Elisabeth, the A-plot doesn't feel "done" because it isn't done. There are a number of loose ends to deal with, most of which have already been pointed out by the gentle (and not-so-gentle) readers. I promise to wrap up everything in the next installment, and I also once again promise that it WON'T be forty chapters long.
Ann, please don't think that you should change your opinion based on the opinions of others. Your reaction may not be what I was aiming for or hoping for, but it's perfectly valid and it's perfectly okay for you to tell you what your reaction is. I promise that I won't get upset because the story didn't go in the direction you hoped it would. I don't demand that other authors write to satisfy just little old me, and it would be hypocritical of me to expect you to love everything I write just because I write it.
