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ricksilva's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
October "Toby" Daye, half-faerie and former PI, just wants to leave the hidden magical side of San Fransisco behind her. She lost everything in a job gone wrong. She failed her liege, and lost her family and fourteen years of her life.
But of course she gets pulled back into it all. Magically cursed into solving one more murder, she quickly discovers that she may be the next target of the killers, and is forced to question her old friends and allies, even as she renews her connections to the faerie realms.
October is a great throwback to the hardboiled detective icons of Mickey Spillane, with a bit of not-always-reliable magic, and a troubled past that she's in more than one form of denial about.
The worldbuilding is great, from the workings of magic to the fantasy version of San Fransisco layered on top of and in between what is visible to human eyes.
Plotwise the book does a nice job of planting all sorts of seeds, referencing past adventures and dropping hints of future intrigues, all while spinning an action-filled mystery with a solid share of tragedy, and the occasional glimmer of hope and wonder.
The one weakness of the story is the lack of agency of the protagonist, and this may to some extent have been intentionally thematically, but it still results in a story that is almost entirely reactive. Things happen to Toby, and the plot spirals out of her control, and then more things happen to her. And so on.
I'm hoping that this sets up a more proactive version of Toby as the series moves forward. Because there is a lot to like with these characters and this world.
But of course she gets pulled back into it all. Magically cursed into solving one more murder, she quickly discovers that she may be the next target of the killers, and is forced to question her old friends and allies, even as she renews her connections to the faerie realms.
October is a great throwback to the hardboiled detective icons of Mickey Spillane, with a bit of not-always-reliable magic, and a troubled past that she's in more than one form of denial about.
The worldbuilding is great, from the workings of magic to the fantasy version of San Fransisco layered on top of and in between what is visible to human eyes.
Plotwise the book does a nice job of planting all sorts of seeds, referencing past adventures and dropping hints of future intrigues, all while spinning an action-filled mystery with a solid share of tragedy, and the occasional glimmer of hope and wonder.
The one weakness of the story is the lack of agency of the protagonist, and this may to some extent have been intentionally thematically, but it still results in a story that is almost entirely reactive. Things happen to Toby, and the plot spirals out of her control, and then more things happen to her. And so on.
I'm hoping that this sets up a more proactive version of Toby as the series moves forward. Because there is a lot to like with these characters and this world.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Child death, Blood, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
book_gremlin42's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, and Child abuse
prettylightsandcitynights's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
One of those books where the logic of the narrator doesn't always make sense to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death
Minor: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Cursing
kadtide's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Classism and Gun violence
Minor: Sexual content and Torture
tigger89's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Some series start with an explosion of greatness, grabbing the reader's attention, drawing them in, and leaving them starved for more in the wake of the debut. Well, October Daye isn't like that. The concept of a fae-infested San Francisco was interesting, the story was acceptable, the characters made me scowl and smile as needed...but it was all just fine. There wasn't anything to it that would make me thrust this book into someone's hands, insisting that they read this great new series right now. I'd expected more from this much-hyped series, but I suspect that might be my problem right there - getting caught in the hype.
The strength of the series so far is undoubtedly the world building, how McGuire fit all the species of fae in and around our own modern(ish) world. I'll forgive any number of plot and character sins if it means I get to explore the nooks and crannies. I also really enjoyed the way magic was handled, with the unique scents and constraints on casting. The cast of characters were interesting and varied, but I found myself frustrated by Toby herself. It felt as if she was tumbling from one plot point to the next, getting knocked down only to be revived by her allies over and over. I liked viewing the world from her perspective, but at the same time I wanted to smack her until she let me drive, because she kept being stubborn. I know McGuire's writing enough to know that she's probably going somewhere with this characterization, but it was frustrating throughout this whole first book.
I do intend to continue with this series. I've heard it gets better as it goes along, and I was interested in many of the plot teasers that were dangled in the final chapter. But unfortunately it's a bit of a rough introduction.
The strength of the series so far is undoubtedly the world building, how McGuire fit all the species of fae in and around our own modern(ish) world. I'll forgive any number of plot and character sins if it means I get to explore the nooks and crannies. I also really enjoyed the way magic was handled, with the unique scents and constraints on casting. The cast of characters were interesting and varied, but I found myself frustrated by Toby herself. It felt as if she was tumbling from one plot point to the next, getting knocked down only to be revived by her allies over and over. I liked viewing the world from her perspective, but at the same time I wanted to smack her until she let me drive, because she kept being stubborn. I know McGuire's writing enough to know that she's probably going somewhere with this characterization, but it was frustrating throughout this whole first book.
I do intend to continue with this series. I've heard it gets better as it goes along, and I was interested in many of the plot teasers that were dangled in the final chapter. But unfortunately it's a bit of a rough introduction.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Infidelity and Physical abuse
maryellen's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
readingelli's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Murder, Blood, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
foreverinastory's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had fun with this one. I always love fae stories.
Rep: white female MC with PTSD, Asian coded female side character, various other fae race side characters.
CWs: Blood, confinement (in a pond as a fish), death, grief, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping/attempted kidnapping, medical content, murder, racism (within the fae there is discrimination and prejudice towards changelings and half fae), toxic relationship, violence, emotional abuse. Moderate: Ableism, child death, gore, sexual content. Brief: Dementia.
Rep: white female MC with PTSD, Asian coded female side character, various other fae race side characters.
CWs: Blood, confinement (in a pond as a fish), death, grief, gun violence, injury/injury detail, kidnapping/attempted kidnapping, medical content, murder, racism (within the fae there is discrimination and prejudice towards changelings and half fae), toxic relationship, violence, emotional abuse. Moderate: Ableism, child death, gore, sexual content. Brief: Dementia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Ableism, Gore, Sexual content, and Child death
Minor: Dementia
wordsareworlds's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Good start to a new urban fantasy series. A lot of times book one's can seem weak and info-dumpy, and I never felt like that here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism and Toxic relationship
achablani's review
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Blood