Stiletto (The Checquy Files, #2) in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Sep 14, 2015 Bradley rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, sci-fi, 2016-shelf

I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this novel. Unlike the previous one, which seemed slightly easy in comparison, this one had a lot of features that I've grown to hate over the years.

Such as? Action buildups that suddenly cut to long and unasked for history lessons and expositions that sometimes, eventually, bring out an aspect of the story that will, also eventually, fit right into the tale. Unfortunately for me, it kicks me right out of the telling and I've got to reign in all my en I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with this novel. Unlike the previous one, which seemed slightly easy in comparison, this one had a lot of features that I've grown to hate over the years.

Such as? Action buildups that suddenly cut to long and unasked for history lessons and expositions that sometimes, eventually, bring out an aspect of the story that will, also eventually, fit right into the tale. Unfortunately for me, it kicks me right out of the telling and I've got to reign in all my enormous reserves of patience until the action starts back up again, which, unfortunately, takes a long ass time. And these were rather dull.

I won't say they were pointless, because we eventually get the wraparound and the bow on top, BUT at the time, I'm left wondering where the main characters are and what any of this has to do with the main story we've begun with. Which, by that point, I'd pretty much forgotten, anyway.

Sounds pretty damning, doesn't it?

Well wait a moment. I'd have perfectly loved the hell out of this book if all that extraneous stuff had been omitted or condensed into footnotes or incorporated in MUCH smaller or at least story-integrated ways, and not as hijackers on the plane of my enjoyment.

So honestly, whenever we got back to Myfanwy, Felicity, or Odette, I was fully enjoying the tale again. Hell, it was a very good tale, and not to give away story twists, it's very satisfying on the emotional, strategical, and diplomatic angles.

I really enjoyed learning all about the big bads of the previous book and enjoyed even more to sympathize and empathize with the Grafters. What first appeared to be a simple and weird exploration of biological scariness became a much more complicated and positive, if fantastic, set of expertise. I fully bought it by the end of the novel, which is great.

If it wasn't for the aspects of the writing that kept knocking me right out of my imagination, for all the times I discovered that I wished that I was doing just about anything else but reading, (which is freaking odd, for me,) or for the plain fact that the pacing was constantly in mortal jeopardy, I really would have given this book a five star rating. There's a ton to love, but the exposition WAS NOT IT.

(Even if what I'm calling exposition actually had a self-contained story or stories within it, that actually wrapped up like out-of-time tales, I'll be honest... they just didn't belong here. Maybe somewhere else as side short-stories for die-hard fans, or extras at the end of the novel. I know this is just my opinion, but cutting them right out of the main story would have made the book superior, if not quite as deep. We're not dealing with victorian classics, here. This has all the trappings of a modern UF save the crown secret organization of superheroes joining forces with masters of extreme and esoteric biology sciences, NOT an in-depth exploration of the histories of rather minor character parts that happen to have important but not large page-time.)

*sigh*

But again, I think the story was damn awesome if we got away from all that. :) ...more

163 likes · Like · see review

Jun 25, 2016 Robyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016

So, I enjoyed being back in this entertaining and humorous world, as well as getting to know the 'other side' of the first book - The Grafters. There are some negatives to this one, though - endless miscellany and info dumps. With stronger editing, I think this would have been a better book. But still! If you liked the first one, you'll more than likely like this one! ...more

30 likes · Like · see review

Jun 07, 2016 Helen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Well this was fun. It's written in the same, witty way as The Rook although this time without the elements that irritated me. That said, Britain doesn't have a current King!

Myfanwy features in the novel but our main protagonists are a pawn and a Grafter. Exciting times follow. ...more

10 likes · Like · see review

Dec 11, 2015 Christina Pilkington rated it really liked it

*4.5 stars

Once again Daniel O'Malley has created such detailed world-building and character development that my head is still reeling.

In the second book in the Checquy series, we follow two new characters, Pawn Felicity Clements and Grafter Odette Leliefeld. I was disappointed at first that we are not following the POV of Myfawny Thomas from the first book, but because O-Malley is genius at creating such well crafted characters I soon grew attached to both new characters and loved following bot ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jun 17, 2016 Suzanne rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, fantasy, mystery

This book had so many funny moments, and I loved the reader and her accents. I did feel like the story was sidetracked too often by long exposition/history. It would have been a better book if those had been taken out or put in a novella or something.

5 likes · Like · see review