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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
I first heard about this author and this series on the Black Phoenix Alchemy forum. Seanan McGuire is a member over there and there is a whole thread dedicated to her books. I have been getting into sci fi/fantasy recently and have yet to read an urban fantasy. From all the glowing recommendations over at the BPAL forum, plus good reviews for the series on blogs like Fantasy Book Cafe, I thought I would give it a try.
The description on the back of the book made it hard for me to want to read it at first, however. I find that faeries have been watered down so much, that reading about faeries doesn't really appeal to me. I was hoping that McGuire went down the route of the traditional faeries, before they became like Tinkerbell. I wanted the faeries to have some edge and not just be light and happy pixies, and this book definitely fits the dark faerie theme.
The story follows October (Toby) Daye, a half fairy, half human changeling. She was a private investigator for a member of the fairy nobility, and due to the drawbacks of a position like this, she was exiled in a pond as a fish for 14 years. The book begins not long after she has been transformed back into herself. Toby wants nothing to do with the faerie world, not surprising considering her past experiences. However, she is drawn back into the world, when an acquaintance/friend, Countess Evening Winterrose is murdered and Toby is the last person she calls. Toby is forced to investigate the crime and find the culprit, otherwise her own life may be in danger.
I had mixed feelings about the book. I did enjoy it, but there was a lot of info dumping from Toby and explanations of how the world worked. McGuire did a good job creating the world, but over half of the book felt like explanations of how the world functioned. The book is in first person, and it seems a little odd that Toby would be explaining things that are second nature to her, but I realize that McGuire has to set up the world. It wasn't until the end of the book that the action really started. There is a lot of build up and not enough action. I did like the world building, despite the info dumping. I loved all the little details that McGuire added, such as cats being in tune with the faerie world and the rose goblins. I really want a rose goblin after reading this book!
However, I have heard that the later books are excellent, so of course, I picked up the sequel, and I'm liking it so far, especially now that all the exposition on the world is mostly over.
I loved the characterization. Toby isn't a perfect character and even though she is a half faerie, she struggles with magic to the point that it can be crippling. My other favorite character is Tybalt. I have heard he features even more into the later books and I can't wait! Even Dare, a very minor character that dies, was well developed and I felt a little twinge of sadness when I realized she wasn't going to make it to the next book. I also liked how San Francisco was a character.
As said before, I'm on the second book and I can't wait to see where McGuire goes with these characters. Again, I love her characterization in the second book, and the ability McGuire has to make "monsters" likeable.
The description on the back of the book made it hard for me to want to read it at first, however. I find that faeries have been watered down so much, that reading about faeries doesn't really appeal to me. I was hoping that McGuire went down the route of the traditional faeries, before they became like Tinkerbell. I wanted the faeries to have some edge and not just be light and happy pixies, and this book definitely fits the dark faerie theme.
The story follows October (Toby) Daye, a half fairy, half human changeling. She was a private investigator for a member of the fairy nobility, and due to the drawbacks of a position like this, she was exiled in a pond as a fish for 14 years. The book begins not long after she has been transformed back into herself. Toby wants nothing to do with the faerie world, not surprising considering her past experiences. However, she is drawn back into the world, when an acquaintance/friend, Countess Evening Winterrose is murdered and Toby is the last person she calls. Toby is forced to investigate the crime and find the culprit, otherwise her own life may be in danger.
I had mixed feelings about the book. I did enjoy it, but there was a lot of info dumping from Toby and explanations of how the world worked. McGuire did a good job creating the world, but over half of the book felt like explanations of how the world functioned. The book is in first person, and it seems a little odd that Toby would be explaining things that are second nature to her, but I realize that McGuire has to set up the world. It wasn't until the end of the book that the action really started. There is a lot of build up and not enough action. I did like the world building, despite the info dumping. I loved all the little details that McGuire added, such as cats being in tune with the faerie world and the rose goblins. I really want a rose goblin after reading this book!
However, I have heard that the later books are excellent, so of course, I picked up the sequel, and I'm liking it so far, especially now that all the exposition on the world is mostly over.
I loved the characterization. Toby isn't a perfect character and even though she is a half faerie, she struggles with magic to the point that it can be crippling. My other favorite character is Tybalt. I have heard he features even more into the later books and I can't wait! Even Dare, a very minor character that dies, was well developed and I felt a little twinge of sadness when I realized she wasn't going to make it to the next book. I also liked how San Francisco was a character.
As said before, I'm on the second book and I can't wait to see where McGuire goes with these characters. Again, I love her characterization in the second book, and the ability McGuire has to make "monsters" likeable.
Rosemary and Rue is a book about how a person gets her life back from depression and oppression. That means it's not a light hearted book, even if there are faeries in it (I say it for all those people that haven't read enough fairytales to know fairies are usually cruel and mean), and it's not a romance book, even if there's sex in it.
I liked Seanan's writing enough to want to read the next one. I might as well, since October is a well thought viewpoint character that feels closer to Harry Dresden or Felix Castor than to Sookie Stackhouse, which is a always welcome**.
I do, however, have a small problem with this book. The setting feels derivative, like the author played a lot of Changeling: The Dreaming, then just went ahead and made her own version of it. It's not a huge problem, since the game setting itself is a remix of several other books, as well as mythology and fairy tales. Seanan might have just drunk from the same fountain. Still, the court scenes felt a bit like reading an extremely well written RPG novel (hell, that sounds terrible, but, believe me, it isn't) and the social organization is a bit to strict, as in the game (what is it with everyone thinking elves get to boss other fae around?).
Overall, it's a good urban fantasy. The kind of page turner that'll grab you and keep you reading until you finish it, only it does that because it makes you care, not because you want to know how could someone possibly survive***.
So, yeah, recommended.
