This is one of those reviews that’s difficult to write. It’s not difficult because I disliked the book or anything like that; it’s that I want to grab your hands and jump up and down and scream about how much I loved it, and… well, that doesn’t translate into an actual review all that well, you know?
But OH MY GOD, HOW MUCH DID I LOVE THIS BOOK?!
SPOILER ALERT: I REALLY FREAKING LOVED IT
It’s actually difficult to write this review because so much of this book’s story hinges on a big reveal early on, and if I spoil that for you, I’ll feel like a giant jerk. So, here comes a vague discussion of what I loved that will hopefully not ruin the surprise for you.
October’s life has been moving forward at a breakneck pace; in recent books she’s learned more about her own fae heritage, discovered some unpleasant secrets surrounding her family and her liege, and even came to realize that the delightful, bickering relationship she shares with Tybalt, the king of cats, is love.
This book, as the summary so succinctly implies, turns practically everything she thought she knew about herself and her history on its head. Luckily for Toby, she’s quick on her feet, and she uses her now extensive detective experience and natural cleverness to untangle the dangerous plot that’s unfolding all around her.
I really appreciate that this book digs deeply into characters and events from previous books, and in fact relies heavily on them. I remembered most of it, but reading this book has made me want to go back and re-read the entire series. And also push my two best friends to read it because I need someone to shriek at other than you, dear readers.
And I’m pretty sure I do this in every October Daye review, but let’s talk about Tybalt for a minute. I’ve always loved Tybalt as a character; he’s sharp-tongued and clever as hell, and is by far my favorite male character in urban fantasy right now. I also appreciate that he wasn’t introduced solely as Toby’s love interest; I mean, hell, it took them seven books to realize that they more than tolerated and kinda-sorta liked each other. Tybalt is a deeply realized character on his own, and he complements Toby perfectly as both friend and lover.
But for some reason, as I read this book IÂ suddenly put Tom Hiddleston into Tybalt’s role. I do not know why or what in particular made that happen, but let me just take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you to my own brain. Thank you, brain. Thank you so much.
To finish off the vagueness, I found this book incredibly exciting; it had me on the edge of my seat and made me gasp aloud a few times (to the bafflement of my husband and dog). I actually sat down and read The Winter Long all the way through in a single sitting. I devoured it. It is an excellent addition to the October Daye series, and if you’re not already reading these books, you really should pick them up. They have the combined vibes of hardboiled detective novels and folklore-inspired contemporary fantasy with added spice of political machinations and a delightful slow-burn romance.
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