McGuire, Seanan: An Artificial Night
An Artificial Night (2010)
Written by: Seanan McGuire
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 371 (Mass Market Paperback)
Series: Book Three
Why I Read It: I was pretty darn close to calling it quits on this series after A Local Habitation. But so many of you promised me some excellent Spike action (a rose goblin, not a vampire, thank you very much) that I decided to slap the third installment on my Christmas list. And I got it! Reading it now because the fourth installment comes out soon, and I always like knowing if I'm going to need to rush out and get the next installment or not. Also, since it's part of a series, I knew I wouldn't feel bad for reading it, instead of leaving it available for a future poll. :)
The premise: ganked from BN.com: October "Toby" Daye is a changeling-half human and half fae-and the only one who has earned knighthood. Now she must take on a nightmarish new challenge. Someone is stealing the children of the fae as well as mortal children, and all signs point to Blind Michael. Toby has no choice but to track the villain down -- even when there are only three magical roads by which to reach Blind Michael's realm, home of the Wild Hunt -- and no road may be taken more than once. If Toby cannot escape with the children, she will fall prey to the Wild Hunt and Blind Michael's inescapable power.
Review style: Two sections, what I liked and what I didn't and surprise third section: stuff I'm still mulling over. There will also be spoilers, because the author does something with the end that I want to talk about on a structural level. I don't recommend reading this review if you haven't yet caught up on the series, so skip to "My Rating" to stay safe.
Thumbs Up
SPIKE!!! SPIKE!!! SPIKE!!!
*coughs*
Seriously, all of those who promised that Spike features more prominently in this book, thank you for not leading me astray. I love that little rose goblin, and I really enjoyed watching his role in this story as a protector and kind of revealer of secrets. Rose goblins are my favorite intention in urban fantasy ever.
I also liked seeing Tybalt's role in this story. It's clear he has feelings for Toby (hell, he gave up one of his nine lives for her, and he rescued her from the Wild Hunt, which is no easy task), but I'm glad that neither McGuire nor Toby is rushing head-first into this building romance. Normally, it would bother me that Tybalt's being secretative and obtuse, but in many ways, that's what the Fae is about, and I'm curious to find out just what he's keeping to himself in this book (learning that Toby didn't intentionally lie to him, but what about?) and how it'll affect the larger story, let alone any potential romance between them. I like too how Toby recognizes what's there between them, but she didn't want to name it because she doesn't want to make it real. I can appreciate and understand that kind of psychology. It sounds like my former denial about my student loans (if I don't add up the totals, it's not there!).
Speaking of Toby's psychology, I'm really super glad that McGuire decided to give us an "in" to her self-destructive personality. In the previous two books, Toby seemed like she was just reacting to everything and anything without much thought or care for the consequences. Now, we learn that yes, she really expects to die, and it's not just because she's assumed the mantle of "hero," but because it's part of her Changling nature. Fairies are immortal. Humans are not. So it makes sense that those two halves will war with each other in a Changling, you know? And let's face it, I have yet to meet a Changling in this series who isn't self-destructive in some way. Christ, Julie… something needs to be done about her.
I also feel like we get to see Toby grow a bit in this book. She's finally starting to grasp just how much her life means to those who care about her, and what the consequences of that means when she's rushing headfirst into death all the time. I hope that she doesn't backslide in this revelation, but will start making more careful decisions while still doing what she needs to do to be a hero. Character growth for urban fantasy heroines is a GOOD THING, because oddly, we don't see it much.
May Day was a great addition to the cast, as well as a catalyst for Toby's horribly reckless yet mostly necessary behavior. Now that Toby's survived this book, the question has to be asked: was May Day supposed to be for this book, and Toby's just delayed the inevitable, or is May Day the catalyst for the end of the series, which will end with Toby's actual death? This really perks my interest, and I hope McGuire handles this characters and its implications in a way that's worth the wait.
Also good in this book was the fact that Toby didn't forget that she has a kid! Thank God. That bugged the hell out of me in A Local Habitation, because there'd be moments that I'd think a mother would've immediately associated with their own child, but Toby didn't. Here, though, she redeems herself, and while she's not obsessing over her lost daughter, Gillian does come to mind when it's appropriate, and that pleased me.
Quentin' s obsession drove me bonkers, but because that relationship takes a terminal turn, I'm happy. I don't want to read about Quentin's obsession with Katie every time we see his character, so I'm glad that Quentin had the balls to make the right decision and write her out of his life.
I did really love the moment where all of Toby's loved ones (as well as the other loved ones of the other Riders) gathered to take her back. I've seen this particular sequence before in Patricia Briggs's series, but I suspect that the trial/test that Toby went through is part of the Tam Lin fairy tale (which I am woefully unfamiliar with) and therefore fair game. I certainly liked how it was used here.
While creepy, I liked how the children of the Fae were the new Riders, yet human children were transformed into the steeds. How wonderfully eerie.
Also piquing my interest: while I can't remember Toby's background really well (were her parents married?), Blind Michael calls her "Amadine's bastard daughter," and there's a few other mentions where something is said regarding Toby's line where she's like, "That's not right, but so-and-so's in a bad mood and I don't want to correct her." So does this mean Toby's heritage isn't what she thinks, and she's more than she realizes? She can't be a full-blooded Fae, because if she were, it'd be obvious. But if she's a truly a bastard (assuming who Toby assumes are her parents were married and/or the Fae don't consider children that are half-human bastards), what does this mean? I hope I'm not reading too much into this, because I'm looking forward to finding out!
The rule of three: there's so much to be said about the number three and the role it plays in culture and superstitions. When it comes to writing, the number three tends to really wrap up a story in a way that feels complete. Like three acts. Or something like what McGuire is doing here, and that's using an important plot point three times. The important point? Toby going to Blind Michael's lands.
