Rosemary and Rue

An October Daye Novel, Book 1

By: Seanan McGuire

Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

The world of Faerie never disappeared: it merely went into hiding, continuing to exist parallel to our own. Secrecy is the key to Faerie’s survival—but no secret can be kept forever, and when the fae and mortal worlds collide, changelings are born. Half-human, half-fae, outsiders from birth, these second-class children of Faerie spend their lives fighting for the respect of their immortal relations. Or, in the case of October “Toby” Daye, rejecting it completely.

After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating into a “normal” life. Unfortunately for her, Faerie has other ideas. The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose, one of the secret regents of the San Francisco Bay Area, pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening’s dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby is forced to resume her old position as knight errant to the Duke of Shadowed Hills and begin renewing old alliances that may prove her only hope of solving the mystery...before the curse catches up with her.

©2010 Seanan McGuire (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Well researched, sharply told, highly atmospheric and as brutal as any pulp detective tale, this promising start to a new urban fantasy series is sure to appeal to fans of Jim Butcher or Kim Harrison." ( Publishers Weekly)

I’m hooked

I am so tremendously impressed with the whole experience. The writing is incomprehensibly good. It easy to see why she has win so many awards.

I'm ambivolent.

Once again a book about the fey falls flat. But this time I'm pretty sure the reader is the problem. Mary Robinette Kowal does an adequate job of reading the story -- her voices, except for Lily, are decent, but there just isn't any intensity. The scenes where Toby is shot ect., are read with the same level of emotion as every other scene. Consequently, I felt nothing. It chugs along, but doesn't really entertain. I do have a feeling that reading this series would be a lot more interesting than listening to it.

The book is amazing!

I loved the book however the narrator was a bit odd with the voices. Not what I pictured in my head.

didn't really enjoy it

Nothing particularly wrong with the book, but it didn't pull me in. there are still things about the worldbuilding that don't make sense to me, and the dialogue is just a bit off. That might be the narrator's delivery; unsure.

Love the books, glad they're available on Audible

I love reading the books better (the voices always sound better in my own mind, lol!) The narration wasn't my favorite but it honestly wasn't bad at all. I love October Daye and highly recommend the series (reading it or listening to it).

Urban Fantasy Mostly Hard Boiled

Urban fantasy is a great genre that is being destroyed by bodice rippers disguised as urban fantasy detective novels. Don’t get me wrong, if people want to read Harlequin Elvish Romance more power to them. I do blame the publishing world, however. They should make a clear subgenre of "Urban Fantasy Romance." Nothing is worse than settling down for an evening of “Chandler/Hammet with Trolls” and getting some weirdness about an otherwise intelligent and capable female fixer just dying to be dominated by some more powerful being. (Is being dominated really what does it for the Harlequin crowd?) Unsatisfying.

Well that is NOT what happens with October Daye. She is tough, resilient and smart. What she lacks in muscle she makes up for in brains, guts and contacts. She goes toe to toe with the villains and she may fall back but she doesn’t stand back. She has an almost samurai sense of responsibility which means that she sometimes accepts blame for things that are objectively not her fault. However, throughout the series she grows and changes, and her willingness to accept blame may even be an intentional character flaw.

I have the entire series and am eagerly awaiting the next volume. I think they are all four or five star books. In many ways, this first book is one of the strongest. October is at her weakest, and that means she has to be more clever and more indirect to solve the case. She is initially introduced as a recon and pathfinder operative. She finds the way in, sets the flares and then the heavies come rolling in. I think it would have been interesting if she had maintained that role.

There are some things I think are a little out of sync such as a patron who seems too perfect, a little too much touchy-feelie in the middle of an extraction when you would think everyone would be heads up and hands on, and characters actually thinking of themselves as “heros.” Nevertheless, these are small quibbles, and who knows? Maybe elvish lords really are that perfect and fey warriors are so emotional that they can’t help themselves. Regardless, this is the most enjoyable series I have listened to/read in a long time.

In addition to the fine writing by Ms. McGuire, Ms. Kowal’s voice acting is superb. I love her October and all the other characters. This was really a joy to listen to. I recommend it highly.

Second Time's the Charm

I had tried to read the physical version of this book a few years ago and couldn't finish it. I'm not sure if I was just in a different place in my life or if reading the book left it flat, but I was bored out of my mind. As I wait for some of my regular series to come out with new books I decided to try again with October Daye. What could I lose now that Audible has a return policy?

I am surprised to say that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. Some other reviewers have commented on the sad tone and October's "pity party". Well, if I had as many things go wrong in such an epic way as Toby did, I would be pretty depressed too. I don't think she is being melodramatic and I don't think she is having a "pity party". Terrible things happen and she deals with them in a normal almost-human way. I also like that, while Toby does become romantically involved with another character, there aren't long drawn out sex scenes. I enjoy a good romance, but certain stories don't lend themselves well to that sort of thing. Too many books include gratuitous love scenes that don't add anything to the story. I was happy when Rosemary and Rue did not include any of those.

I enjoyed the world that McGuire created and love all the little fae creatures he dreamed up (Spike is my favorite). I think he did a good job weaving the "real" modern world with faerie and showing how there just might be secrets around us that we "mortals" can't see.

The narrator did a good job and I think she fit Toby's character well. Like with almost any story there were little things she did that I would like changed, but overall I enjoyed her performance and would be sad if they ever replace her.

Rosemary and Rue was a fun listen and I look forward to listening to the rest in the series.

Best new urban fantasy in a decade

My favorite new urban fantasy I have read in years. The perspective of October Daye is one I can identify with more, implementing a viewpoint from her that feels more feminine then most male authors can write (probably because the author is a woman).

Her struggles are allowed to move forward, she is allowed to find some closure and still be strong. I especially liked how the author could articulate multiple layers of emotions that October would have for other individuals, very much how I work.

I already plan on reading the rest of the series, all I can say though that this isn't just another Anita Blake type book. The story and characters are far more realized.

Tiresome story

I really wanted to enjoy this book but was frustrated by the pointless dialogue that literally was practically a narration of the action we just read with bland sarcasm thrown in.

The plot blocking made me want to Throw my phone. The entire plot consists the main character getting attacked and then bouncing between 4 other characters and internal complaining about life and her circumstances. For a PI she does hardly no investigating and the entire mystery could have been resolved half way through but was plot blocked by another character because... I don't know... reasons. As a matter of fact this entire world and society of Fae motivations is just explained as 'reasons'. These world is alien because zero choices made in this book make any sense to any human.

Thoroughly enjoyable urban fantasy crime story

Liked both the story and the narrator. Definitely buying the next book in the series.