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"Candles and Starlight"
by
Seanan McGuire
It is part of the October Daye #16.5 series and is a urban fantasy in a Kindle edition that was published by DAW Books on September 5, 2023 Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses, One Salt Sea, Discount Armageddon, Home Improvement: Undead Edition, “Never Shines the Sun”, Chimes at Midnight, "In Sea-Salt Tears", Indexing, The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination, Half-Off Ragnarok, Midway Relics and Dying Breeds, Games Creatures Play, The Winter Long, Sparrow Hill Road, The InCryptid Prequels, Pocket Apocalypse, Black as Blood, Blocked, White as a Raven's Wing, The Ghosts of Bourbon Street, IM, "Good Girls Go to Heaven", A Red Rose Chain, "Full of Briars", Reflections, Once Broken Faith, "Dreams and Slumbers", Shadowed Souls, Chaos Choreography, Magic For Nothing, Indigo, Every Heart a Doorway, Down Among the Sticks and Bones, The Brightest Fell, "Of Things Unknown", Beneath the Sugar Sky, Night and Silence, "Suffer a Sea-change", The Girl in the Green Silk Gown, "The Recitation of the Most Holy and Harrowing Pilgrimage of Mindy and Also Mork", Tricks for Free, That Ain't Witchcraft, "The Measure of a Monster", The Unkindest Tide, "Hope is Swift", Come Tumbling Down, Imaginary Numbers, "Follow the Lady", In an Absent Dream, "The Fixed Stars", "Forbid the Sea", "No Sooner Met", Across the Green Grass Fields, A Killing Frost, "Shine in Pearl", When Sorrows Come, "And with Reveling", "Singing the Comic-Con Blues”, "Such Dangerous Seas", Sleep No More
A bonus novella, 16.5 in the October Daye urban fantasy series, revolving around Sir October Daye. The focus is on Rayseline Torquill.
This story is in the back of Sleep No More, 17, but I think it should be read first, before Sleep No More.
My Take
“Candles and Starlight” is included at the back of the book, in the wrong order, in my opinion. I think you should read it first before Sleep No More. It’s really a prequel and is not a spoiler.
McGuire uses first person protagonist point-of-view from Rayseline’s perspective which means we hear Rayse’s interpretation of her introduction to Toby’s house in all its untidiness, comparing it to the very tidy Shadowed Hills. Rayseline also fills us in as she remembers past events and how it will affect her in Toby’s house — no info dumps! She also realizes what her mother had wanted of her and what Luna got.
Rayseline is looking forward to a litany of firsts: shopping, privacy, plain welcomes, and restricted space of all things.
Dean lends a “helping hand” as he recalls what Rayseline did to him and his brother. His championing of Simon, excusing his kidnapping of Luna and Rayseline. Hmmm . . .
It’s so creepy to read of Blind Michael and how he kidnaps children, changing them into Riders and mounts. It’s how the changing works and what it does to the children that is incredibly horrifying!
Lucky for Rayseline that she knows her mother so well! It comes in danged handy when trying to negotiate with her.
The Story
It’s a parole of sorts with Rayseline having to live with Toby for a year in the real world, fleeing her mother, once Rayse was awakened from being elf shot. And since Toby adjusted her blood!
It’s a refuge that suddenly isn’t and Rayseline is the odd (wo)man out when she wakes in Blind Michael’s lands.
The Characters
Rayseline Torquill is the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Shadowed Hills, Sylvester Torquill, the duke, had married Luna. Quentin, a blind foster, is Toby’s squire and Dean’s boyfriend.
Uncle Simon is Sylvester’s younger twin brother as well as Dean’s stepfather. Blind Michael, a.k.a. Master, is Rayseline’s grandfather, except he’s dead (An Artificial Night, 3). Acacia, the Mother of Trees (birthed the Dryads) or Mistress, is his wife and Luna, a Blodynbyrd, a Dryad of the Roses in a vegetable bloodline, is their daughter. Ceres is one of Luna’s sisters who used to care for one of the seven gardens.
Dean Lorden, the Count of Goldengreen, is the son of Duchess Dianda and her consort, Patrick. Scott is a Sea Wight changeling. Medley is the patchwork girl who has been there for too long. She had been a Hob and a human changeling. Adam and Seb, are half-Tangie and half-human brothers. Another girl, Marlon, is a Siren whose mum pledges out of Roane Rathad. Jia.
Sir October Daye, a.k.a. Toby, is a hero of the realm who saves everyone. May is Toby’s Fetch who became human. She lives in Toby’s house along with her fiancée Jasmine “Jazz”, a Raven-maid with an antiques shop in Berkeley. Spike is Toby’s rose goblin. Cagney and Lacey are Toby’s ancient Siamese cats.
Amandine, a.k.a. Amy, had been October’s mother and Simon’s wife until he divorced her. August is Amy’s perfect daughter.
Muir Woods is home base for Queen Windermere’s knowe. A skerry is a realm created and tailored to the needs of a single fae. The Firstborn are the children of Oberon, Maeve, and Titania. Eira Rosynhwyr, a.k.a. the Rose of Winter, is a Firstborn of Titania. Oleander had been an assassin.
The Title
The title refers to the multitude of “Candles and Starlight” Rayseline encounters and the lack of starlight in Blind Michael’s lands.
