Review: Magic Mourns is a must read for Kate Daniels fans, particularly those preparing to enjoy Gunmetal Magic
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 14, 2012
When I picked up Magic Mourns, I was expecting Kate. What I got was Andrea. The shift in narrators was a surprise for me, but not an unwelcome one. I love me some Kate, but I've really enjoyed Andrea's character in the past two books, and knowing that Gunmetal Magic is coming out this summer with her PoV, I was pumped for the preview. And friends, Magic Mourns did not disappoint!Often, when you pick up new narration by the same author, it's incredibly similar. However, Ilona Andrews really took me by surprise with Andrea. She doesn't write the same for this character at all. Sure, it's still written very well, but Andrea's thought process is different to Kate's. We see that not only in her mental dialog, but because it is written in first person, we see it in every word. Andrea's narration isn't full of well-known phrases and clichés, it's not as clipped, moody, or sharp; it is another strong butt-kicking chick with a wry sense of humor, and I am now more than ever a fan of Andrea's.I'm going to say after the past three books, Ilona Andrews kind of owed us this one. Magic Mourns tells the story of Andrea dealing with duty without Kate. When she receives word of the (supposedly) giant dog chasing a shapeshifter outside of the city, she heads out to check the scene. There she finds, much to her dismay, Rafael. Rafael running from what is, indeed, a three headed dog the size of a house. Andrea doesn't particularly want to work with Rafael, but she doesn't want to leave the guy either. She wants to create a better bond between herself and the Pack, hoping that she can earn a position of trust similar to Kate's, making relations easier for everyone.As always, we get a fun and unique play on mythology (Greek this time), but with it comes the gratification of Andrea and Rafael, and how their relationship differs from Kate and Curran's. Andrea and Rafael, unlike the other couple mentioned, actually acknowledge and talk about the issues between them. For better or worse, at least they have some form of communication going. Magic Mourns also gives us better insight into Andrea's past. We've known she is beastkin, but other than the stigma involved, we've been a little blind to what that really meant for her growing up. I was incredibly interested to have her past laid bare, appalling as aspects of it may be. Where Ilona Andrews has been giving us snippets of Kate's past and relationship with Curran slowly over 3 novels, it was really quite satisfying to learn so much about another character in such a short period of time. Not that I'm complaining about Kate's pacing, quite the opposite, I love it, but that doesn't mean I don't need to be thrown a bone every once in a while. Andrea's story was well paced, informative, and the perfect balance between action and romance.Overall, Magic Mourns is a must read for Kate Daniels fans, particularly those preparing to enjoy Gunmetal Magic!