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A review by seraphjewel
Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
2.0
I decided to read this book based on a review claiming that romance wasn't a big factor. And as I am so tired of that being a huge plot-point in these kind of novels, the promise of it taking a backseat was very appealing. Unfortunately, the review was a little misleading. But that's not the only reason I'm giving this a low rating.
The main character is a problem for me. I have nothing against badass women. In fact, there are quite a few badass women I enjoy reading about in novels and watching on television. The problem with Kate is that she tends to pick a fight with literally everyone, to the point where I was wondering if she was suicidal. There are other characters who show attitude, sure, but their likeable personalities can help the situation. Kate didn't have a very likeable personality, at least for me.
One thing I will say in the book's favor is its world-building. I liked how it presented magic and all the creatures inhabiting the world. I don't mind being thrown into the world and learning about its rules as I went; sometimes having things explained (or repeatedly explained) can get annoying and feels like breaking the "show don't tell" rule of writing.
And now I'm going to touch on the romance. It does play a factor here, and Kate does attract the attention of many male suitors. I find this extremely aggravating every time I come across it. I understand it plays into women's fantasies, but can we just have one female protagonist who doesn't attract every male within a ten mile radius? I am glad the author made the "want to sleep with you" thing creepy and gross, but still.
Overall it wasn't a great novel. I did appreciate the darker tone and making the magical world as a whole not nearly as sexy as is common in this genre. However, Kate doesn't really appeal to me. Sadly she's the narrator, so I won't be continuing in this series.
The main character is a problem for me. I have nothing against badass women. In fact, there are quite a few badass women I enjoy reading about in novels and watching on television. The problem with Kate is that she tends to pick a fight with literally everyone, to the point where I was wondering if she was suicidal. There are other characters who show attitude, sure, but their likeable personalities can help the situation. Kate didn't have a very likeable personality, at least for me.
One thing I will say in the book's favor is its world-building. I liked how it presented magic and all the creatures inhabiting the world. I don't mind being thrown into the world and learning about its rules as I went; sometimes having things explained (or repeatedly explained) can get annoying and feels like breaking the "show don't tell" rule of writing.
And now I'm going to touch on the romance. It does play a factor here, and Kate does attract the attention of many male suitors. I find this extremely aggravating every time I come across it. I understand it plays into women's fantasies, but can we just have one female protagonist who doesn't attract every male within a ten mile radius? I am glad the author made the "want to sleep with you" thing creepy and gross, but still.
Overall it wasn't a great novel. I did appreciate the darker tone and making the magical world as a whole not nearly as sexy as is common in this genre. However, Kate doesn't really appeal to me. Sadly she's the narrator, so I won't be continuing in this series.