Indexing

By: Seanan McGuire

Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Never underestimate the power of a good story."

Good advice…especially when a story can kill you.

For most people, the story of their lives is just that: the accumulation of time, encounters, and actions into a cohesive whole. But for an unfortunate few, that day-to-day existence is affected - perhaps infected is a better word - by memetic incursion: where fairy tale narratives become reality, often with disastrous results.

That's where the ATI Management Bureau steps in, an organization tasked with protecting the world from fairy tales, even while most of their agents are struggling to keep their own fantastic archetypes from taking over their lives. When you're dealing with storybook narratives in the real world, it doesn't matter if you're Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, or the Wicked Queen: no one gets a happily ever after.

Indexing is New York Times best-selling author Seanan McGuire’s new urban fantasy where everything you thought you knew about fairy tales gets turned on its head.

©2013 Seanan McGuire (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

The X-Files meets Grimm meets Law and Order

I got caught up in my life, so Indexing took me by surprise when I saw it on the Audible homepage on Tuesday.

Narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal.

And I was like, Toby Day and Henrietta (Henry!!) Marchen* cannot have a similar voice, that would be weird.

But it wasn't that weird after a while. In fact, I kind of like it. Kowal's familiar hard-boiled cadence transported my brain into a similar, but entirely new, world.

Imagine the most powerful magical force in the universe was a neutral, non-corporeal non-entity that existed to do nothing but complete fairytales over and over again with whoever was handy. Now imagine that in order to combat the ever-invasive narrative (think of it as kudzu!), there's a government agency called the ATI - a little like the X-Files!

Every person has the potential to be drawn into the Narrative. Every fairytale has an index number, every tale is indexed and classified. And everyone, absolutely everyone, who has been drawn into the Narrative, is watched for the rest of their lives. Because when fairytales activate... there's a lot of collateral damage. There's no such thing as a real Ever After, or when there is, it's not good.

Indexing is a compilation of serial novellas, much like McGuire's "Velveteen Vs." series. I found the beginning to be very thrilling. It lagged a little in the middle, but picked right back up at the end again. I didn't realize it was a serial until afterwards, so parts of it felt extremely disjointed, and I was wondering if I just kept missing parts (I didn't!)

The thing I most love about McGuire's more recent work is her easy inclusion of LGBT characters. It always feels natural in her word, as natural as the magic that drives the plot.

Can't wait for the next one :)

*Loving the continued feminine full name with a masculine nickname trend. LOVE IT.

For McGuire Fans only

Would you try another book from Seanan McGuire and/or Mary Robinette Kowal?

I've listened to all of the Toby Daye books (by this combination of author/narrator), and generally speaking, it's a combination that works well (except for some inconsistent pronunciation).

If you’ve listened to books by Seanan McGuire before, how does this one compare?

Though not my favourite series of books, I much prefer Toby Daye to Indexing - though the combination of bureaucracy and magic appeals to me, there just just something flat about the execution of the story here.

Any additional comments?

This was originally released as part of the Kindle Serials program, and this fact does account for the repeated information (several facts are introduced and reintroduced and reintroduced) - it doesn't grate as much when you listen to it spread out over a period, but if you listen to the whole thing in quick succession, it can seem a little like an endless loop.

My suggestion - listen to one episode/case of this at a time.

Episodic Due to Original Publication as a Serial

I had known that this was originally sold on Amazon as part of their serial program. I wasn't interested because I don't like getting stories in dibs and dabs. I want it all at once. So when I saw the Audible version at a good price I bought it. (Hope no one in marketing decides that the world wants serial Audible books.)

The serial structure though as made this into an episodic story as the author tried to make each segment a satisfying story while encouraging readers to keep going. I'm not sure she was successful with this although I did enjoy listening to the entire book. It just felt a bit choppy and she ended up introducing a potentially important character near the conclusion.

Not my favorite McGuire but worth listening to. Mary Robinette Kowal as usual does an outstanding job with the narration.

slow progress, little action, less character

I quit this book (a rarity for me, no matter how bad the book) because it just wasn't interesting. The premise is intriguing, but it was too plodding to captivate. I felt no connection with the characters, and didn't really care to find out what happened to them. Others have liked it, so it's hard to say who will.

Interesting Premise

Henrietta Marchen works for the ATI, a branch of the government that keeps fairytales from turning our world inside out. With the help of her team, they respond to incidents of stories ready to burst through and go full Grim on us.

The characters came across as very realistic inside the world McGuire built. I love Sloan. Love. Her. Who wouldn't? She's an honest to goodness wicked sister who says all the things we'd like to come Monday morning. Just don't eat the donuts she brings to the office.

Following the world build is easier if you don't think about it too hard. If you want to get all logical about fairytale incursions, be my guest. I chose not to. What I did care for was that in the beginning when the author would switch from 1st person pov, where the investigation took place, to third person POV, to let the reader in on what was happening inside the fairytale in progress, the time lines didn't flow like they should.

