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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
Seanan PLEASE stop stressing me out this. But seriously this was a perfect Toby book. The way that everyone’s perceptions changed with a few ‘what-ifs’ was absolutely flawless. I love these characters more and more with every book.
So many thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced copy.
So many thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced copy.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
TW/CW: Violence, fantasy violence, kidnapping, pregnancy, scary sequences, blood magic
PUBLICATION DATE: September 5, 2023
REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and am voluntarily writing a honest review.
Sleep No More is the seventeenth book in the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire. It follows the changeling October Daye as she straddles the line between humanity and the Fae and all the difficulties that causes.
I have read many fantasy series in my life, but hardly ever have I read seventeen books in one series and still been intoxicated by the characters and the world as I have by this one. The story is still fresh and enticing, and I look forward every year for the next one to come out.
Summarizing the plot would unfortunately be full of spoilers for past books and take more space than I have for this review, but I highly recommend this book, series, and author to anyone who enjoys fantasy series.
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Book sixteen is a hard book to follow! I still finished this one in a 24 hour marathon read but it wasn’t quite as satisfying. I look forward to the audio reread upon the audio release.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I specifically enjoy books and series where nominally the same character has a transformation of mind, perception, and/or understanding of current events and their own history. While Toby has changed a great deal over the series so far, up until now most of the changes have been gradual (or, when extreme, temporary - e.g. her brief addiction to Goblin Fruit several books ago). SLEEP NO MORE, at long last, offers a very different version of October. This one is grateful to be her sister’s handmaiden, grew up with Simon Torquill as her father even though they share no blood, and knows of Amandine’s nature as Firstborn of the Dóchas Sidhe. October's memories have been rewritten, recontextualized, transformed to the point that many of the faces she ought to know best are alien to her. Entities who had been dealt with in earlier volumes are returned, rather, to her, they never left. Titania's vision of a perfect Faerie includes neither mixed bloods nor shapeshifters, let alone seers. Most immediately, it does not include the Cait Sidhe, and this version of October has never even met Tybalt.
Because October is unaware of her real previous history, much of the book follows a new storyline which was not present in any of the earlier volumes, but which in another way is a direct continuation of the previous books. There's often much backstory that could be explained, but if every bit of the story that got us here were detailed, not only would October run from the room at the news of just how often she'd gotten hurt before, but also it would bring this story to a grinding halt. Instead, what needs to be explained is summarized for October's benefit and to aid the reader's recall. It avoids belaboring any one point to those magicked to reject that understanding of reality.
SLEEP NO MORE is a direct continuation of the cliffhanger ending in BE THE SERPENT, and it addresses October's side of Titania's illusion. It is paired with the next book, THE INNOCENT SLEEP, which follows the same basic timeframe but from Tybalt's perspective. A few specific things are mentioned towards the end that will need to be handled in later books, but chief among them will be dealing with the aftermath of these events. So many people had their personalities changed and were bound by illusions which messed with their understanding of their own history, and the trauma inflicted here will have long-lasting repercussions.
"Candles and Starlight" is the novella included at the end of SLEEP NO MORE. It follows one of the characters who retained their memories during the illusion because they were too inconvenient to be easily rewritten or put in a new role. It showcases a character who has had a large influence but hasn't yet had much of a voice.
Because October is unaware of her real previous history, much of the book follows a new storyline which was not present in any of the earlier volumes, but which in another way is a direct continuation of the previous books. There's often much backstory that could be explained, but if every bit of the story that got us here were detailed, not only would October run from the room at the news of just how often she'd gotten hurt before, but also it would bring this story to a grinding halt. Instead, what needs to be explained is summarized for October's benefit and to aid the reader's recall. It avoids belaboring any one point to those magicked to reject that understanding of reality.
SLEEP NO MORE is a direct continuation of the cliffhanger ending in BE THE SERPENT, and it addresses October's side of Titania's illusion. It is paired with the next book, THE INNOCENT SLEEP, which follows the same basic timeframe but from Tybalt's perspective. A few specific things are mentioned towards the end that will need to be handled in later books, but chief among them will be dealing with the aftermath of these events. So many people had their personalities changed and were bound by illusions which messed with their understanding of their own history, and the trauma inflicted here will have long-lasting repercussions.
"Candles and Starlight" is the novella included at the end of SLEEP NO MORE. It follows one of the characters who retained their memories during the illusion because they were too inconvenient to be easily rewritten or put in a new role. It showcases a character who has had a large influence but hasn't yet had much of a voice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Blood, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Death, Genocide, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Death of parent
“Candles and Starlight” - CW for confinement, kidnapping, body horror. Minor CW for torture, child abuse.
Just edging over 4 stars! I did really enjoy this book, as a continuation of the October Daye story. After the cliffhanger at the end of Be the Serpent, I was very excited to get this ARC. The prose leaned even a little more purple than the October Daye standard, only to be expected of a version of the world where everyone wears kirtles. Seeing Toby exist as this version of herself was super interesting, and I am VERY exited to see how her much-deepened relationship with August changes things in the future.
Series ->ALSO: Who do we think Is Maeve. Is Marcia still the main guess?
I received an early copy through Netgalley
Series ->
I received an early copy through Netgalley
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Read SLEEP NO MORE (October Daye book 17) by Seanan McGuire if you love overwriting history, family dynamics, fighting systems of oppression, fanfiction, amnesia, magic, lots of blood, old friends, what is & what was, questioning reality, running around, and sad kitty cats.
I was sent a copy for review, via NetGalley, from the publisher. The expected publication date is Sept. 5, 2023.
I was sent a copy for review, via NetGalley, from the publisher. The expected publication date is Sept. 5, 2023.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced