Week 35 ~ Staying Dead

Week 35 ~ Aug 27-Sept 2, 2007

Staying Dead (Retrievers #1)
by Laura Anne Gilman

(urban fantasy)

This is an amusing book, though for a while I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to get into it. There are (IMO) problems with the grammar that annoyed me, and while it might be intentional to show character voice or it might be a different stylebook than I am used to (or I might be wrong, which in this case I doubt) it still came between me and the story... until I got to know the characters. Once I learned enough about the characters to get interested in them, I was hooked.

I like the way there is romantic tension from the start, and yet the characters neither jump into bed together at first opportunity (actually, not at all in this book, though there what happens in the sequels is anybody's guess - unless you've already read them, in which case you don't have to guess) nor even acknowledge any attraction until quite a ways into the story. I like the fact that the tension stays tension. That works for me.

Also, it is nice to see a realistic approach to a world with magic and different species. I like how the creatures called demons are not fully demonic, nor are angels complete saints. Overall, I liked it. Nicely done.