I don't care for stories that shift between 1st and 3rd, and I also don't like shifting back and forth between timeframes. The process was choppy at the beginning, but smoothed out toward the end, developing a pattern that made sense and stayed in the 'right' order. I wondered why the front didn't match, but finding out the book began as a serialized story explains much. I made up with the 1st to 3rd shifts, as they do serve a really good purpose and, toward the end, were accomplished to better effect. I still wonder why the entire story hasn't been better edited.

Seeing the improvement though, I would pick up the next book.

disappointing, but improves as it goes along

What did you like best about Indexing? What did you like least?

I liked the concept of the story I just wish the execution had been better. The format was taken from a serialization, which made the flow disjointed and repetitive.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The re-imagining and modern spin on fairy tales, some of which was quite clever. *Spoiler*e.g. a spindle needle replaced with a hypodermic needle.

Did Mary Robinette Kowal do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Yes, the characters were differentiated. Andy the public relations man is supposed to be a smooth talker. His characterization is dreadful.

Do you think Indexing needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. I think it was a wasted opportunity for a good story and it's chance has passed.

Any additional comments?

Interesting concept with ok characters. Did not live up to its' potential. The first half drags.

Why did I ever choose story?

This is the first Audible book I could not listen to thru to the end...I tried twice. The charters act, talk and dialog like pre-teens with fowl mouths to make them seem a bit older...Maybe? Could be an interesting premise, but there is not much to the story, and the characters are just so poorly developed, it is painful.
The narrator does as good a job as anyone could. The author on the other hand might win the middle school writing prize, but then again, might not.
Sorry. I wanted to like it. Hope I save you the chore of listening to this one!

A bit convoluted yet repetitive

What disappointed you about Indexing?

SM seemed to spend the first third of the book explaining her premise - over and over. I got it the first time! Then when the story finally started to take shape, she still kept pounding in the concept, which got very dull. I needed the thread of the story to come through sooner.

Has Indexing turned you off from other books in this genre?

no

What didn’t you like about Mary Robinette Kowal’s performance?

I liked her performance - that was one of the things that kept me going.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Interesting concept - in fact I liked the concept, but she was so busy making sure we understood the world she created, that not alot happened in it, until half way through. Interesting characters.

Any additional comments?

I really like Sean McGuire - but this one is trying too hard. She spent ages explaining her concept, which I understood the first time - it was like a book about this great idea, but it took half the book for any story to come through. I almost thought it was a series of short stories around a concept. Eventually I realised it all came together, but I came very close to not bothering.

Timeline

Timeline is a little difficult to follow but loved the book! Enjoyed the reader as well :)

Just didn't do it for me

I liked the premise and expected to enjoy the story, but it just never came alive for me. I don't even know what to pin it on really. The narrator was good, in fact she's probably the only reason I kept listening. Some of the characters were interesting, but as a whole it just never sparked for me. I wish the whole book had been from Sloan's POV. Her sections were definitely my favorites.

Why is this book so cheap? Its cool and original!

I am a big fan of Seanan McGuire's work and if you have not read any of their stuff and you enjoyed this, then I would highly recommend that you do.
This is definitely a start to another cool series Seanan captures again with wonderful detail a world within a world, a complex balance of great characters both good and bad, a rich and multifaceted female protagonist is again used to bring the whole thing together, read splendidly by Ms. Kowal
This is a dark yet very enjoyable take on the whole world of make believe, from fairy tales to urban legends and more. This book is so cheap I assumed that it would be poor................I assumed wrong!!

Not as amazing as the author's other works

...but still worth listening to.
I LOVE Seanan McGuire's works, the woman is both insane & incredible, & this story definitely feels insane....but it just didn't feel as fully formed as her other books....

again Seanan McGuire Creates a beautiful world

What did you like most about Indexing?

An interesting and engaging concept that pulls you in and makes you want more. The characters and likable and are relatable too I was sorry when the book ended and I realised I would have to wait till next year to listen to the next instalment of this new series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sloane Winters is probably my favourite character but I can’t say too much or I would give some of the plot away. She is a strong and interesting character who is very deep and has had a lot of thought put into her, she also has the best one liners in the book.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The ATI Management Bureau saving you from happley ever after

Any additional comments?

Anyone who has listened to the October Daye novels will know how good Mary Robinette Kowal is at injecting life into the characters. She narrates and once again she does not disappoint each character truly does come alive with her voice acting. If you have not listened to the October Daye books you should the world Seanan McGuire creates are amazing and beautiful but also full of thrill and suspense and all are well worth a credit .

Wondrrful

A rich and engaging story beautifully narrated, would recommend to anyone with an interest in new twists on old stories.