Toby Daye #10 - 14
Sep. 16th, 2020 11:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
schneefinkI last read a Toby Daye book in 2015, but I recently saw some people talk about the newest one on Tumblr and decided to catch up on the series. I enjoy it a lot, they're a good read and I like the characters (even though I sometimes have to remind myself not to look too closely at the plot.)
Once Broken Faith
I read this less than a week ago and already it took me a few moments to remember what even happened ^^ Decent murder mystery and politics, fun characters.
The Brightest Fell
I really enjoyed Toby working together with Simon! (And I think it might have been even better if I remembered more from the previous books.) Simon sacrificing his way home in exchange for his daughter's was sad but it did kind of fit (and I liked that that offer was what made the Luidaeg stop calling him failure.)
Amandine is terrible, and it surprised me that Toby didn't consider from the beginning that she might refuse to give Tybalt and Jazz back. Fortunately August isn't as bad as her mom, even though she seems a spoiled bigoted brat.
The best moment was already in the first chapter, karaoke night with Toby and her friends with the Luidaeg singing "Poor Unfortunate Souls."
Night and Silence
Miranda, the step-mom of Toby's daughter Gillian, turning out to be Janet, the five hundred years old human who was the cause of Maeve dying, was a bit, uh, much. It was interesting to meet Janet, but still. I guess it could pay off eventually?
Poor Gillian. At least being a Selkie is better than dying.
The False Queen coming back was interesting, but I really hope they'll get better at security.
I felt sorry for Tybalt too, at least in the end he found a good compromise to give him time to heal.
The Unkindest Tide
I really looked forward to this book, and there were several parts I enjoyed a lot, like meeting Captain Pete = Amphitrite, Firstborn of the Merrow, and the Lordens' reactions. I really like the Lordens! Getting Peter out of Saltmist was fun. (I wonder why Toby doesn't offer to shift Peter's blood more towards Merrow to make it easier for him in Saltmist – though maybe she already offered in a previous book and I forgot.) I was also glad to see Pete approve of Patrick.
I was disappointed that we didn't really get any proper Toby & Gillian talk and barely any interaction. Gillian isn't wrong, she'll always be a target because of Toby, and the danger might be less if they aren't seen together often, but tbh Toby has enough enemies that would find it easy to find out about Gillian and that Toby cares for her and then not talking to Toby just leaves Gillian with less protection. (I was also surprised because at the end of their meeting Toby calls "Miranda" Janet – probably without thinking about it – and we never see Gillian ask about that.)
I liked the problem with the selkies, and Matthias and René and especially Liz Ryan, but I didn't find the "solution" that Toby came up with that satisfying. So there will be more Roane and in addition to that people can stay Selkies for seven years if they want? I guess it's a little better. I'm very curious what the political consequences of the return of the Roane might be.
A Killing Frost
(This book isn't out in paperback yet and they don't have it at the library, at first I balked at the e-book price but then I shamefacedly remembered how many early books of this series I pirated and bought it quickly. (I don't pirate books anymore!!But I almost certainly never would have read this series if not for pirating the early installments. Exception, when there's an offer for a free ebook but it's only open to North Americans, I pirate those.) )
I was excited that this was already the "bring Simon home" book, I didn't expect it so soon. I also didn't expect Toby to actually find Oberon! I thought she would figure out a way around it, but no, she found Oberon, holy shit. I didn't really understand how she figured it out – Thornton, really?? Going from one sentence that both he and Eira said once, that's quite a leap. A huge risk, and Toby not telling Tybalt in advance was a dick move, he's right to scold her for it and I really hope she takes it to heart.
I'm very curious what the hell happened/will happen with Oberon. I don't remember Thornton from the previous books but it sounds like the king of Fae was just hanging out as a random human police officer…
(writerkit also has a theory about Maeve that I like a lot and think that could fit.)
Sidenote, Toby told the Luidaeg at one point that their debts are currently balanced, but didn't she just promise her blood and to fulfil her next demand without a chance of refusal in the last book?? She did bring Simon home, so 1/3, though Toby said that before she did, so she was definitely wrong. I guess the other two could have happened in a novella, but still, weird.
As for the Simon storyline, I liked it a lot, though more even than in "Brightest Fell" I think I was missing quite a bit of nuance because I don't remember that much from the early books. I was very excited about Simon/Patrick/Dianda, I really like their background (the novella at the end was beautiful) and them finding together again. I did think that the wedding came too quick, I would have preferred for them to spend some time together first, get to know each other again. (Especially considering how hard it is to get divorced!) I also thought that Simon should have at least tried to have another conversation with August before forcing her to pick one of her parents at the divorce, that would have been considerate. Poor August. Amandine is pissed, and that won't end well for anyone.
Speaking of people with a difficult relationship to their parents, poor Raysel, too. I liked her talk with Toby, she seems to be doing better. Her spending some time apart from her parents after she wakes up sounds like a really good idea, and I think she and Toby could work well together – but man, Luna will be pissed. Luna is an asshole to Toby and Sylvester doesn't stop her, so isn't much better, and it hurts to see. Exiled from Shadowed Hills, ouch. And Quentin, too, Luna really isn't thinking straight. I doubt they'll be happy about Simon's return – Sylvester will be conflicted and Luna will be furious. They'd risk conflict with Saltmist if they try anything but if Luna will let that stop her…
I really like the format of having short novellas from different people's PoVs after each first-person novel, it's a great opportunity to add character and worldbuilding details and depth.
