Review: Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire ★★★★★ ~ THE DEMON LIBRARIAN

Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire

Genre: Urban Fantasy (romantic elements, Celtic mythology, faeries, murder mystery)

Series: Book one in the October Daye series

Original Language: English
Publisher: DAW
Country: USA
Publication Date: September 2009
ISBN: 978-0756405717
Page Count: 368

My Rating: ★★★★★

Summary

October "Toby" Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas... The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening's killer.

Review:

This is a very easy book to get into. From the opening scene I knew I would like October Daye. She's funny and witty, without being an annoying smart ass. She's brave and although she doesn't like all the pomp and circumstance of the Faerie courts, she knows how to be respectful when she needs to be. I found myself smiling on occasion at some of her inner monologues and also when she mumbles to herself or to her two cats: Cagney and Lacey.

“Are you feeling okay, Ms. Daye?"

"Of course," I said putting my head back down. "I always snuggle up with bathroom fixtures.”

It was predominately a murder mystery plot, but with lots of seeds of intrigue planted throughout involving October's back story and in particular, one major event that happened six months prior to the time of this book which was never explained. I kind of wish we'd been given more on that. I know it's a series and it will all be revealed in time, but it was such an usual thing I'm dying to know how and why it happened.

“You should have screamed by now. It doesn't taste as good when you don't scream. Why won't you scream for me?"

"Sorry, but we only serve diet agony here.”

There was no romance involved in this one but this may be something that develops as the series goes on. I found the different members/races of the Fae very interesting and it was an original take on Celtic mythology. I'm looking forward to the next one. To get some more answers!