Is there any time in your life when you do not feel the need for caffeine?
Sure. Sometimes I’m asleep.
I think Seanan McGuire has this need to balance a book where Toby’s life goes reasonably well for most of it with a book where she gets kicked in the teeth for a large chunk; last book was happy, so now here comes the steel-toed boot.
What happened? she breathed, staring at me.
I got hit in the face with a pie, I said.
Mags stopped, blinking. “You got…hit in the face with a pie,” she repeated. “I…what? I’m sorry, but I’ve been in charge of this Library for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of really ridiculous things. I lived in Wales. And there is no way being hit with a pie should have turned you human.”
It was a really evil pie,” I said.
Of course it’s not just Toby; seeing as the Queen of the Mists is a large part of this book, it’s the readers as well for having to put up with her. I have a list of character who by the end of the series I want dead, and if not dead then in a serious world of hurt and unable to bother our heroes; the sow known as the Queen of the Mists is probably in the top five, six at a push. She banishes Toby from San Francisco for trying to get Goblin Fruit, which kills changelings, off the streets; surely the Queen of the Mists can not be surprised that Toby’s reaction is to stage a coup, dethrone her and put someone else in her place? If she is, I have one question; honey, have you ever actually met October Daye? And when your actions lead to Toby becoming addicted, and giving her all the weaknesses that go along with that? You’re lucky she’s just dethroning you, and not building Madame Guillotine in her backyard.
This book also introduces Arden and Madden; one character I run hot and cold with, and one that is so harmless he’s adorable. Who can not love Madden and his California surfer, golden retriever energy?
(If you’ve read the book/when you read the book, pun intended)
Arden, meanwhile, I’m a little meh over. Yes, I understand her life has sucked, I understand it wasn’t easy, but still: you’re over a hundred years old sweetie, the time to be a whiny, self-pitying teenager is well over.
I do appreciate that McGuire fleshes several characters out more; you start seeing the relationship between the Luidheag and Amandine, Tybalt starts really showing his quality, we finally find out Quentin’s parentage, Toby starts realizing how much she’s actually chosen the Fae, and I really start wanting to punch Sylvester. That’s one thing that just increases as the series goes on; Sylvester just gets more and more punchable. I know, I know, flawed and human character who’s trying his best; still punchable. Seeing as Dianda makes a reappearance in this book, you know she finds a whole lot of other people equally punchable; I love that Dianda is the embodiment of the old meme about violence not being the answer, it’s the question and the answer is always yes.
I enjoyed this book as much as the last six, but next comes The Winter Long; and does everything change from there….
Then I stay beside you for as long as we have.” He kept stroking my hair. Cats like to be petted. Cait Sidhe like to pet. “October, I meant it when I told you I was not leaving you. I will never leave you while both of us are living. You were not quite this human when I met you, and you were far less human when I finally allowed myself to love you. But the essential core of your being has remained the same no matter what the balance of your blood.
How is it that you always know the exact right stupid romance novel thing to say? I asked, leaning up to kiss him.
He smiled against my lips. When I pulled back, he said. “I was a student of Shakespeare before the romance novel was even dreamt. Be glad I do not leave you horrible poetry on your pillow, wrapped securely around the bodies of dead rats.
Two other things to note: One, I would kill to have a Library Card to the Library of the Stars (you would never get me out)
Librarianship is a form of heroism. It’s just not as flashy as swords and dragons.
and Two, Something happens in the chapter where Toby meets Arden that doesn’t become important until seven books later. And that is something else I love about Seanan McGuire, even throwaway lines can turn out to be very, very important.
You are covered in blood,” Tybalt said again, stressing the words harder this time. “It makes me tense.” There was a thud as the guard hit the floor, and Tybalt returned to my side.
“Wow. You must be tense a lot.”
He sighed. “You have no idea.