The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman

The Grimrose Path is very twisty. Despite all the twists, I feel like the plotting is actually quite tight. That Trixa is a pretty awesome protagonist definitely helps. The stakes are... interesting. I do feel like actual stating them here would be a spoiler, so I'll just leave that for you to discover.

I liked this interpretation of Cronus. It was different from the few others I've encountered. Definitely a good different. He's honestly pretty terrifying, but less in a creepy way, I think, and more in a "OMG how's anyone, let alone the newly human Trixa, going to be able to stop him?" kind of way. It's nice to follow Trixa's thought-processes to get her to that point. I'm also glad she was able to out-source a certain part of her plan. It was an interesting way to use more Greek mythology.

As usual, Thurman's way of incorporating world-building was fun. I enjoyed Trixa and Leo semi-reminiscing about the Auphe, knowing how terrible those buggers were. I liked the creation of a race that was so weirdly technologically advanced humans would never find out they existed... kind of a deus ex machina thing, but done well enough I didn't have a problem with it. I find Trixa and Ishiah's relationship interesting... I don't know why, exactly, but Ish seems like a different person taken out of the New York context. Probably the lack of Cal making him on-edge.

I'm honestly not sure what else to say about The Grimrose Path. It was fun. It was twisty in the best ways. There are bits and pieces that just make the whole Vegas setting feel authentic and truly part of a working universe. But yeah... definitely one to experience for yourself. I will also say, The Grimrose Path ends on a satisfying enough note to be the end of Trixa's story but also open-ended enough for a continuation... which it doesn't look like we'll be getting so... yeah.

Favorite Lines

"Geese feared and respected no one. No ankle, human or otherwise, was safe. It could be even Titans like Cronus bowed to their pure, feathered evil." - Trixa Iktomi

"About time that slice of the population had the blame dumped on them for some fake crime. I was happy to even the score a bit, although good luck narrowing down 'two pasty white men' in Vegas where the tourists primarily came in two colors -- alabaster and fake-tan orange." - Trixa Iktomi

"He's listened to you for all his life" -- all the one he could remember -- "so now I think it's time you listened to him for a while." I held up a finger. "Except on running over grandmas driving tiny ecofriendly hybrids with your big satanic bus. Listen and lean, but there are limits." - Trixa Iktomi

"If you can save someone, do it. If you can save someone and in turn have them save everyone and everything, do that too." - Trixa Iktomi

Trick of the Light by Rob Thurman

Trick of the Light is pretty good, if rather meandering at times. The pacing is quite quick, though the pace at which I read it probably drew out those meandering moments so it felt longer than it was. That's on me, though. I remember I really loved it on my first read. Trixa is probably my favorite of Thurman's female characters, though. So definite plus to that.

Trixa spends the entire book being jerked around by The Light and the factions that want it. She doesn't take an crap from any of them, though, which is fun. She also keeps her motivations out there, but her past close to her chest. For example: even her apparent age isn't revealed until the end. You can kind of guess, given the time frames mentioned, but yeah. Trixa's a fun mix of tough-as-nails and sensuality that's not toned down at all, which I appreciate. Completely no nonsense on both counts.

Thurman's world of angels and demons is well fleshed out. I like that both have "true forms" that don't resemble each other. Speaks to God cursing the demons with more "oomph" than just a slap on the wrist. There's also an actual explanation of the existence of peris at the end, though I won't say more than that. I liked the differences between Solomon and Eligos. Figures that demons would have as much range in personality as humans do. Oriphiel gives me some early-seasons Castiel vibes, even if he's way over what even Cas was at that point. Interesting that the angels chose to make their human forms resemble Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)... or even Pegasus (Yugi-oh).

I also won't spoil the twist -- that there is a twist is spoiled on the dang cover, don't come at me about it -- but I remember really loving it the first time. Second time, though, I think it suffers a bit from second-time-through syndrome. Couldn't exactly remember what happened or when, just that stuff did happen and I was waiting for it. It does include more lore-dumping, which I'm a sucker for, so there's that.

I really like Griffin and Zeke. They are very distinct from each other, as they should be. I came to the realization upon writing this review that what I have to say about Griffin and Zeke is too wrapped up in spoiler territory, so I won't go there. Suffice to say they fit together really nicely and I think they're cute.

Trick of the Light made a nice break from the honestly more dour Cal Leandros series. I'm trying to read these things in chronological order and Trickster definitely fits in the chronology but it's not official as to where... so publication order it is. Trick of the Light is also a really solid first book of a series. The world, though obviously already formed, is definitely different from what came before, with clear explanations as to why. I did really enjoy it, even if I didn't devour it like I did the first time.

Favorite Lines

"But there's no denying you've always liked the bad boys. Robin, for example, he couldn't keep it in his pants if an alligator was undoing the zipper." - Leo

"The dead should be dead... immediately. No hanging around snapping like ill-tempered, satanic Chihuahuas." - Trixa Iktomi

"If I want food of the damned, I'll just microwave a Hot Pocket." - Trixa Iktomi

"Excessive violence doesn't go well with the footy pajamas. It's a behavioral and fashion faux pas all rolled into one." - Eligos

"Mama said never hold a grudge against a man; hold his balls instead and yank them off. Saved the both of you time." - Trixa Iktomi

Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce

A Mostly Spoiler Free Reread Review

I really, really love Trickster’s Queen. It has a great mix of intrigue and action. The main characters really leap off the page and even the background ones are fairly fleshed out for background characters. I definitely cried a few times, too, at different points throughout. So yeah, so good.

