Read All About It: Hexed

Kevin Hearne keeps these chronicles strong with this second installment of the Iron Druid Chronicles, Hexed. I enjoyed it just as much as the first one, and I really wish I already owned the rest of them. Alas, it will have to wait.

Image Source: goodreads.com

In Hexed, we reunite with Atticus O'Sullivan, the last of the Druids, as he tries to make nice with witches, avoid a few Celtic goddesses, and kill quite a few demons. Alongside his vampire attorney, he deals with some grumpy police, a few over-interested detectives, and some unfortunate spells. There's a lot of good humor, some sadness that hurt my heart a little bit, and enough interactions with his dog that I'm sure I'd love to have an Oberon.

I enjoyed how the relationship is starting to develop between Atticus and his apprentice, Granuaile, but I wish there were more of her. It seems like she's kind of shoved in whenever Atticus needs a "save point" rather than used as an extension of her own self. Hopefully, her involvement picks up in future novels, because I'm excited to see her grow on the path to become a Druid herself.

I also wish that the women in this series weren't so...used. They're always described physically, right away, and the more attractive they are, the more dangerous or useful to Atticus they are. I think it's a good idea to take these descriptions with a grain of salt, because it is from Atticus's perspective and we've seen that he isn't the most reliable narrator where women are involved, but it's getting close to a dangerously subversive view of women. We should be getting less of a character description, and more of an ability description. How do these women affect Atticus and his resolves? The closest we get to a good description is Laksha, the Hindu witch from book one. However, even her actions are painted as selfish, and she's not a positive role model. Overall, this book could have been better, especially in how it edeals with women. Rather than focusing on their footwear every time, I'd like to see a woman stand up to Atticus for her own good (rather than for her machinations as a goddess).

As always, I appreciate the vampires and werewolves, who are both unique takes on urban legends (being working professionals--and lawyers no less--is a great twist on normal urban fantasy). The myths behind Hearne's creatures are also unique, and he takes advantage of the vast lore that still exists to create their brilliant back-story and motivations.

I do recommend this series if you love reading mythical tales with plenty of pantheons worth of gods and goddesses, and if you love urban fantasy as a whole. This is the perfect series for you, and I hope you enjoy it!