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A review by cheruphim
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
(reposted from Goodreads)
This was a read that left me conflicted. On the one hand, 2000s fantasy writing scratches a nostalgia itch for me, and reading something from that time period gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling of reading books of that ilk as a middle-high schooler. The urban fantasy element is top-notch, and the author does a fantastic job at setting the scene and describing the main character's world.
On the other hand, whew is this book flawed in the way it describes female characters. Like, I get it, it's from 2000 and the author was probably getting a feel for the character, as well as the setting and writing in the mind of a neo-noir detective. But it doesn't make it any easier to digest. Every female character in this book is described as stunning, drop dead gorgeous, with the perkiest breasts and legs, save for maybe one, and even she is described as being 'like a cheerleader' in figure. I don't think I'd mind it as much if the main character described one female character like this, but it's with every single one, and frankly it gets exhausting.
Throughout this book, it reminded me of something very familiar, and by the end of it, I was able to pinpoint it: The CW'S Supernatural. Of course, Storm Front precedes this television series, but it feels similar in vein to it, from the urban fantasy aspect to most of the female characters being 2000s 'it-girl' hot chicks. Whether that is a plus or a minus depends on how you feel about Supernatural.
This was a read that left me conflicted. On the one hand, 2000s fantasy writing scratches a nostalgia itch for me, and reading something from that time period gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling of reading books of that ilk as a middle-high schooler. The urban fantasy element is top-notch, and the author does a fantastic job at setting the scene and describing the main character's world.
On the other hand, whew is this book flawed in the way it describes female characters. Like, I get it, it's from 2000 and the author was probably getting a feel for the character, as well as the setting and writing in the mind of a neo-noir detective. But it doesn't make it any easier to digest. Every female character in this book is described as stunning, drop dead gorgeous, with the perkiest breasts and legs, save for maybe one, and even she is described as being 'like a cheerleader' in figure. I don't think I'd mind it as much if the main character described one female character like this, but it's with every single one, and frankly it gets exhausting.
Throughout this book, it reminded me of something very familiar, and by the end of it, I was able to pinpoint it: The CW'S Supernatural. Of course, Storm Front precedes this television series, but it feels similar in vein to it, from the urban fantasy aspect to most of the female characters being 2000s 'it-girl' hot chicks. Whether that is a plus or a minus depends on how you feel about Supernatural.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism