Review for White Witch, Black Curse, by Kim Harrison

Very, very satisfying book. I recommend it to everyone who's ever interested in urban fantasy. The cast of characters seem real, because they're so well created, and I thoroughly enjoy their development. I have never been to Cincinatti, and don't even know how the name of the city is spelled, but Kim Harrison describes that very well, also, from the bridges, the river, to its rustic buildings and the fantastical segregation between magic oriented people and normal humans.

Recently, I've driven down the highway swearing ("Son of a faery fart!") like Jenks, the pixy partner of the Vampiric Charms running firm. The entire series is very action oriented, and I've enjoyed the diverse abilities and mentalities of different species. If you haven't read any of the other books, Kim has tiny summarizes of what happened in the past six books scattered throughout the plot when they become relevant and need to be explained. Though I felt the situation between Rachel, the protagonist, and Ivy, her roommate is over explained, it was understandable because it was very tough to work out. None of these relationships are normal or boring, and that adds spice to the plot for those interested in such things, balanced out by a very good number of detailed and believable action scenes.

I'm always a fan of multidimensional villains, and this series has a slew of them. In this book, it happens to be Mia, banshee mother, and a high ranking vampire who killed one of Rachel's boyfriends, to tie up that loose end. I thought Kim's dramatic and suspenseful use of Rachel's loss of memory and then her regaining it was masterful, because sometimes when authors use this trick, they don't have enough of other stuff going on to justify the suspense of gaining the memory back. That wasn't a problem here. While I wondered how the conversation with Councilman Trent Kalamack was necessary in this book, that trinket he gave her no doubt would be a lead in to another book, as well as Rachel's renewed feelings for Pierce, a ghost that she met at the age of eighteen upon trying to resurrect her father for questions and support.

Pierce is as a cowboy comes and a cowboy goes, even though his cluelessness from being dead so long shows very well when he fumbles with a cell phone - even though he was able to change the ring tones, apparently, so that was weird - and when he stares off into the ruckus in Central Square on New Year's. His dealings with the demon makes me approve of him, despite the way one should normally not deal with demons. His profession, however, would probably prove harmful to Rachel. We also have yet to see Rachel back in the ever after with Al, even though that was something I was looking forward to in this book, because I wanted to know what she was learning. Well, no such luck. But the introduction of the species of banshee - Mia - and empath - Ford - makes up for it. I also think those two characters might end up together, because that was hinted very strongly.

Seeing this couple, I can imagine Rachel wanting even more to have someone who evens her out and loves her. While Jenks the pixy is completely adverse to Pierce's presence because he was a ghost and was "spying" on them, I think Ivy would start having a problem too, once she found out that he's got a body. Vampires are very possessive people, after all. I'm kind of sorry Marshal left, but always thought he wasn't that interesting anyway - too safe, as Rachel's mother put it. I thought Rachel's brother was annoying, but then again, which sibling isn't? Especially where a lot of sibling rivalry is involved. It's true that his cautious attitude - kind of weird for a musician - is probably better for Rachel's mother than living around Rachel is, especially after a shunning. I was never a fan of Tom Bansen, so good riddance to him, but I guess I pitied him for having had to die that way. And we still don't know who the demon practitioners are, and they seem to be the balancer of the society or whatever of moral and ethical standards that Pierce is part of. A cowboy who steals things - reminds me of Spike in Cowboy Bebop - who's part of a moral and ethical society? Contradictions are great.

I thought Ford the character matched the Ford in my life for the most part in his straight lacedness, but the Ford I know would be less empathetic, because he's not an empath. Oh, also, I have decided that my boss is a demon. Or an elf. But the way his salesperson personality manipulates people into seeing things his way is definitely on the demon side, though he probably shares the good looks of Trent Kalamack. This entry is turning out to be less of a review and more comparing the book to my life starting this paragraph, and so before I wonder what kind of Inderlander I would be - crap, too late - I'm going to end it here.