The foreshadowing around Dove is palpable. It is utterly clear with how she’s invested in the people and not just the court. Sarai is obviously too hot-headed for the role she’s meant to take, honestly. I didn’t say anything during my review of Trickster’s Choice because I knew what was coming… and I won’t say much here, but Sarai’s character arc makes sense for her, just not for the plans of those around her. Dove, on the other hand, is more perfect for her eventual role.

The thing between Aly and Nawat has escalated to a plot-relevant annoying place. I dislike romantic drama for the sake of drama… and the only thing that keeps this from tipping over the edge if Ulasim’s assertion that Nawat essentially needs to figure himself out. Most of Nawat’s character development is off-screen… and the relationship when he gets back is suddenly one of equals… it honestly stinks of something like a Life Bond. Much meh.

Darkings! I love them so, so much. They’re excellent as Aly’s spies and also for the ending battle, getting differing views of said battle than just Aly’s. Darkings are fun.

This is a little out of left field, but I really need to address this: Lovemaking doesn’t “often” hurt the first time. There doesn’t have to be blood involved at all. I’m pretty sure this nonsense came about because of a) the patriarchy, b) purity culture, and c) men/boys not realizing that their partners need more foreplay than they want to give. Seriously. Stop. Perpetuating. This. Myth.

I can’t really talk about much of the plot here, as what I might have to say is probably spoilery. Trickster’s Queen has a lot of stuff happening, including character deaths. It is very good and quite well plotted. 

Favorite Lines

"I will be a good girl and try not to get gutted in the market." - Junai

     "She has nothing to throw unless she picks up chair," said Trick. "Uh-oh."

     "She picked up chair," Secret explained

Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce

Honestly, I have really, really enjoyed Trickster's Choice all three times I've read it. I'm pretty sure it spoiled me for YA spy novels. Or at least those set in a medieval-ish time frame... as I have read no others, the jury's still technically out on that but anyway... Trickster's Choice is up there in my favorites of Tamora Pierce's Tortall novels, possibly even my favorite.

So firstly, I feel like Aly's relationship with Alanna is quite realistic. Alanna doesn't understand Aly because Aly's interests lie somewhere far different than Alanna's own. Aly finds Alanna's disdain for her chosen profession off-putting, to say the least. However, when push comes to shove, Alanna gets very protective and worried for Aly and Aly will leap to defend Alanna's honor if she feels like it's being even a little bit besmirched. It reads realistically to me, even if it isn't a huge part of the book.

Secondly, I've always envisioned Kyprioth as resembling Bruce Campbell's character Autolycus from Xena: Warrior Princess. This definitely isn't a big thing, but there it is. Kyprioth is an interesting portrayal of a trickster god, I think. He's depicted as being very set on his goal, even if he tries not to seem serious about it. I like it and him.

Thirdly, that thing I said in my intro about Trickster's Choice spoiling me for YA spy novels... yeah... looking at Collegium Chronicles and The Herald Spy by Mercedes Lackey here. I feel like Aly's story is just more realistic than Mags', for all Aly's got mages and humanoid crows and gods running about. Aly's background for spying actually makes more sense than Mags basically getting his assassin skills downloaded into his brain by his cousin or whatever. Pierce also fleshes out Aly's spying a lot better than Lackey ever did with Mags. Trickster's Choice is just so much better by far.

Fourth, this is probably where my personal biases color my review the most: The Nawat/Aly romance subplot. Not a fan this time. Not sure about my thoughts on it before, because I didn't write it down, but this time around I'm not so into it. Now I will admit, this is probably because romance is just rubbing me the wrong way lately and I'm embracing it or something, but yeah... I guess it's kinda cute, but... ehhhhhh. I really don't have any real explanation as to why this is, but I'm just not enamored with them as a pair. Now Nawat on his own is amusing. I kind of love the idea of a animal running around in human shape and corvids are way more intelligent than people give them credit for... so yeah. Nawat's fine. He and Aly as a couple... meh.

Dispensing with the numbering thing now, dunno why I even started that... but anyway... I feel like I also need to address the "white savior"-ness that is technically inherent here. Aly is a white girl coming into a largely black people situation in order to help them out through her wager with Kyprioth. That really stood out to me this time. The slavery aspect of the raka's situation was definitely not lost on me and that Aly came into the entire thing also as a slave... it scquicked. Now, Aly is also not actually being a "white savior," really, I don't think... and the half-laurin/half-raka girls she's trying to protect along with the raka servants and all are half-laurin... It's complicated and I'm not really sure I want to comment on it too much as a white girl myself so... yeah. I noticed all that and wanted to make sure it's clear. Aly is just one cog in the largely raka rebellion happening and I do feel like she's really only super prominent because of the whole thing with Kyprioth... but... yeah. That's it on that. Promise.

Little add-on cuz I forgot: Aly's is 16! She's told by both her parents that her chosen profession is too dangerous, but at the same time, they both want her to be doing something with her life... just not the spying. And she's 16! I think this sort of shit is unfair from parents today and Aly's supposedly "a woman grown" because medieval-ish time frame and all. Just... ugh.

But yeah... Trickster's Choice is a really good read. My final note is the foreshadowing around Sarai and Dove was also kind of obvious to me this time, but I have read this duology three times at this point so... yeah. Awesome book. Definitely my favorite in my Tortall reread so far.

Favorite Lines

"I do not like interesting things," she said, amusement in her eyes even though her tone was one of reproof. "They tend to bite painfully." - Duchess Winnamine Balitang

"Too much information is bad for you mortals. Just loook at your history if you want proof." - Kyprioth

"We build up pretty pictures of men, when we want to be in love. We hate to have them ruined." - Duchess Winnamine Balitang