Today I’m reviewing The Rook, by Daniel O’Malley–the first book in The Checquy Files series. It’s a kind of urban fantasy, paranormal, thriller mashup with a killer premise. It’s also the book that I’ve been recommending to anyone and everyone who’s asked me to “give me a good book to read.” Well this is a good book, and a fun ride. What a debut. A woman wakes up in a park, with no idea who she is and surrounded by dead people wearing latex gloves. She finds a letter that reads, “The body you are wearing used to be mine.” So begins one of the most original books I’ve read in a long time.
It turns out her name is Myfanwy Thomas, and she’s part of The Checquy, a secret organization that fights the supernatural enemies of England. This is the story of her finding out who she was, who she is, and who in the Checquy betrayed her.
The letters are a great and effective way to clue us (and Myfanwy) in to the VAST background of the Checquy and its workings. It doesn’t feel like an infodump…at first. But as the book progresses, the occasional intermissions as she “reads” a letter from her former self change from clever ways to clue us in, to clumsy foreshadowings of something we’re about to experience. “Oh, before you run into that building full of bogies, here’s a letter about bogies I wrote you. Read that right now!” By the end of the book I was just rolling my eyes.
Two things keep this from being a 5-star novel.
First, the way Myfanwy finds out the traitor’s identity is hilariously terrible. Myfanwy is checking out a house full of baddies, and a character basically says, “Hey, you’re not [traitor’s name]!” And that’s how she finds out. Duuuuuumb.
Second, the ending is mind-numbingly boring. She’s been through hell. Has found out who she was, but more importantly who she IS. She’s forging her own path. Ready to face her tormentor. There’s gonna be a big crazy battle! I can feel it, can’t you?!
Except they just talk. Talk and talk and more talking. The ending is a bunch of talking and I felt robbed. You spent so much time pulling back the curtain on this crazy, dangerous, interesting world, but the denouement was a conversation in an office! It’s like having the Star Wars universe at your disposal and forcing me to watch the Trade Federation argue about taxes.
Despite these problems I really enjoyed the ride, and can’t wait to read the sequel.
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