Pale Demon by Kim Harrison Review
Apr. 15th, 2011 12:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iaria- In the previous book I thought for sure that the series was going to be going in a Rachel/Pierce direction. He and his relationship with Rachel was such a large part of that book and they ended it in a very good place (they had sex and Rachel was feeling a lot more understanding towards him.) I haven’t really cared about Pierce from the beginning so most of my interest was in the Rachel/Trent and Rachel/Al hints that were also in that book. But I was sure that Rachel/Pierce would, at the very least, be the couple of the next few books and I wasn't really looking forward to it.
I was shocked when Pale Demon had not only so little Rachel/Pierce but what it did have firmly put the kibosh on their relationship. Okay, so it’s possible that they could still get together – Rachel accepted him as a black witch and that that was okay, and he did sacrifice himself so she could be free – but it really felt like this book actually did end the possibility of them.
- It also appeared to end the possibility of Rachel/Al while also making the possibility explicit and having them bond. That was a little unexpected and weird. Al/Rachel has been my crack ship for a bunch of books now and while the books have had subtext more and more I was still surprised when it went explicit in this book with Al trying to seduce her and then the assault. I have to say here that the assault, which turned out to be Al-trying-to-show-Rachel-how-vulnerable-she-was, was actually kind of hot to me. The implication has been there for awhile that demons are a lot more violent than other species even in sex and I kind of liked that. So that scene actually ended up working for me especially the way Rachel gained control. I feel like I need to justify liking that scene instead of being all ‘hate! Sexual assault!’ but... I thought it was hot. *hands*
- The bigger point of interest for me was how the Rachel/Al relationship played out. It was a huge part of the book which I really liked. Rachel saving Al instinctively then spending the book justifying it, Al showing care and concern for Rachel even after she tries to kill him and Al basically acting like an overprotective guardian all made explicit that there are actual feelings between the two of them.
Demons as a whole were actually given a lot more sympathy which I guess is expected considering the heroine is now one. Then there is the end where Al enters Rachel’s mind/soul and basically sees all of her and everything she is. That final scene between them was different from any other they've ever shared. There was really a sense of comradeship, respect, pride on Al’s part, understanding on Rachel’s and just a shared goodwill. In that scene it felt like Al became part of Rachel’s family. In fact the book appears to put an end to the possibility of Al/Rachel by moving them firmly into ‘family’ territory which made me go ‘um’. I still ship it but I doubt now that they will ever be romantic. But then I never really thought they had a chance and I love the direction the book did go in – with them becoming friends basically, or on the way there – and I can’t wait to see where they go with that.
- I really want to read the AU where Ku’ Sox didn’t terrorize San Fancisco right then and Rachel didn’t confront him until that night and only with the backing of the Collective because I want to see more of Rachel adjusting to being a demon while living in the Ever After. I want to read about her creating constructs for other demons with Al, about Rachel and Al working on their new relationship based on everything that’s happened (her being a demon and accepting it, him knowing her soul, the almost friendship), their bickering on how their shared home should look like, and about Al and Newt teaching Rachel how to be a demon.
- The Trent/Rachel relationship surprisingly enough had the main focus of the book and that pleased me too. I’ve loved Trent/Rachel for a long time now and shipped them as strongly as Ivy/Rachel for a book or two but I really wasn’t expecting them to basically become canon in this book.
Trent did annoy me. The fact that he let Ku’Sox free and then never really apologised for it or all the people that died because of it, nor showed any real remorse over it made me want to shake him so much. It even felt like Rachel had gotten over that a little too easily/quickly.
One of the main threads of this book was Rachel and Trent learning to trust each other and learning that they could trust each other and they ended it not only having accepted that but also with them actually having, sort of, confronted the UST between them. I love that them accepting the existence of UST between them happened because of a kiss which he basically used to bring her back to life. How very fairytale of them. I was not expecting them to become a likely pairing so quickly and it’s left me so excited for the next book.
I think the presence of Lucy (and an aside I totally knew that Trent was going on his ‘quest’ to kidnap back his child) and more importantly the way that Rachel bonding so immediately to her actually makes the possibility of Rachel/Trent happening a lot more likely. I can completely see Rachel being a mother to Lucy instead of just her godmother.
- Rachel/Ivy was shoved into the background as they have been for a couple books now. Or so it feels like. So when Ivy stated near the end that she was basically going to be leaving Rachel I was actually worried for a bit that she would. I love that being with Rachel has healed Ivy to a point where she can do that and still be healthy but I want her to be healthy and happy with Rachel and Jenks! I really don’t know where the series is going with regards to their relationship. Kim seems to have really backed off of them as a romantic couple which makes me sad. The mention at the end of the book of Rachel needing to save Ivy’s soul does hint that it may be coming back into play in the next book. It’s been kind of shoved into the background for a couple books now and if it is brought back as a plot point, or even gets to move forward and get some resolution, then perhaps we might get more Rachel/Ivy.
I’m glad that Rachel and Ivy ended the book so well – together, in a good place and happy – but while I would be happy with them ending the series just as best friends I think my ideal ending is with the Rachel/Trent and Rachel/Ivy relationships as canon. I think it’s not likely but maybe still possible.
- I was really pleased that Rachel has finally accepted that she is a demon.
