Review: An Artificial Night
Review: An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire
How many miles to Babylon?
An Artificial Night is the third book in the October Daye series. Rosemary and Rue was the first and introduced us to the October Daye faerie universe. A Local Habitation, the second book in the series, drove us deeper into that world with a locked door mystery. An Artificial Night, the third book, pits October Daye against one of the first-born, Blind Michael. In this book, there is no question who the villain is. The book is all about how is October Daye going to go up against Blind Michael, rescue the kidnapped children, and survive.
In An Artificial Night, Seanan McGuire demonstrates that normal doesn't belong in Toby's dictionary. The book opens with our protagonist dodging a barghest, a corgi sized fae dog with a lethal scorpion stinger. After finishing the job with our old friend Danny, the bridge troll, Toby does about the last thing I would expect. She goes to a four year old's birthday party.
The beginning of the book's pacing seems slow at first. The primary mystery is presented very early when Toby learns of abductions of children of pure blood, changeling, and mortal lineage. Toby is already on the case when she is asked by the last person in the world readers would expect to come to her for help. It takes a while for Toby to figure out who is behind this problem. Most of that time, Toby is getting a faerie equivalent of the Magic 8-ball's “Reply Hazy, try again”. Once the answer is finally solved, the book picks up speed and doesn't slow down. Though, for a while I did find myself checking how far I was into the book. I blame this on reading the back of the book. It leaves an implication that the book is about a single journey into a land by candlelight. It lies.
An Artificial Night is darker than the previous two books in the series. I think the analogy of a dark room lit by nothing but candlelight is more than appropriate for how dark. I was very creeped out at times and even found myself saying the “How many miles to Babylon?” rhyme as I read it. There is one particular discovery at a set of stables that left both Toby and myself disgusted. This visceral reaction is both a testament to not only just how dark this book is but to how powerful Seanan McGuire is as an author.
The typical October Daye tropes are still to be found in An Artificial Night. Toby is forced into a costume change. Tybalt has some unkind words to describe Toby. Toby gains at least one new scar. Toby's car is victim to her investigation. Much to my displeasure, Toby finds herself falling unconscious numerous times. However, unlike the previous books, this book opens up a new element to the October Daye universe. While I found myself annoyed at how many times Toby was staring at the inside of her eyelids, I at least enjoyed what was found there. And, if you read the excerpt from Late Eclipses printed at the back of the book, you will see strong hints at things to come.
Speaking of strong hints at things to come, this book is once again hinting at something stronger down the line. As if the introduction of newest May wasn't enough, a series of conversations between Tybalt and Toby suggest something that is taking place behind the scenes. I can't help but feel that each book of the October Daye series is building up for something explosive down the road.
In the end, there is something for everyone in this book. Seanan McGuire continues to use her superb mix of wit and tension to keep the reader in just enough suspense that they don't snap. The plot is captivating and just like its predecessor, A Local Habitation, there are pieces that careful readers can figure out before Toby does. Also, as best that I can tell, every major and minor character in the October Daye universe makes an appearance. I was hard pressed to think of a character that didn't make an appearance and even harder pressed to come up with a character that wasn't mentioned. Even April from A Local Habitation makes a brief appearance.
This book warmed my heart to two characters, one old and one new. There was something about the appearance of the rose goblin, Spike, that seemed not only natural, but right. The rose goblin is in the book more than some of the other major characters and somewhere along the line, I realized that Spike has become my favorite minor character. As for the new character, there is Raj. I would very much like to have Raj for a son. If anyone is aware of a Cait Sidhe adoption program, please let me know.
I'm the first to admit that I am a very picky reader. I have a hard time finding books on the store shelves that I'll even try, let alone like. An Artificial Night provided for me everything I want in a novel. The characters are rock solid. The plot is phenomenal. I even found myself cheering with glee one moment and nearly weeping another. This book was overall superb and is a must read for anyone that finds at least a remote interest in Urban Fantasy.
