“It’s just that sometimes my cases were more Brothers Grimm than Magnum PI.”
Former knight October Daye, who prefers Toby, is half human / half fae changeling who has extremely good reasons for no longer wanting anything to due with the Faerie world. However it has no intention of giving her a choice…
I’m getting back into urban fantasy in earnest and decided to refresh my memory on the first couple of October Daye novels so I could continue with the series. I remember Rosemary and Rue being a great start, and reached the same conclusion with this reread. It establishes a deep intersecting world combining Fae kingdoms with the modern world as well as giving weighty, completely understandable reasons for protagonist Toby Daye’s role as a reluctant heroine. We feel the tragedy of her past, and thus are fully invested in the troubles she unwillingly has to deal with.
McGuire does a phenomenal job here providing enough context and answers to fully engage the reader while simultaneously really only scratching the surface of her world’s potential and mysteries she has in store. Particularly compelling are the variety of diverse and genuine feeling characters Toby has to deal with, each with a well formed personality and their own goals and agendas. I’ll hold off naming favorites to avoid spoilers, but the cast really shines overall and is one of the series’ greatest assets.
The plot and underlying mystery is appropriately tense, builds nicely, and unfolds logically. I’ve enjoyed revisiting Rosemary and Rue and am really looking forward to getting farther along in Toby’s adventures.
Derailments of Thought 
9 replies on “Rosemary and Rue (October Daye Book 1) Review”
[…] Rosemary and Rue was a great start to a fantasy series I definitely felt inclined to continue along with. A Local Habitation sees Toby dealing with different, more external threats in a book that’s honestly a step down from the first, but still a solid installment overall. The pace is just a little off and the central mystery, while decent enough, has a couple of weakness that are hard to overlook. In parts I felt Toby and others were just a little too slow on the uptake, which is a rough flaw to get by in a mystery. When the reader feels too far ahead of the protagonist, particularly one like Toby who’s usually sharp, some frustration starts to set in. […]
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[…] having read the previous books, but significant depth and nuance would be lost. Best to start with Rosemary and Rue (book […]
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[…] in the October Daye series, and it addresses major, long running plot threads. Best to start with Rosemary and Rue (book […]
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[…] curious about the concept, Indexing caught my eye because it’s written by the author of the October Daye series, which I adore. McGuire’s exquisite gift for dialogue and descriptions is on display […]
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[…] addresses previously raised issues and builds off of long running plot lines. Best to start with Rosemary and Rue (book […]
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[…] story being told. There are some conveniences, and these aren’t quite as tight as her October Daye series, but that’s small criticism and these are still fantastically built adventures that […]
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[…] it addresses the aftermath of major events from the prior book, One Salt Sea. Best to start with Rosemary and Rue (book […]
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[…] Daye series, and several long running plotlines come together here. Start reading with Rosemary and Rue (book […]
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[…] This is the eighth book in the October Daye series, paying off several long running plot lines going all the way back to the beginning. Start reading there (Rosemary and Rue). […]
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