It was several years before I gave it another try. It didn't hurt to read quite as much as last time, and I was able to enjoy the fact that in the end Mordion was put on a path to something better, and that he did have someone who'd been through the wringer and knew they cared about him. I didn't focus so much on the horrible stuff. I'd sort of had time to move on more, you know?
And all the symbolism with the dragons was weirdly satisfying.