I saw on some Amazon review where a reader thought that defeating Blind Michael was just way too easy. I had one of those double-take WTH moments where I wondered if we'd read the same book, because Toby doesn't have anything easy in this book, not in my opinion. Each of her trips to Blind Michael's lands leave their mark on her. The first is to rescue the children. She does that, but after she completes that task, she knows she'll never be free until she kills Blind Michael (and she kind of wants revenge too), so she goes back. AND FAILS. Then she's rescued (can't say I mind it here, because she saves herself at the end), but this time she has to go back to finish what she started the second time, and also because she can't truly be at peace until that man's dead. His enchantment has marked her, claimed her, and violated her, and staying out of trouble simply won't do it, because the enchantment is still working on her. Toby going back the third time really drives the book home: THIS is where it's going to end, and THIS is what's going to mark Toby forever.
It's not easy. A little convenient, perhaps, that she just happened to decide to kill Blind Michael with both silver and iron, only to learn later than decision was dumb luck, since that's the ONLY thing that could've REALLY killed him. So it's convenient it happened that way, but by no means is it easy. There's a difference, I believe, and it works just fine here, simply because before that moment, Toby has to work so stinking hard to get there.
The rule of three, folks. It works. And because it works, it's powerful.
Thumbs Down
Is there a typo in this book? The first chapter is dated September 7th, 2014, yet the book clearly states that A Local Habitation just happened a few months ago, and when I checked my copy of that book, the date is clearly 2010. WTH? I kept wracking my brain wondering if there was going to be some EPIC TWIST, but no. I think it's a typo. DAW might want to fix that before the next print run of this title.
Julie is getting on my last ever-loving nerve. I mean, I barely sympathized with her in the first book when she lost her mate, because you can make only a very weak case that Toby's responsible for his death, yet Julie is on a murderous rampage as though Toby killed the guy herself. Considering they used to be best friends? I'm like Tybalt and quite tired of this song and dance. Let's wrap this up, please.
I had trouble understanding Toby's attitude toward's Luna when she meets Acacia. I don't know why she doesn't tell her where Luna really is, and I think it's not a character issue so much as it could've been written a little clearer: despite the fact Toby's there to rescue the kids, she needs to have a DAMN good reason to give up that quest other than bravado, especially if she put herself in Acacia's shoes. All Toby needed to do was think, "Hey, my daughter chose to leave me out of her life, it's not my business any more, no matter how much I want to know," and I would've understood her reasoning a little bit more. I may not have agreed with it, but I would've understood. Mind you, Toby does make this correlation later, like a page later, regarding a slightly different question, but still. The initial balking could've been made clearer.
This happens in the book more often than I'd like. We get the impression something really important has just been revealed, but it has no effect on me whatsoever, leaving me wondering if perhaps I missed something. Characters often talk about the issue, and in many cases, it's not the fairy being obtuse as usual, because Toby understands. The problem is when I don't. The whole gibber-jabber about how "Oh, but I sent you to DIE!" was just ridiculous to me. I thought it was obvious from the start that this quest of Toby's would likely not succeed and therefore take her life (hello, Fetch), so this gibberish about betrayal later on when she returns feels a little pointless.
Still Mulling
I'm still mulling over the spell that Blind Michael cast over Toby to make her so dependent on him. On one hand, it makes sense. He's not going to make her obey him otherwise, and we aren't treated to any horrible, brutal scenes either. On the other hand, it has a certain ick factor, you know? And while I think it's safe to say that rape is out of the question, there's no doubt that Toby was physically abused while under this enchantment, a target for Blind Michael's rage. This spell brings out every bad thought Toby's ever had about herself, which is the victim mentality. It's my fault, I deserve this, I have to make him happy, etc. I can't say this is a thumbs down, because I think it's necessary for the book and I do like how it's what motivates Toby to go back and finish the job, but I can't give it a thumbs up either, because I wish it hadn't happened and it left me a bit icky. I mean, even Toby admits she feels violated, so while I never got the impression of rape, my imagination has run wild wondering just what exactly was done to her to make her feel this way, you know?
My Rating
Like, Not Love: But it's very close to love, as it most certainly is my favorite of all the October Daye books to date. The overall story is stronger, and Toby's motivations were clearer and more sympathetic. While she was sometimes blundering along, I rarely felt like she was being stupid about her actions. McGuire does a better job in helping the reader really understand who Toby is in this book, and that's in part because other characters are forcing Toby do to the same. I hope this marks the start of a growth spurt, so to speak, because I don't want Toby to revert back to her somewhat stupid ways of books one and two. She makes progress here, and I can relate to her better. I want to be able to keep relating to her, because there's a lot to this fae-focused urban fantasy that's unique and interesting. And there's rose goblins. My, how I love the rose goblins!
I will say, however, I worry (just a bit) that my paradigm on this author has changed, which has allowed me to read this book with rosier-colored glasses. What do I mean? Well, I loved her Mira Grant debut, Feed, and my review of Feed put me in contact with the author directly, who's super-nice and super-cool and has a blog that's so far non-offensive. So maybe I was more inclined to like this installment by that alone, but I really do feel that this book takes a step in the right direction compared to the first two in both plotting and characterization.
And Spike. This book would be NOTHING without Spike. :)
Cover Commentary: I can't put my finger on it, but there's something that rubs me the wrong way about this cover. I think it's Toby's hairstyle. It's the kind of style that actually takes effort in terms of creative blow-drying and finding the right parts, etc, and Toby's strikes me more as an air-dry and blow-dry and go kind of girl. Also, it doesn't look like they used the same model from the first two covers. Still, I'm glad the candle made it on the cover, but I'd kill to see Spike make an appearance!
Next up: Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld