Warning: spoilers
I know not many people read this blog and I don't normally do book reviews anyways, but this book was so good I feel like I have to review it on principle. First, I'd like to say that my school's bookstore has extremely fast delivery: I asked them to get it and it was in the next day (Friday). I was busy and didn't pick it up until Saturday after brunch. I sat down shortly before 2pm to start reading. I was *planning* to do some school work after an hour or so. That didn't happen. In fact, the only reason I didn't read it in one single session was an urgent need to empty my bladder and a need to eat dinner before the dining halls closed at 8. Also the fact that I then went to a Turkish music concert (the second half of which I decided I didn't the extra credit for a review and started reading again, rude as that might be) and then to D&D, during which it was impossible to read. I finished the last chapter shortly before 3am rolled around, right after D&D was over.
On to the review!
A Local Habitation is the second October Daye novel. If the first, Seanan's debut, was good (and it was, I loved it) this was even better. Toby's liege lord is worried about his niece in a neighboring county/neutral zone who hasn't called him for three weeks, so he sends Toby and the fosterling Quentin (who's there to learn from Toby because working with her "will be nothing if not educational"). After several chapters and many characters lying, we discover that people are dying. Toby figures that the murderer is one of them, but who? It's exciting and suspenseful in a "I could not put this thing down long enough to do anything until I had no other choice" kind of way.
I thought the plot was extremely well done and I was gratified to find that I couldn't figure out whodunit until Toby did. Since I've begun beta-reading I've discovered an increased ability to spot the tropes that tell me who did what; not so for this novel. It was exciting, if a tad frustrating.
I love the characters, too. Toby's cats and rose goblin Spike are utterly adorable. Quentin grew up, and I think he's on his way to being a very strong character. As a side-note, I was a little frustrated that Toby wasn't figuring out that she and Quentin were having the same reactions to Alex/Terrie, in reverse with each gender--that the reason she liked Alex so quickly and Quentin immediately disliked him, and vice-versa for Terrie was something magical in nature. The Luidaeg is awesome in her awesomeness, and I'm glad she and Toby are friends. It's amusing in it's own way.
Toby/Tybalt: I love the dynamic between them, and the fact that Toby doesn't believe that they're friends despite the fact that Tybalt keeps coming to her rescue. Also, "Here kitty, kitty..." had me giggling every time it was mentioned or I happened to think about it. In fact, I'm snickering now. I wasn't quite sure last night if that was that funny or I was just that tired. It's that funny. Poor Tybalt. XD I have the feeling he didn't barge in there just because a Queen of the Cats died. He wouldn't have answered the phone for just anyone.
I love how the quirks of each type of Faerie is so much a part of the characterization of the characters. Elliot with the cleaning and the coffee. Toby and Quentin with the blood. Alex and Terrie with the hostility/love thing going on. Gordan with her mechanics. April with her very oddity as a Druid in a machine. It was seamlessly and masterfully woven in.
Some mysteries of Faerie (like the night-haunts and the murders) are solved, but there's clearly a lot more to come. What's going on with Toby's mother? What will happen between Toby and Tybalt? (I love that Caith Sidhe. Cats in general make me happy.) And so much more. I can't wait for September and the sequel, An Artificial Night (and congratulations to Seanan for getting the next two after that sold to DAW!)
Also, coming in May: Feed by Mira Grant (Seanan McGuire's evil twin). It's a book about politics with zombies mixed in. I think it's going to be intriguing and as well-written as the Toby Daye novels.
Side note: You can follow
seanan_mcguire here on livejournal!
I know not many people read this blog and I don't normally do book reviews anyways, but this book was so good I feel like I have to review it on principle. First, I'd like to say that my school's bookstore has extremely fast delivery: I asked them to get it and it was in the next day (Friday). I was busy and didn't pick it up until Saturday after brunch. I sat down shortly before 2pm to start reading. I was *planning* to do some school work after an hour or so. That didn't happen. In fact, the only reason I didn't read it in one single session was an urgent need to empty my bladder and a need to eat dinner before the dining halls closed at 8. Also the fact that I then went to a Turkish music concert (the second half of which I decided I didn't the extra credit for a review and started reading again, rude as that might be) and then to D&D, during which it was impossible to read. I finished the last chapter shortly before 3am rolled around, right after D&D was over.
On to the review!
A Local Habitation is the second October Daye novel. If the first, Seanan's debut, was good (and it was, I loved it) this was even better. Toby's liege lord is worried about his niece in a neighboring county/neutral zone who hasn't called him for three weeks, so he sends Toby and the fosterling Quentin (who's there to learn from Toby because working with her "will be nothing if not educational"). After several chapters and many characters lying, we discover that people are dying. Toby figures that the murderer is one of them, but who? It's exciting and suspenseful in a "I could not put this thing down long enough to do anything until I had no other choice" kind of way.
I thought the plot was extremely well done and I was gratified to find that I couldn't figure out whodunit until Toby did. Since I've begun beta-reading I've discovered an increased ability to spot the tropes that tell me who did what; not so for this novel. It was exciting, if a tad frustrating.
I love the characters, too. Toby's cats and rose goblin Spike are utterly adorable. Quentin grew up, and I think he's on his way to being a very strong character. As a side-note, I was a little frustrated that Toby wasn't figuring out that she and Quentin were having the same reactions to Alex/Terrie, in reverse with each gender--that the reason she liked Alex so quickly and Quentin immediately disliked him, and vice-versa for Terrie was something magical in nature. The Luidaeg is awesome in her awesomeness, and I'm glad she and Toby are friends. It's amusing in it's own way.
Toby/Tybalt: I love the dynamic between them, and the fact that Toby doesn't believe that they're friends despite the fact that Tybalt keeps coming to her rescue. Also, "Here kitty, kitty..." had me giggling every time it was mentioned or I happened to think about it. In fact, I'm snickering now. I wasn't quite sure last night if that was that funny or I was just that tired. It's that funny. Poor Tybalt. XD I have the feeling he didn't barge in there just because a Queen of the Cats died. He wouldn't have answered the phone for just anyone.
I love how the quirks of each type of Faerie is so much a part of the characterization of the characters. Elliot with the cleaning and the coffee. Toby and Quentin with the blood. Alex and Terrie with the hostility/love thing going on. Gordan with her mechanics. April with her very oddity as a Druid in a machine. It was seamlessly and masterfully woven in.
Some mysteries of Faerie (like the night-haunts and the murders) are solved, but there's clearly a lot more to come. What's going on with Toby's mother? What will happen between Toby and Tybalt? (I love that Caith Sidhe. Cats in general make me happy.) And so much more. I can't wait for September and the sequel, An Artificial Night (and congratulations to Seanan for getting the next two after that sold to DAW!)
Also, coming in May: Feed by Mira Grant (Seanan McGuire's evil twin). It's a book about politics with zombies mixed in. I think it's going to be intriguing and as well-written as the Toby Daye novels.
Side note: You can follow
seanan_mcguire here on livejournal!
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