Reviews

Sleep No More by Seanan McGuire

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bibliophile90's review against another edition

4.0

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

After being left on a gripping cliffhanger in the previous book, I was eagerly anticipating "Sleep No More" to see what would unfold next. Although I usually don't prefer 'amnesia' tropes, I was intrigued to see how Seanan would handle it. As the story progressed, I found myself piecing together the puzzle little by little, and I appreciated how the author skillfully portrayed an alternative world.

The vivid depiction of October's journey, pulled from her reality and thrust into a twisted version of Faerie manipulated by Titania, captivated me. Witnessing a different side of October while glimpses of her true self shone through was truly engaging. The struggle of the characters trying to break the spell and convince October of her situation added depth to the plot.

Throughout the book, there was never a dull moment, and I thoroughly enjoyed the seamless blend of action, magic, mystery, and humor. The inclusion of emotional moments added a touching dimension to the story. Overall, "Sleep No More" proved to be a fantastic addition to the series, certain to delight fans. I'm now excited to dive into the next book, which offers Tybalt's perspective on the events, and I'm eager to experience how he perceived everything.

vtrumpredd's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

mimosaeyes's review against another edition

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

I seem to be in the minority here, but I found this book pretty boring. I've read the entire series so far, and it has its ups and downs. This is one of the latter.

It's quite obvious from the outset that this book can only end with Toby defeating Titania and restoring reality. Knowing how a book ends is fine; the journey to get there can still be interesting. The issue is, it really isn't. For three-quarters of the book, spell!October just bleeds and breaks spells and encounters old friends she doesn't remember. At one point, the Luidaeg comments that they don't have time to do the whole reunion thing every time, and I second that motion.

I borrowed the next book, Tybalt's perspective, at the same time from the library. I wonder if it'll be less dry?

arachan's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was fascinating.

This picks up from last year's 'Be The Serpent' and the cliffhanger that book ended on. Titania has pulled a malicious compliance fake-out to try and ruin Toby's life by rewriting a chunk of history under illusions. It's a really interesting character study. An AU 'What-if' that reminds us that while Toby has had some really bad things happen to her, she's had a lot of good things turn up as well.

More importantly, it also shows that Toby is the only reason anything gets fixed in the Fae knowes around California. Nobody has any functional strategy that isn't "TOBYYYYYY! HAAAAAAAAAAAAALP!!!" which is an ego-boost but also a little alarming.

I was expecting Maeve to show up but that isn't on the cards just yet. We did get the Luideag confirming that Maeve is almost certainly around as the other two parts of the Three were drawn here and there's a lot of foreshadowing that Toby, and possibly now August too, are part of a plan to correct the way Faerie is stagnating.

I am now second-guessing my theory that Marcie is Maeve. It feels very sure but the story has pulled the rug out from under my expectations a couple of times.

I'm really looking forward to 'The Innocent Sleep' but it hasn't arrived yet.

schausjk's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book was a wild ride. It didn't have the same approach to exposition in this one, and for good reason, and I think the book really benefitted from it. I have so many questions, and I can't wait to see what this next arc of the story will bring.

mermaid42's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The story was exciting and I kept wanting to know what would happen next. It was so interesting to see how everyone would have turned out with little twists to their lives. It was also so satisfying once Toby stopped being polite and subservient.