How many miles to Babylon?
An Artificial Night is the third book in the October Daye series. Rosemary and Rue was the first and introduced us to the October Daye faerie universe. A Local Habitation, the second book in the series, drove us deeper into that world with a locked door mystery. An Artificial Night, the third book, pits October Daye against one of the first-born, Blind Michael. In this book, there is no question who the villain is. The book is all about how is October Daye going to go up against Blind Michael, rescue the kidnapped children, and survive.
In An Artificial Night, Seanan McGuire demonstrates that normal doesn't belong in Toby's dictionary. The book opens with our protagonist dodging a barghest, a corgi sized fae dog with a lethal scorpion stinger. After finishing the job with our old friend Danny, the bridge troll, Toby does about the last thing I would expect. She goes to a four year old's birthday party.
The beginning of the book's pacing seems slow at first. The primary mystery is presented very early when Toby learns of abductions of children of pure blood, changeling, and mortal lineage. Toby is already on the case when she is asked by the last person in the world readers would expect to come to her for help. It takes a while for Toby to figure out who is behind this problem. Most of that time, Toby is getting a faerie equivalent of the Magic 8-ball's “Reply Hazy, try again”. Once the answer is finally solved, the book picks up speed and doesn't slow down. Though, for a while I did find myself checking how far I was into the book. I blame this on reading the back of the book. It leaves an implication that the book is about a single journey into a land by candlelight. It lies.
An Artificial Night is darker than the previous two books in the series. I think the analogy of a dark room lit by nothing but candlelight is more than appropriate for how dark. I was very creeped out at times and even found myself saying the “How many miles to Babylon?” rhyme as I read it. There is one particular discovery at a set of stables that left both Toby and myself disgusted. This visceral reaction is both a testament to not only just how dark this book is but to how powerful Seanan McGuire is as an author.
The typical October Daye tropes are still to be found in An Artificial Night. Toby is forced into a costume change. Tybalt has some unkind words to describe Toby. Toby gains at least one new scar. Toby's car is victim to her investigation. Much to my displeasure, Toby finds herself falling unconscious numerous times. However, unlike the previous books, this book opens up a new element to the October Daye universe. While I found myself annoyed at how many times Toby was staring at the inside of her eyelids, I at least enjoyed what was found there. And, if you read the excerpt from Late Eclipses printed at the back of the book, you will see strong hints at things to come.
Speaking of strong hints at things to come, this book is once again hinting at something stronger down the line. As if the introduction of newest May wasn't enough, a series of conversations between Tybalt and Toby suggest something that is taking place behind the scenes. I can't help but feel that each book of the October Daye series is building up for something explosive down the road.
In the end, there is something for everyone in this book. Seanan McGuire continues to use her superb mix of wit and tension to keep the reader in just enough suspense that they don't snap. The plot is captivating and just like its predecessor, A Local Habitation, there are pieces that careful readers can figure out before Toby does. Also, as best that I can tell, every major and minor character in the October Daye universe makes an appearance. I was hard pressed to think of a character that didn't make an appearance and even harder pressed to come up with a character that wasn't mentioned. Even April from A Local Habitation makes a brief appearance.
This book warmed my heart to two characters, one old and one new. There was something about the appearance of the rose goblin, Spike, that seemed not only natural, but right. The rose goblin is in the book more than some of the other major characters and somewhere along the line, I realized that Spike has become my favorite minor character. As for the new character, there is Raj. I would very much like to have Raj for a son. If anyone is aware of a Cait Sidhe adoption program, please let me know.
I'm the first to admit that I am a very picky reader. I have a hard time finding books on the store shelves that I'll even try, let alone like. An Artificial Night provided for me everything I want in a novel. The characters are rock solid. The plot is phenomenal. I even found myself cheering with glee one moment and nearly weeping another. This book was overall superb and is a must read for anyone that finds at least a remote interest in Urban Fantasy.