Working for the Devil

[jmc_bks]

I finally got around to reading Lilith Saintcrow's Working for the Devil this past weekend.  And I liked it a lot.  But I have reservations about Danny as narrator.  I don't have any problem with her as protagonist, but I am not sure how much I am willing to rely on her perspective -- I felt like she was not paying attention to a lot of hints and details during WftD.

Comments

Working for the Devil

[(Anonymous)]

I read this book a loooong time ago. Felt the narrator was too quick to anger, snapish and childish. I didn't finish it. I just didn't like her at all and the author's voice/style is not for me. However, she has really cool covers.

Re: Working for the Devil

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

As I read, I felt like there was a lot of world building that had gone into Danny's version of Earth, but it wasn't communicated to me very well.

Quick to anger, snapish and childish. Yes, agree on the quick to anger. I hadn't thought of her as childish or snapish, though. I felt like she was very closed off, intentionally so, and unwilling to lend herself to the perspective of others or stretch outside of her own box. Is that childish, do you think?

Re: Working for the Devil

[(Anonymous)]

Well when you put it like that [g]

Anyway, I just added the other adjectives because that's what I felt she was - childish. But I can't debate you're point since this character isn't one that I am all that familiar with since I haven't read the book in a long time but based on your description of her, no I wouldn't call her childish if that is how she is perceived.

Keishon (signing my name this time!)

Re: Working for the Devil

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

Keishon,

If childish is what you saw/thought about her, that's fine with me. Actually, I was wondering more about your definition of childish rather than applying it to Danny Valentine specifically. When I think "childish", I think sulky and immature and babyish. But it sounds like your definition is slightly different (probably not as narrow?) as mine?

~jmc

Re: Working for the Devil

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

Keishon,

Now that I've read the second Danny Valentine book and begun the third, I've revised my opinion. Childish is a very good adjective for DV. By the third book, she irritated me enough that I had to put my ereader down and find something else to do.

~jmc

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

You make a very good point. Further on in the series, I wanted to shake Danny.

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

I haven't started the next book yet. Should I be prepared for frustration with Danny's actions?

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Book 2 is fine -- it's book 3 when she gets a bit irritating.

Edited to add: and it's not so much her actions as her thoughts. Too angsty.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done

[jmc-bks.livejournal.com]

Oh, the angsting.

And saying she trusts him but then never actually trusting. Saying she'll follow his orders, then not. And being hurt/surprised when he calls her on it.

Frankly, there's independent and then there's so insistent on getting your own way that you deserve to die. Danny's leaning toward the later for me.