- The way that Belle was introduced at the end was a bit strange what with Rachel acting all ‘duh’ about her presence to Jenks when we the readers hadn’t met her and only had the knowledge that she was around from the previous book. The easy relationship between the two of them came off a bit weird. I find myself wondering if the books are heading in a Jenks/Belle direction?
I was shocked when Pale Demon had not only so little Rachel/Pierce but what it did have firmly put the kibosh on their relationship. Okay, so it’s possible that they could still get together – Rachel accepted him as a black witch and that that was okay, and he did sacrifice himself so she could be free – but it really felt like this book actually did end the possibility of them.
- It also appeared to end the possibility of Rachel/Al while also making the possibility explicit and having them bond. That was a little unexpected and weird. Al/Rachel has been my crack ship for a bunch of books now and while the books have had subtext more and more I was still surprised when it went explicit in this book with Al trying to seduce her and then the assault. I have to say here that the assault, which turned out to be Al-trying-to-show-Rachel-how-vulnerable-she-was, was actually kind of hot to me. The implication has been there for awhile that demons are a lot more violent than other species even in sex and I kind of liked that. So that scene actually ended up working for me especially the way Rachel gained control. I feel like I need to justify liking that scene instead of being all ‘hate! Sexual assault!’ but... I thought it was hot. *hands*
- The bigger point of interest for me was how the Rachel/Al relationship played out. It was a huge part of the book which I really liked. Rachel saving Al instinctively then spending the book justifying it, Al showing care and concern for Rachel even after she tries to kill him and Al basically acting like an overprotective guardian all made explicit that there are actual feelings between the two of them.
Demons as a whole were actually given a lot more sympathy which I guess is expected considering the heroine is now one. Then there is the end where Al enters Rachel’s mind/soul and basically sees all of her and everything she is. That final scene between them was different from any other they've ever shared. There was really a sense of comradeship, respect, pride on Al’s part, understanding on Rachel’s and just a shared goodwill. In that scene it felt like Al became part of Rachel’s family. In fact the book appears to put an end to the possibility of Al/Rachel by moving them firmly into ‘family’ territory which made me go ‘um’. I still ship it but I doubt now that they will ever be romantic. But then I never really thought they had a chance and I love the direction the book did go in – with them becoming friends basically, or on the way there – and I can’t wait to see where they go with that.
- I really want to read the AU where Ku’ Sox didn’t terrorize San Fancisco right then and Rachel didn’t confront him until that night and only with the backing of the Collective because I want to see more of Rachel adjusting to being a demon while living in the Ever After. I want to read about her creating constructs for other demons with Al, about Rachel and Al working on their new relationship based on everything that’s happened (her being a demon and accepting it, him knowing her soul, the almost friendship), their bickering on how their shared home should look like, and about Al and Newt teaching Rachel how to be a demon.
- The Trent/Rachel relationship surprisingly enough had the main focus of the book and that pleased me too. I’ve loved Trent/Rachel for a long time now and shipped them as strongly as Ivy/Rachel for a book or two but I really wasn’t expecting them to basically become canon in this book.
Trent did annoy me. The fact that he let Ku’Sox free and then never really apologised for it or all the people that died because of it, nor showed any real remorse over it made me want to shake him so much. It even felt like Rachel had gotten over that a little too easily/quickly.
One of the main threads of this book was Rachel and Trent learning to trust each other and learning that they could trust each other and they ended it not only having accepted that but also with them actually having, sort of, confronted the UST between them. I love that them accepting the existence of UST between them happened because of a kiss which he basically used to bring her back to life. How very fairytale of them. I was not expecting them to become a likely pairing so quickly and it’s left me so excited for the next book.
I think the presence of Lucy (and an aside I totally knew that Trent was going on his ‘quest’ to kidnap back his child) and more importantly the way that Rachel bonding so immediately to her actually makes the possibility of Rachel/Trent happening a lot more likely. I can completely see Rachel being a mother to Lucy instead of just her godmother.
- Rachel/Ivy was shoved into the background as they have been for a couple books now. Or so it feels like. So when Ivy stated near the end that she was basically going to be leaving Rachel I was actually worried for a bit that she would. I love that being with Rachel has healed Ivy to a point where she can do that and still be healthy but I want her to be healthy and happy with Rachel and Jenks! I really don’t know where the series is going with regards to their relationship. Kim seems to have really backed off of them as a romantic couple which makes me sad. The mention at the end of the book of Rachel needing to save Ivy’s soul does hint that it may be coming back into play in the next book. It’s been kind of shoved into the background for a couple books now and if it is brought back as a plot point, or even gets to move forward and get some resolution, then perhaps we might get more Rachel/Ivy.
I’m glad that Rachel and Ivy ended the book so well – together, in a good place and happy – but while I would be happy with them ending the series just as best friends I think my ideal ending is with the Rachel/Trent and Rachel/Ivy relationships as canon. I think it’s not likely but maybe still possible.
- I was really pleased that Rachel has finally accepted that she is a demon.
- The way that Belle was introduced at the end was a bit strange what with Rachel acting all ‘duh’ about her presence to Jenks when we the readers hadn’t met her and only had the knowledge that she was around from the previous book. The easy relationship between the two of them came off a bit weird. I find myself wondering if the books are heading in a Jenks/Belle direction?
