White Witch, Black Curse (the hollows series)

[hippokrene]

I finished Kim Harrison's latest Rachel Morrigan book, White Witch, Black Curse and.. I'm sad.

When this series first came out, it was one of my favorites, but it's declined in quality. After the Outlaw Demon Wails, I thought it had hit it's stride again, but the last book -- it was just *so bad.*

The characters were shadows of their former selves. Rachel, the main character, is irritating, self-involved, and angsty. Jenks the pixy, who had some great character development two books back, has been reduced to a shrill ‘but Rachel, you can’t!’ chorus. Apparently, the only conflict Harrison can think up is people yelling at Rachel that she can’t do this/shouldn’t do that/is foolish to do whatever. If she edited out all the long (over wrought) scenes of pointless bickering or Rachel’s interior monologue about how much she sucks and how hard her life is, a third of the book would be gone.

Not that the other two-thirds would be worth reading. The plot has no idea what it’s doing or where it’s going. We’re introduced to a new supernatural ‘apex predator’ that seems far weaker and less interesting that previous threats. The hunt for Kristen’s killer (which has been going on for three books) has an abrupt and stupid ending that takes about five pages.

Spoiler:

Spoiler

The killer is someone we’ve never met before, and he’s already dead.

White Witch, Black Curse fails as both a standalone story and as part of an ongoing series.

For me, the most disappointing thing is that the Hallows seemed to be the best urban fantasy series with a female lead. Part of me wonder if the trouble is that publishers want another anita blake (and writers would like to be another LKH).

 

[sic's mom]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one out there that was underwhelmed by White Witch, Black Curse. This was one of those books this year I was really looking forward to also. I have loved this series and have always told people to read it because I got to the point of really not liking Hamilton. This series is what Hamilton's could have been. I have enjoyed the way Harrison has developed the characters before this book but this one, well I just didn't enjoy it at all. Rachel is such a whiney character in this, not the strong witch she can be. I know this book is supposed to be the start of another story arc, and hopefully Harrison is going somewhere with it. But if the next one isn't better I probably will do what I did with Hamilton and stop reading it. There is so much potential in The Hollows and I would hate to see it ruined.

 

[hippokrene]

Yes! You're so right.

This book isn't what Kim Harrison can do. These aren't the characters that had me reading to 4am despite myself.

I want to love this book, but can't bring myself to do so. It’s frustrating as Kim Harrison’s work is what got me reading urban fantasy in the first place and I don’t want to see series decay set in with the Hollows.

 

[ralphy137]

I loved this series to start. I guess like books 1-4.
But this book was just not the same. I mean the whole Kisten killer thing was the hugest anti-climax. The character was actually mentioned in KH short story. I think Date's From Hell. Which is Ivy's POV.
It just felt like she was coming up with too much new stuff that we had never heard of before, like Pierce!
I know there and def. 2 more books. i seriously hope she saves the series. I'm not hopeful though, as Rachel is becoming more and more unlikeable. And she seems to be turning her back on one of the best parts of these books IMO which is the Rachel/Ivy drama.