A Divided Duty

Seanan McGuire

Saving Rayseline

Until now, Rayseline Torquill has been a fairly minor character in the McGuire's October Daye urban fantasy series. In novel 20 (as McGuire points out, the series is no longer a teenager!), A Divided Duty, Raysel moves to the center of the story. She is the center in the sense that her well-being is the main subject of the novel. She is, unfortunately, mostly a passive center. The action is mostly our hero Toby, Toby's husband Tybalt, and Raysel's mother Luna.

Following the events of Silver and Lead, which saw the birth and attempted kidnapping of Toby and Tybalt's daughter Miranda, Toby is living a fairly peaceful and secluded life in San Francisco with Tybalt and and the many young folks who have become part of the family over the years. Aside from Miranda, Raysel is the most recent such acquisition. In past years Raysel had the misfortune to come under the influence of Evening Winterrose, who is more-or-less the principal villain of the series. As a consequence Raysel was put in an enchanted sleep. In a dream she asked Toby to take her in as a ward when she was awakened. This happened a few months before the events of Sleep No More. That's how Raysel became a member of Taby's household. Toby is trying to protect her while she recuperates and rehabilitates from her past life of crime.

When A Divided Duty begins, they both feel it is going well. However, that opinion is not universal. Raysel's mother Luna, who has always resented Toby, wants her daughter back. She solves this problem in the most direct way: she kidnaps Raysel. (That is in the publisher's blurb, and if the publisher has already spoiled, I'm free to mention it in a review without labeling it a spoiler.) Toby and Tybalt charge off to rescue Raysel.

It's a good story, but not, alas, very well told. Everyone talks about everything, endlessly. Raysel has psychological trauma in her past, and so does Luna, and so, indeed, does Toby herself. In fact, many of the other characters are fairly traumatized, and they talk about it. A certain amount of that is useful and even helpful to illuminate the action. But there is balance in all things! Or there should be.

If you're an October Daye fan (and I am), you're going to want to read this, anyway. Sadly, it felt more like a project than a good time.

Release date 29-Sep-2026.

But by Degrees

As usual, this novel is accompanied by a novella. This one is called But by Degrees, and it is about Toby's squire Quentin, whom readers of the series have long known. Quentin was traumatized by the events of Sleep No More. He is still trying to come to terms with having been turned into a bigot and a jerk by Titania's illusion. Quentin needs therapy, and he gets it. This novella is ALL TALK.

Dullsville, man!

Brok3n Engines

★★★☆☆ A Divided Duty, by Seanan McGuire