strange and random happenstance

Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley
Published by: Back Bay Books
Publication Date: June 14th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 592 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

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.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barghest, Broederschap, Daniel O'Malley, Felicity Clements, Grafters, London Calling, Monsters, MyFanwy Thomas, Odette Leliefeld, Stiletto, Surgery, The Checquy, The Checquy Files, The Rook, Victor Frankenstein

Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley
Published by: Back Bay Books
Publication Date: June 14th, 2016
Format: Paperback, 592 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

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.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Barghest, Broederschap, Daniel O'Malley, Felicity Clements, Grafters, London Calling, Monsters, MyFanwy Thomas, Odette Leliefeld, Stiletto, Surgery, The Checquy, The Checquy Files, The Rook, Victor Frankenstein

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
Published by: Back Bay Books
Publication Date: January 11th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 486 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Myfanwy Thomas is a Rook, a high-level operative in The Court of a secret organization called The Checquy. She's hardworking, discreet, reserved, and unflappable. Give her a spreadsheet and she can work wonders. But she has a looming problem. Due to the nature of her job and the type of people and creatures she meets she has learned that she will lose her memory. Permanently. She doesn't know how, she doesn't know why, she doesn't know when, but she knows that soon she will be vulnerable because someone she trusts is going to betray her. Therefore she does what she is best at; she plans. She figures out how to tell the you she will become everything she needs to know in order to survive. Therefore on a rainy night when Myfanwy Thomas is surrounded by corpses in a London park the you that she was saves the you that she is. The new Myfanwy is told by her past self that she has two options before her, disappear into the sunset or find out what happened to her. There are two lock boxes at a bank, each leads to a very different future. The new Myfanwy was going to take the money and run, but she is attacked at the bank. Obviously her body's unknown past is going to haunt her unless she is able to uncover what exactly is going on in The Checquy. Which means she has to go into work on Monday and pass herself off as the Myfanwy they all know and love. Well aside from that one person trying to kill her. At least she hopes it's only one person. What if it's a cabal? But that's just letting her thoughts get away with her, but then again her thoughts all did go away and someone at work did it to her. So she slips on one of numinous bland suits, I mean did she really have this bad of taste? And off to work she goes. She has a sense of who she was from all the letters and the invaluable purple binder left for her, but it's kind of hard to spend all your time looking at your feet and avoiding eye contact when this world is completely new to her. She can control peoples bodies! Her complementary Rook Gestalt is one person in four bodies! Everything is so wonderful and strange. This isn't just a brave new world, this is a brave new Myfanwy, and she's going to live this life she's been given no matter what weirdness stands in her way. She might just have to survive another assassination attempt is all. Or perhaps several.

What I find astounding is given just the premise of secret supernatural organization the vast array of possibilities that authors have come up with. No two are alike and yet they all hold the same DNA, a dollop of the X-Men, a helping of The Avengers, no, the British ones, then a side of The Initiative. Aside from the giant great wallop of snark found here that skeletal framework can apply to so many stories I've known and loved over the years. Yet The Rook stands out. That is because the voice or I should say voices of Myfanwy Thomas are so unique. You love the her that she was, that shy overly precise workaholic, but on her journey to self discovering after erasure you come to love the her that she is becoming. But the sardonic narration isn't the only reason that I am so in the grip of this book's tentacles, it's the deeper implications about identity and trauma. When Myfanwy's powers presented at the age of nine it was traumatic. She injured those she loved and was then taken away from them creating a wound that would never heal as she was shipped off to the Estate and became the property of The Checquy. This event in her life lead to her associating her power with pain and therefore she's never really been able to utilize it to it's full potential. Her and her power aren't one. When that Myfanwy is erased from existence so is all her baggage. All her trauma is washed away in the rain and the new Myfanwy can't believe how easy it is to access her powers. She is able to do feats that the old her could never do. Which can be a bit problematic when you're trying to pretend to be the you you no longer are and start manifesting hugely improved powers. But at least the powers mean more protection. She doesn't have to touch people to control their bodies. She can shut them down and puppet them from across a room. Her powers weren't pain they were protection but the old her could never separate that in her mind. Which makes me wonder, what could we be without our past traumas? So much of therapy is about letting go, finding a way to reach our full potential. While losing your memory is a drastic way to lose your inhibitions, there's something so empowering reading Myfanwy's story. While we might not have had to do battle with cubes of flesh or prophetic ducks, we all know what it's like to be holding yourself back. To be unable to cope with moving forward. This is a cathartic read, a call to arms to heal the trauma and embrace the Myfanwy in us all by daring to go out in that red dress.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amnesia, Assassination, Baggage, Cathartic, Daniel O'Malley, Gestalt, Identity, London, London Calling, Memory, MyFanwy Thomas, The Avengers, The Checquy, The Checquy Files, The Initiative, The Rook, Trauma, X-Men

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley
Published by: Back Bay Books
Publication Date: January 11th, 2012
Format: Paperback, 486 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Myfanwy Thomas is a Rook, a high-level operative in a secret organization called The Checquy. She's hardworking, discrete, and unflappable, but she has a looming concern. Due to the nature of her job and the type of people and creatures she meets she has learned that she will lose her memory. Permanently. She doesn't know how, she doesn't know when, but she knows that soon she will be vulnerable. Therefore she does what she is best at; she plans. She figures out how to tell the you she will become everything she needs to know in order to survive. Therefore on a rainy night when Myfanwy Thomas is surrounded by corpses in a London park the you that she was saves her and helps her to uncover exactly what is going on in The Checquy.

I'd remembered hearing about this book years ago but didn't pick it up until I was reminded of it's existence by the looming Starz television adaptation. What astounds me is this book is exactly up my alley but no one had ever recommended it to me. My guess is that it's kind of hard to quantify. Would you say it's a supernatural version of The Avengers? Kind of, and of course I'm meaning the Steed and Peel version. Is it an otherworldly James Bond? Again, kind of... But the way I'm describing it to my friends as I hold it in front of them proselytizing is that it's as if The Initiative in season four of Buffy the Vampire Slayer wasn't lame and was British with a giant great wallop of snark. Now if I had been told that back in 2012 I would have picked up this book way sooner. So thank you to the TV show that shouldn't really be called The Rook because it keeps almost nothing from the book aside from names for getting me to read a book that I enjoyed so much.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adaptation, Amnesia, British, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Daniel O'Malley, James Bond, London, MyFanwy Thomas, Starz, Supernatural, The Avengers, The Checquy, The Initiative, The Rook