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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked this book a lot; McGuire's background in mythology (and not just British Isles) shows intensely, and the San Francisco setting really shines through. Urban fantasy needs to be intensely grounded in its setting, and that works incredibly well here. The rules of faerie and the variety of fae worked so well here. Also working incredibly well: October as a person with severe depression who is pushing away everyone around her with everything she's got, while they refuse to give up on her (that hurt my heart so hard.) I loved all the side characters, and Tybalt is a Problem that I am excited to be attacked by.
The book does struggle at the end, where it clearly wanted another 100-200 pages to wrap up everything that happened and instead everything gets summarized in a kind of clumsy way.
I couldn't help comparing this to Into the Drowning Deep and while it's clearly the same author, I really look forward to seeing how books in this series evolve with McGuire's skill as a writer, because I know what she can do, and I'm so hype to see how she gets there.
The book does struggle at the end, where it clearly wanted another 100-200 pages to wrap up everything that happened and instead everything gets summarized in a kind of clumsy way.
I couldn't help comparing this to Into the Drowning Deep and while it's clearly the same author, I really look forward to seeing how books in this series evolve with McGuire's skill as a writer, because I know what she can do, and I'm so hype to see how she gets there.
Super excited to actually read the rest of the series this time!
Original review 12/30/21:
Though I'll admit that on more than one occasion someone would be mentioned by name and I would struggle to remember who they were, I really enjoyed this and definitely intend to continue on in this series.
Original review 12/30/21:
Though I'll admit that on more than one occasion someone would be mentioned by name and I would struggle to remember who they were, I really enjoyed this and definitely intend to continue on in this series.
Fun read, got a bit of first book syndrome. Gotta say though, way more characters died than I expected. I'd go, 'Hey new character!' then boom they're murdered. Also, big yikes on this Devin character, glad he's outta here.
As someone who both already loves [a:Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg] and Urban Fantasy, it felt like quite a given that I would read 'Rosemary and Rue' when my friend recommended it to me. That's why I am so sorry to say that I was a tad disappointed by this book and it's lack of depth. It just might have been too clean for my taste.
October Daye is a changeling, something that isn't the easiest in either of the worlds she is a part of. After a tragic accident where she turns into a fish for fourteen years, Toby decides that that's it - she is done with faeries and their problems. But that doesn't mean that they're done with her, and when Toby's friend Evening is murdered and puts a binding curse on her, Toby once again finds herself forced into the world she so desperately didn't want to be part of.
Doesn't that synopsis sound really intriguing? Doesn't it make you want to pick up this book right this second? Unfortunately, I felt that the actual delivery was a bit weak. I went into this right after finishing McGuire's '[b:Into the Drowning Deep|34523174|Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1)|Mira Grant|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489176444s/34523174.jpg|55657440]' and in that book, the writing was absolutely captivating. 'Rosemary and Rue' was written the year 2009, and unfortunately, I could feel that the years had made a difference in the writing (improvement is always good, maybe just not in this case). The author just didn't make me feel or root for the characters in this one, and I just wanted more - more ruthless fae, more raw emotions, more character development and exploration, more steaminess and fae lore.
October was a sad character, and that was it. I couldn't really bring myself to sympathise with her that much because she just felt like a hollow shell, and much preferred the poor Dare, that Toby so often judged. I always like the underdogs. And if i would compare October to Kate Daniels from the '[b:Magic Bites|38619|Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)|Ilona Andrews|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331612872s/38619.jpg|38381]' series, October wouldn't stand a single chance to the complexity and honesty of my dear Kate.
As with the actual mystery - I figured out who the culprit was around 40% into this book. I found it quite transparent, but me figuring it out actually made me quite proud and satisfied so I guess that's good? I don't know, I'm stupid. But I still felt like most of the plot and twists were fairly predictable, and not as ruthless as I like them to be.
So why am I still giving this a three star rating even though I am just whining? Because objectively, it was still an okay read. It wasn't offensive, nor was it entirely bland or boring. There were times when I was curious or surprised, and I can see why some people liked it. I've just read better books and had high expectations for this, due to my love for Seanan McGuire.
If you read this and find yourself not liking it, please do give the author another chance. Her '[b:Every Heart a Doorway|25526296|Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1431438555s/25526296.jpg|45313140]' is pretty magical.
October Daye is a changeling, something that isn't the easiest in either of the worlds she is a part of. After a tragic accident where she turns into a fish for fourteen years, Toby decides that that's it - she is done with faeries and their problems. But that doesn't mean that they're done with her, and when Toby's friend Evening is murdered and puts a binding curse on her, Toby once again finds herself forced into the world she so desperately didn't want to be part of.
Doesn't that synopsis sound really intriguing? Doesn't it make you want to pick up this book right this second? Unfortunately, I felt that the actual delivery was a bit weak. I went into this right after finishing McGuire's '[b:Into the Drowning Deep|34523174|Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1)|Mira Grant|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489176444s/34523174.jpg|55657440]' and in that book, the writing was absolutely captivating. 'Rosemary and Rue' was written the year 2009, and unfortunately, I could feel that the years had made a difference in the writing (improvement is always good, maybe just not in this case). The author just didn't make me feel or root for the characters in this one, and I just wanted more - more ruthless fae, more raw emotions, more character development and exploration, more steaminess and fae lore.
October was a sad character, and that was it. I couldn't really bring myself to sympathise with her that much because she just felt like a hollow shell, and much preferred the poor Dare, that Toby so often judged. I always like the underdogs. And if i would compare October to Kate Daniels from the '[b:Magic Bites|38619|Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)|Ilona Andrews|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1331612872s/38619.jpg|38381]' series, October wouldn't stand a single chance to the complexity and honesty of my dear Kate.
As with the actual mystery - I figured out who the culprit was around 40% into this book. I found it quite transparent, but me figuring it out actually made me quite proud and satisfied so I guess that's good? I don't know, I'm stupid. But I still felt like most of the plot and twists were fairly predictable, and not as ruthless as I like them to be.
So why am I still giving this a three star rating even though I am just whining? Because objectively, it was still an okay read. It wasn't offensive, nor was it entirely bland or boring. There were times when I was curious or surprised, and I can see why some people liked it. I've just read better books and had high expectations for this, due to my love for Seanan McGuire.
If you read this and find yourself not liking it, please do give the author another chance. Her '[b:Every Heart a Doorway|25526296|Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1431438555s/25526296.jpg|45313140]' is pretty magical.
adventurous
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
