Spoiler note: I'll be minimising spoilers for "Sleep No More", however of necessity this review will contain massive spoilers for Toby Daye 16 "Be the Serpent". That's kinda unavoidable, as the plot of this one follows on directly. So if you don't want that earlier one spoiled, look away now.
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OK, when we last saw Toby in "Be the Serpent" she'd earned the wrath of Titania who, as you know Bob, was revealed to be Stacey Brown, Toby's childhood friend and mother of five children who had been exhibiting strange powers for some time. Their status as firstborn explained much. McGuire has obviously been planning this plotline for sometime as the Brown children started manifesting many volumes ago.

Stacey was completely unaware of her status as Summer Queen of Fairie, having lived for centuries under a geas/curse from Oberon. Toby saw fit to have the geas removed as it was the only way to stop Titania murdering her children.

You'd think Titania would grateful, but no. She now hates Toby with a capital H, as the Luidaeg so eloquently puts it. Fortunately, Oberon put a subsequent geas on Titania forbidding her to harm Toby or anyone close to her.

Problem solved? Not on your life. It turns out that being immersed in an illusion where Toby delights in her role as a meek, dutiful, subservient changeling to her rightful pureblood overlords doesn't meet the Fae definition of 'harm'. I suspect Toby might well have strong words with Oberon over that misjudgment.

As usual, the story is narrated by Toby herself and it took some getting used to her describing herself as a servitor/doormat who thoroughly deserves the contempt and cruelty her pureblood betters inflict on her.

Fortunately, not all Toby's friends are captured in the illusion. Enter April O'Leary to set a reluctant Toby on the path to a freedom she doesn't want. The way out involves, of course, Toby bleeding a lot to use powers she doesn't know she's got - in Titania's illusion changelings aren't taught magic.

Her interaction with Tybalt was particularly poignant. He wasn't captured by the illusion, so still recognises Toby as the love of his life who he recently married. She hasn't got a clue who he is. Even when she's told that they're married she can't quite process that she'd marry a repugnant shapeshifter. Another little twist of Tatania's, which still doesn't qualify as 'harm'.

The overall plot inches closer as it's hinted that Toby's next task will be to find Maeve and restore the balance to Faerie. But that's going to be another story...

There was also a bonus novella, this one narrated by Rayseline Torquill who finds herself trapped within the illusion in an unexpected place with Dean Lorden for company. Dean's still a little miffed with Raysel over the whole kidnapping and maiming thing. Will they overcome their differences in order to stay mutually safe from a malevolent firstborn? Yeah, I think you can guess the answer to that one.

Bring on #18!

-Moriarty

On 10/25/2023 10:29 PM, Moriarty wrote:
> Spoiler note: I'll be minimising spoilers for "Sleep No More", however of necessity this review will contain massive spoilers for Toby Daye 16 "Be the Serpent". That's kinda unavoidable, as the plot of this one follows on directly. So if you don't want that earlier one spoiled, look away now.
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> OK, when we last saw Toby in "Be the Serpent" she'd earned the wrath of Titania who, as you know Bob, was revealed to be Stacey Brown, Toby's childhood friend and mother of five children who had been exhibiting strange powers for some time. Their status as firstborn explained much. McGuire has obviously been planning this plotline for sometime as the Brown children started manifesting many volumes ago.
>
> Stacey was completely unaware of her status as Summer Queen of Fairie, having lived for centuries under a geas/curse from Oberon. Toby saw fit to have the geas removed as it was the only way to stop Titania murdering her children.
>
> You'd think Titania would grateful, but no. She now hates Toby with a capital H, as the Luidaeg so eloquently puts it. Fortunately, Oberon put a subsequent geas on Titania forbidding her to harm Toby or anyone close to her.
>
> Problem solved? Not on your life. It turns out that being immersed in an illusion where Toby delights in her role as a meek, dutiful, subservient changeling to her rightful pureblood overlords doesn't meet the Fae definition of 'harm'. I suspect Toby might well have strong words with Oberon over that misjudgment.
>
> As usual, the story is narrated by Toby herself and it took some getting used to her describing herself as a servitor/doormat who thoroughly deserves the contempt and cruelty her pureblood betters inflict on her.
>
> Fortunately, not all Toby's friends are captured in the illusion. Enter April O'Leary to set a reluctant Toby on the path to a freedom she doesn't want. The way out involves, of course, Toby bleeding a lot to use powers she doesn't know she's got - in Titania's illusion changelings aren't taught magic.
>
> Her interaction with Tybalt was particularly poignant. He wasn't captured by the illusion, so still recognises Toby as the love of his life who he recently married. She hasn't got a clue who he is. Even when she's told that they're married she can't quite process that she'd marry a repugnant shapeshifter. Another little twist of Tatania's, which still doesn't qualify as 'harm'.
>
> The overall plot inches closer as it's hinted that Toby's next task will be to find Maeve and restore the balance to Faerie. But that's going to be another story...
>
> There was also a bonus novella, this one narrated by Rayseline Torquill who finds herself trapped within the illusion in an unexpected place with Dean Lorden for company. Dean's still a little miffed with Raysel over the whole kidnapping and maiming thing. Will they overcome their differences in order to stay mutually safe from a malevolent firstborn? Yeah, I think you can guess the answer to that one.
>
> Bring on #18!
>
> -Moriarty

I have "Be The Serpent" in my SBR with 500 other books. I need to get
cracking.

Lynn

On Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 2:29:09 PM UTC+11, Moriarty wrote:
> Spoiler note: I'll be minimising spoilers for "Sleep No More", however of necessity this review will contain massive spoilers for Toby Daye 16 "Be the Serpent". That's kinda unavoidable, as the plot of this one follows on directly. So if you don't want that earlier one spoiled, look away now.
> .
The hardback has just arrived at my place, now I need to finish it before The Innocent Sleep arrives...
(stupid publisher,... no ebook versions in Australia....)