(Anyway, this is what I have been reading the past week or so, instead of doing uni stuff *sighs*)
Once Broken Faith
I read this less than a week ago and already it took me a few moments to remember what even happened ^^ Decent murder mystery and politics, fun characters.
The Brightest Fell
I really enjoyed Toby working together with Simon! (And I think it might have been even better if I remembered more from the previous books.) Simon sacrificing his way home in exchange for his daughter's was sad but it did kind of fit (and I liked that that offer was what made the Luidaeg stop calling him failure.)
Amandine is terrible, and it surprised me that Toby didn't consider from the beginning that she might refuse to give Tybalt and Jazz back. Fortunately August isn't as bad as her mom, even though she seems a spoiled bigoted brat.
The best moment was already in the first chapter, karaoke night with Toby and her friends with the Luidaeg singing "Poor Unfortunate Souls."
Night and Silence
Miranda, the step-mom of Toby's daughter Gillian, turning out to be Janet, the five hundred years old human who was the cause of Maeve dying, was a bit, uh, much. It was interesting to meet Janet, but still. I guess it could pay off eventually?
Poor Gillian. At least being a Selkie is better than dying.
The False Queen coming back was interesting, but I really hope they'll get better at security.
I felt sorry for Tybalt too, at least in the end he found a good compromise to give him time to heal.
The Unkindest Tide
I really looked forward to this book, and there were several parts I enjoyed a lot, like meeting Captain Pete = Amphitrite, Firstborn of the Merrow, and the Lordens' reactions. I really like the Lordens! Getting Peter out of Saltmist was fun. (I wonder why Toby doesn't offer to shift Peter's blood more towards Merrow to make it easier for him in Saltmist – though maybe she already offered in a previous book and I forgot.) I was also glad to see Pete approve of Patrick.
I was disappointed that we didn't really get any proper Toby & Gillian talk and barely any interaction. Gillian isn't wrong, she'll always be a target because of Toby, and the danger might be less if they aren't seen together often, but tbh Toby has enough enemies that would find it easy to find out about Gillian and that Toby cares for her and then not talking to Toby just leaves Gillian with less protection. (I was also surprised because at the end of their meeting Toby calls "Miranda" Janet – probably without thinking about it – and we never see Gillian ask about that.)
I liked the problem with the selkies, and Matthias and René and especially Liz Ryan, but I didn't find the "solution" that Toby came up with that satisfying. So there will be more Roane and in addition to that people can stay Selkies for seven years if they want? I guess it's a little better. I'm very curious what the political consequences of the return of the Roane might be.
A Killing Frost
(This book isn't out in paperback yet and they don't have it at the library, at first I balked at the e-book price but then I shamefacedly remembered how many early books of this series I pirated and bought it quickly. (I don't pirate books anymore!!
I was excited that this was already the "bring Simon home" book, I didn't expect it so soon. I also didn't expect Toby to actually find Oberon! I thought she would figure out a way around it, but no, she found Oberon, holy shit. I didn't really understand how she figured it out – Thornton, really?? Going from one sentence that both he and Eira said once, that's quite a leap. A huge risk, and Toby not telling Tybalt in advance was a dick move, he's right to scold her for it and I really hope she takes it to heart.
I'm very curious what the hell happened/will happen with Oberon. I don't remember Thornton from the previous books but it sounds like the king of Fae was just hanging out as a random human police officer…
(
writerkit also has a theory about Maeve that I like a lot and think that could fit.)Sidenote, Toby told the Luidaeg at one point that their debts are currently balanced, but didn't she just promise her blood and to fulfil her next demand without a chance of refusal in the last book?? She did bring Simon home, so 1/3, though Toby said that before she did, so she was definitely wrong. I guess the other two could have happened in a novella, but still, weird.
As for the Simon storyline, I liked it a lot, though more even than in "Brightest Fell" I think I was missing quite a bit of nuance because I don't remember that much from the early books. I was very excited about Simon/Patrick/Dianda, I really like their background (the novella at the end was beautiful) and them finding together again. I did think that the wedding came too quick, I would have preferred for them to spend some time together first, get to know each other again. (Especially considering how hard it is to get divorced!) I also thought that Simon should have at least tried to have another conversation with August before forcing her to pick one of her parents at the divorce, that would have been considerate. Poor August. Amandine is pissed, and that won't end well for anyone.
Speaking of people with a difficult relationship to their parents, poor Raysel, too. I liked her talk with Toby, she seems to be doing better. Her spending some time apart from her parents after she wakes up sounds like a really good idea, and I think she and Toby could work well together – but man, Luna will be pissed. Luna is an asshole to Toby and Sylvester doesn't stop her, so isn't much better, and it hurts to see. Exiled from Shadowed Hills, ouch. And Quentin, too, Luna really isn't thinking straight. I doubt they'll be happy about Simon's return – Sylvester will be conflicted and Luna will be furious. They'd risk conflict with Saltmist if they try anything but if Luna will let that stop her…
I really like the format of having short novellas from different people's PoVs after each first-person novel, it's a great opportunity to add character and worldbuilding details and depth.
(Anyway, this is what I have been reading the past week or so, instead of doing uni stuff *sighs*)