*You have no idea how many urban fantasy books use random encounters and plot coupons as a substitute for a plotline.
**It's so rare to find an urban fantasy book with a female character that does not acts like a crazy teenager.
*** Not that it doesn't suffer from excess Chandler's Law, as most books with adventure elements do. I just decided I don't care about that trope anymore.
I liked Seanan's writing enough to want to read the next one. I might as well, since October is a well thought viewpoint character that feels closer to Harry Dresden or Felix Castor than to Sookie Stackhouse, which is a always welcome**.
I do, however, have a small problem with this book. The setting feels derivative, like the author played a lot of Changeling: The Dreaming, then just went ahead and made her own version of it. It's not a huge problem, since the game setting itself is a remix of several other books, as well as mythology and fairy tales. Seanan might have just drunk from the same fountain. Still, the court scenes felt a bit like reading an extremely well written RPG novel (hell, that sounds terrible, but, believe me, it isn't) and the social organization is a bit to strict, as in the game (what is it with everyone thinking elves get to boss other fae around?).
Overall, it's a good urban fantasy. The kind of page turner that'll grab you and keep you reading until you finish it, only it does that because it makes you care, not because you want to know how could someone possibly survive***.
So, yeah, recommended.
*You have no idea how many urban fantasy books use random encounters and plot coupons as a substitute for a plotline.
**It's so rare to find an urban fantasy book with a female character that does not acts like a crazy teenager.
*** Not that it doesn't suffer from excess Chandler's Law, as most books with adventure elements do. I just decided I don't care about that trope anymore.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I hate when a book starts with a bunch of stuff I have no reason to care about (yet). This one has an author's note (called: Act 1, Scene 1: Rosemary and Rue; I thought it was part of the story but it definitely is not) and a pronunciation guide before the story starts (and a map, but I don't mind those as much).
Pronunciation guides really irk me. I haven't read a single word of the story yet and you're expecting me to learn how to pronounce things? Personal pet peeve, I know some people like them.
But the author's note really pissed me off. First, it's not titled as such so I thought it was part of the story (only until the second sentence, but still). Second, it says, "For many of you, October Daye became a part of your world in 2009, when Rosemary and Rue was originally released." Um, I've never read this before so who's October Daye? Um 2009? No. It's 2023. This explanation of the history of the book and the author's ideas really should've gone at the end.
Anyways, on to what I thought of the book: it was mediocre, at best.
October Daye (also known as Toby) is the main character. The reader is basically told she's a great PI but everything points to her sucking at it. It seems like all the men in the book are (at least half) in love with her. She's special. She's titled (which is super rare for changelings, making her even more special). She's done awesome things in the past. In other words, she's a real Mary Sue.
She's boring. She has no personality. She's incompetent. She's a damsel in distress. I did not like her.
The plot was a bunch of Toby getting injured and then cared for by others. Oh, and the "bad guy" was pretty obvious from practically their first introduction.
I won't be reading any more of this series.
Pronunciation guides really irk me. I haven't read a single word of the story yet and you're expecting me to learn how to pronounce things? Personal pet peeve, I know some people like them.
But the author's note really pissed me off. First, it's not titled as such so I thought it was part of the story (only until the second sentence, but still). Second, it says, "For many of you, October Daye became a part of your world in 2009, when Rosemary and Rue was originally released." Um, I've never read this before so who's October Daye? Um 2009? No. It's 2023. This explanation of the history of the book and the author's ideas really should've gone at the end.
Anyways, on to what I thought of the book: it was mediocre, at best.
October Daye (also known as Toby) is the main character. The reader is basically told she's a great PI but everything points to her sucking at it. It seems like all the men in the book are (at least half) in love with her. She's special. She's titled (which is super rare for changelings, making her even more special). She's done awesome things in the past. In other words, she's a real Mary Sue.
She's boring. She has no personality. She's incompetent. She's a damsel in distress. I did not like her.
The plot was a bunch of Toby getting injured and then cared for by others. Oh, and the "bad guy" was pretty obvious from practically their first introduction.
I won't be reading any more of this series.
I had a v. intense craving for some urban fantasy/paranormal PI type stuff and this scratched the itch well enough. I think I will read more. It struck me as quite violent???? But also I am feeling extra sensitive these days so who knows.
dark
mysterious
medium-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:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Listened for Fun (Audible)
Overall Rating: 2.50
Story Rating: 2.00
Character Rating: 3.00
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire had interesting characters but it took 70% of the book before anything happened. I am guessing the rest of the series is probably faster at getting to the point.
Read It File It: Ever had a book that overall didn't do much for you but you know that the rest of the series is probably right up your alley? That is me with Rosemary and Rue. While I spent most of the book just waiting for something to happen, once it did I was hooked. I am going to give book 2 a whirl. I have a feeling it will be a different experience.
Audio Thoughts:
Mary did an excellent job with Rosemary and Rue. She was great with October. I felt like she was her. I will be continuing this series in audio.
Final Thoughts: Rosemary and Rue was a great world builder for this series!
Overall Rating: 2.50
Story Rating: 2.00
Character Rating: 3.00
Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)
First Thought when Finished: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire had interesting characters but it took 70% of the book before anything happened. I am guessing the rest of the series is probably faster at getting to the point.
Read It File It: Ever had a book that overall didn't do much for you but you know that the rest of the series is probably right up your alley? That is me with Rosemary and Rue. While I spent most of the book just waiting for something to happen, once it did I was hooked. I am going to give book 2 a whirl. I have a feeling it will be a different experience.
Audio Thoughts:
Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal /Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
Mary did an excellent job with Rosemary and Rue. She was great with October. I felt like she was her. I will be continuing this series in audio.
Final Thoughts: Rosemary and Rue was a great world builder for this series!