Rosemary And Rue [Mass Market Paperback]

Many and several moons ago, my housemate asked me if I'd be interested in reading a new book. This is something similar to asking a cat if she would like more catnip. After receiving my enthused yes, she gave me more details. The author needed people who were not already familiar with her work to do a quick, but thorough, read-through and provide feedback, all inside of a week.

This lay well within my skill-set, and was my first introduction to Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire. I caught one small continuity detail, but beyond that I was fairly limited in feedback beyond: Book good. And it was.

Well, I'm not sure how many revisions there have been between that version and the version I received in ARC form, but let me tell you, this book has gone from "Book good" to "Book AMAZING!"

For those reading this who like comparisons to other series. Quality-wise, I believe that Rosemary and Rue compares favorably with both the first book of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, and with the first book of the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton.

The main character, October 'Toby' Daye, is a changeling. This leaves her caught between the realms of Faerie and the mortal world, with obstacles and craziness from both being heaped on her head throughout Rosemary and Rue. Toby's journey through this book is precipitated by the murder of an old friend, and a very pressing obligation to solve that murder.

It's difficult writing a review, because I want to talk on and on about all the twists and turns, all the fascinating secondary characters, and the delight I had in seeing so much being set up for the subsequent books. At the same time, I don't want to give any spoilers, simply because Rosemary and Rue brings wonderful discoveries of Toby's world on every page. The degree of detail going on in the background, as she is moved forward by action scene after action scene, is just lovely.

Toby and her world feel real to me. I can picture her San Francisco, with Kelpies lurking on corners, and knowes hidden in the most unlikely of places. If someone had asked me before this book about doors into Faerie existing within a city, I would've scoffed. However, Seanan strikes the right balance between the gritty, mundane world of mortals and the otherworldliness of Faerie, and makes it seem natural and right where the two intersect.

Honestly, I can't say enough good things about the world-building. How the rules of Faerie make sense, and how you glimpse threads of the broader tapestry. I believe that Toby is dealing with a world of immortal beings, with complex and intertwining stories, loves and hates, jealousies and loyalties. Toby struggles, and I believe both in the struggles and that she will find a way through, with the help of her friends, and by relying on her own wits. Toby has been hurt by her past, but she is strong, and is capable of change to face her new realities. Seanan has me rooting for Toby throughout this book, gasping and cringing and wincing and cheering by turns. I think that is the biggest change, from the previous version I read to this one, that I can and do believe that Toby will hold her own in this precarious and deadly world.

So, September 1st, get thee to the nearest bookstore and buy a copy of Rosemary and Rue. If you love story, strong heroines, and a very folklore-based take on Faerie, you'll adore this book.

I am a great fan of writing and reading stories about protagonists in a heap of trouble digging themselves out to win the day. Rosemary and Rue is exactly that kind of book. In less than the first 100 pages, October "Toby" Daye, a half-breed Daoine Sidhe and former street kid, is cursed twice, loses everything she holds dear, winds up in a job she hates and has an unpleasant encounter with the King of Cats. Frankly, if I were Toby and I met Seanan on the street, I would punch her.

Yes, I really loved this book. Toby is a flawed protagonist in all of the right ways. She is scared, hurt, angry, and forced to do things she would have done anyway but resents the power that is forcing her to do exactly that. Every person Toby turns to for help she knows she cannot trust. Every person who loves Toby is hurt by this lack of trust. But, honestly, the reader cannot fault Toby. She is acting in a logical and emotional-if reactionary-manner to everything that is happening to and around her.

One of the best parts about Rosemary and Rue is the fact that while it is one step into the world of the Fey, changelings, pixies, trolls, and goblins, there is still a true sense of reality. Having once lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the story is set, I can imagine the world of Oberon's court just beyond visible sight. The places are real. The emotions are real. The pain, loss, and infrequent joys are real. So real that sometimes this is a hard book to read. Fortunately, it is a harder book to put down.

Seanan McGuire's funny, raw, and engaging style of writing has put her at the top of my "new favorite authors" pile. I highly recommend Rosemary and Rue as a fantastic debut novel and eagerly wait to see what comes next both in this series and from the author.

I walked away from this book with conflicting feelings. The idea for the plot was great, but the execution was somewhat flawed. October Daye is a changeling - a half blood Dioine Sidhe with fairly weak powers inherited from her mother's powerful line. She built a good life for herself in the mortal realm, living with a man and her little girl, and doing PI work for both the regular people and fey. When her liege lord's wife and daughter suddenly disappear, she is on the case to find them, but gets caught and cruelly punished by being turned into a fish. The spell holding her prisoner lasts 14 years and when she finally awakens, she finds that the world has moved on and without being able to fully deal with what happened - shuts herself out from everything and everyone. That all changes with a frantic call and subsequent brutal murder of one the closest people from her past, Evening Winterrose. Now, Toby is on the case to find her friend's murderer, which leads her straight into the cruel and wondrous world she tried to forget. But did it forget about her?

As I mentioned above, for anyone who likes Urban Fantasy, the storyline is bound to draw you in. Unfortunately, there were a few problems that made this book difficult to read at times. Some of my explanations are a bit detailed, but I tried not to give away any spoilers:

1. Being a respected PI, Toby did not appear to be very good at detective work. Throughout the book she visited multiple people/locations to try to find some clues for her investigation, but she literally learned nothing new for the majority of the book. All the while, random creatures kept trying to kill her, which should've added to the suspense if she actually learned anything prior to being shot. For example, her visit to Evening's knowe was completely useless, other than for the weird encounter with Connor, and those pages didn't add anything to the story. Also Luna's subsequent insistence that she visit Luidaeg next, was too convenient considering that Toby just ran out of ideas. Due to these issues, the story did not flow as smoothly as it should have.

2. Toby appeared to waste more time explaining the story than living it. She seemed to know or understand everything about almost every creature she's encountered, hence it felt like I spent more time listening to her detailed explanations on habits/traditions/behavioral patterns than following Toby's story. I realize that this book needed a lot of back-story to introduce us to this new world, but I wish it was presented differently and Toby was not all-knowing all the time.

3. Most main characters were well developed, but some of the supporting characters felt more like filler material than interesting plot devices. Julie was one such, where we were briefly introduced to her, got two pages worth of back-story on how she knew Toby and then she became useless for the most part. I wish there were more characters like Dare and Manuel instead.
Also, there was too much repetition at times. For example, when Toby was talking to Connor in the garden, she changed the subject from an uncomfortable topic saying that she was hoping he would take the hint, and then a few lines down reiterated that he did take that transparent hint. I might be nitpicking, but due to these numerous repetitions the story did not flow smoothly for me.

4. Toby's personal relationships were a bit strange and inconsistent. First she says Connor and she separated because his family did not approve of changelings, but then a few chapters later she said she had her chance with Connor but refused it for Cliff. Why the inconsistency? Then her passive-aggressive relationship with Devin was odd as well and her confusion on the subject did not speak very highly of her. Considering that he used and abused her for most of the time they spent together, I couldn't understand why she went to him with open arms and almost no reservations. The tenderness she displayed from the start was difficult to comprehend.
Also, I could not understand why her human boyfriend turned his back on her after her miraculous reappearance. Considering that she said that she had amnesia and was missing for 14 years, I would expect a very different reaction. Same goes for her daughter.

Overall, I was intrigued with this world, and the ending definitely redeemed the story in my eyes (it was quite good). The author certainly dedicated a lot of time to world building, so hopefully the next book will have more consistent execution.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 149 reviews  4.2 out of 5 stars