Book Review 2023 #10 - Daniel O'Malley's Stiletto
Published by: Back Bay Books
Publication Date: June 14th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 592 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
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The Wetenschappelijk Broederschap van Natuurkundigen, the Scientific Brotherhood of Scientists, attacked Britain. It was hundreds of years ago but the Checquy hasn't forgotten. Monsters coming out of the mist on the Isle of Wight and nearly destroying them in an unprovoked attack by unknown enemies. The Checquy won. Barely. Then they hunted their enemy down throughout Europe and destroyed them. These "Grafters" who made monsters out of human flesh have been the boogeymen of the Checquy for centuries. So when it turns out that the Grafters weren't eliminated but just really good at hiding and that Rook Thomas has decided that in everyone's best interest the two organizations will merge no one in the Checquy is best pleased. Which is why it's so important the negotiations go well. Graaf Ernst van Suchtlen founded the Broederschap with his cousin who earlier in the year was eliminated by the Chequy after a series of attacks. Therefore the peace is very delicate. Especially as the Broederschap might have a dangerous secret that could endanger themselves and the Checquy. Pawn Felicity Clements has just barely survived an attack that the Checquy doesn't realize was perpetrated by a splinter group from the Broederschap they refer to as the Antagonists. Her crew killed, she is reassigned to the Grafter delegation, in particular Graaf Ernst's heir apparent, Odette Leliefeld. Odette is a surgical genius, what's more, she's the acceptable face of the Broederschap, because she has few implants and therefore isn't threatening to the Checquy. But what Odette doesn't realize is that her very existence is a threat to the Checquy. As her and Felicity come to an arrangement, Odette learns the lesson again and again that to the people she has been raised to fear in their eyes she is the real monster. Even her innocent little brother Alessio is a danger to the Checquy and their way of life. Therefore Odette must do everything in her power to show that she could be a boon to the Checquy. Her skills, the Broederschap technology, all of this would be shared information. She brings so much to the table, but she's worried that all the Chequy see is a monster. She will dance, she will wine and dine, she will find the most absurd hat she can and go to Ascot, she will be the perfect delegate, because she has a feeling that if the talks fail there's no way to go back into hiding, the Checquy won't make the same mistake twice.
The first time I read Stiletto it perplexed me. Daniel O'Malley had created one of the most unique and original new voices in literature with Myfanwy Thomas and in his followup she's relegated to nothing more than a "featured role." She's not even around for the first fifty pages and then just pops up often throwing a wrench in everyone's plans, even if that isn't her intention. Because being stabbed by a guy who exudes crystals isn't really on anyone's agenda. But rereading Stiletto I see that it's a ballsy move that actually pays off. Because this series is "The Checquy Files" it makes sense that we'd get different stories within the organization as it continues, hopefully for many more volumes to come. This story gives us an interesting view of the Checquy through the eyes of Felicity Clements. She's not among the high and mighty, she doesn't aspire to being in the Court, she's a peon whose lifelong goal is to become a Barghest, which is basically an elite commando. She doesn't have problems with the Checquy, she does her job and doesn't complain. Even if she objects to her assignment, which she does. This shows the stratification within the organization and is a clever move because while orders come from on high, it's those lower down who have to deal with the fallout, like the Grafters joining the Checquy. Myfanwy doesn't understand the ramifications of this deal. She doesn't understand the indoctrination of hate for the Grafters. One, because she's not the Myfanwy who grew up hearing the horror stories, and two, because this new Myfanwy takes big swings in the hopes of effecting change, and this is one big swing. And personally, I can see where the peons in the Checquy are coming from. The Grafters skeeve the shit out of me. All that surgery requiring a pharmacopoeia of anti-rejection drugs? I mean just the fact that you need that many drugs so that your body won't scream at you? Hell no. Just so much no. And I know we're supposed to draw a line between "good" Grafters and "bad" Grafters, but how about no Grafters? I'd be fine without them. Though I do find their POV with regards to the Checquy fascinating because they aren't alchemists, they're natural scientists, think Victor Frankenstein, everything they do is rooted in science and they themselves are terrified of the Checquy because there is no scientific explanation for them. Which I find interesting because Peter Grant in the Rivers of London series believes magic is just science we don't understand yet, yet here, there is no scientific explanation. The Checquy is what it is, an unexplainable quick of nature that I just love.
That Silent Night by Tasha Alexander
