Spoiler for the end of Butterfly Effects in the review (at the end and nicely separated) for We Sing it Anyway, the novella included at the end.
I feel like I always start out reviews of books I'm not entirely sure about with something like Butterfly Effects was... interesting. It's not an entirely bad way to start a review, but I'm also not sure it's helpful.
Anyway, Butterfly Effects is basically book trying to tie up some loose ends left by the last chunk of novels, specifically those left around Mark and Artie/Arthur. It did so in a way I'm not entirely a fan of... I do so hate when a character is "held to account" by characters/societies who have absolutely zero jurisdiction and zero reason to be involved at all. That said... it was okay, I guess. It also feels really weird saying that about an InCryptid novel due to my usual enthusiasm for them and the characters.
I am very glad to see Alice settling into life after finding Thomas. I am also very glad to see Antimony and Sam living their best lives in proximity to that. I was less enthused about Johrlac society and the Kairos clinging to the outskirts of that. It was honestly whatever. The Johrlac are... honestly quite "meh," as I imagine a telepathic society ruled by queens is wont to be. Very akin to watching a movie like Ants where a main character didn't appear to break society because "individualism is better" or whatever.
The story itself was also rather "meh." I spent part of it going "okay... so Sarah's got a goal that she immediately abandons because this Kairos child shows up in the middle of it... why?" Just... that was very weird to me. Everyone else was very focused on their goals, as I would expect them to be. We also got some explanation as to why dimension-jumping is still bad, actually from a power stand-point. Made sense. Really, the point of the story was the very end, which I'm not going to spoil, but... yeah... everything is mostly tied up with a pretty neat bow. I am, as usual with InCryptid, very interested in where we go from here.
Favorite Lines
"Tomatoes are only considered a vegetable for tax purposes anyway!" - Isaac
"Lady, I know you've been out of touch for a while, but if you think I'm going to go along with that, you're absolutely out of your gun-loving, banana-shit mind." - Sam Taylor
"I think we'd all like an adult, sweetheart." - Alice Price
"That shit never worked. Not from the beginning to the end of time. Bullying your queer kid isn't going to get you a straight one. If you're lucky, it'll get you what James's dad got: a living queer kid who doesn't consider you family and will never voluntarily speak to you again." - Antimony Price
"We Sing it Anyway"
The perfect novella ending for Butterfly Effects. Things definitely nicely tied off with a bow.
I hadn't exactly wondered how Elsie was coping, but I am glad to have gotten that information. Mary and Rose are always fun to see. Of course, the "return" of the brothers was sweet. I definitely choked up as Mary affirmed Arthur/Orin.
Favorite Line
"Friends don't let friends accept new legal names from religious rodents." - Artie Harrington
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