominated at the Feudal Association!

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i love it

Author's Response: Thank you! -Namiyo