Every Which Way But Dead (Hollows, #3)

by Kim Harrison

[celinenyx]

Review of third read

Every Which Way But Dead sees a slight change in direction from the previous two books. Main character Rachel, a feisty witch, spends most of the beginning of the series denying the existence of a morally grey area. She tells herself that she is a white witch, on the right side of the law. Yet over and over, when her survival instinct kicks in, she makes choices that are not necessarily in line with her morals.

I really enjoy seeing her grow as a person. There is something interesting about dilemmas where there is no obvious choice, and seeing how a character deals with these impossible situations. Where in the previous books Rachel gets away with not killing anyone, she is confronted increasingly with situations in which death becomes unavoidable. What I like is that the book as a result doesn't necessarily become grim: there is still plenty of humour and cuteness in Every Which Way But Dead to keep things from becoming too heavy. It helps that Rachel is far from a doormat. She is assertive and mouthy, and at no point does it feel like the situation is helpless (even though she herself is less convinced about her own abilities).

In this book Kisten, a living vampire biker/businessman, becomes a more prominent love interest. Kisten is leather-clad sexy cleverness, seducing whatever interests him. He is rather typical, and while that's not particularly bad, I miss some point of interest that truly binds me to him, that makes me root for him. I find his interactions with Ivy, with whom he has an odd sibling-like bond, more interesting than his seduction of Rachel. On the other hand, I do appreciate how there is no obvious "the one" for Rachel - her dating life is quite realistic, in as much that is possible in an urban fantasy.

Review of second read

Rereading these books feels like returning to an old friend. Even though you might not have everything in common any more, you can't help but love them anyway.

Rachel is in big trouble, once again. She made a pact with a demon to put a vampire master in prison, promising to be the demon's familiar, yet keeping her soul. She's living together with a living vamp that still craves her blood, and we haven't started on her complicated relationship with the city's drug baron yet. Prepare for another book of Rachel trying to keep her head above the proverbial (and literal) water.

In this book we see a slight shift from the fast-paced plot-driven books we're used to, to a book more focussed on the complex relationships Rachel tries to balance. Ms. Harrison has created a few of the most layered secondary characters I have ever seen. Which is both a blessing as a curse. A good example of this is Ivy, Rachel's roommate. She has so many issues with her identity that at times, she is really hard to like. She takes unpredictable into the extreme, often making choices I don't agree with at all. Yet she is always Rachel's friend when she needs one, and will protect her with her life. A big part of her private life is still shrouded in mystery, making it even harder to sympathise with.

But to make up for Ivy's sometimes not so sociable skills, this series has the most awesome pixy in the world of books. I don't think there is a person out there that doesn't like Jenks. He is so tiny he can fit on a large earring, but incredibly brave and protective. He isn't afraid to say what's on his mind which only makes him more charming. I want more of him!

As for our narrator, Rachel herself, I feel like she is growing up a bit. She is starting to accept help from her friends without hesitation. She is taking more responsibility, without losing her edge. I'm really glad that Nick is kind of fading out of the picture. I always thought he was one hell of a strange human, muddling with demons and such. I really wonder if there will be a happily ever after for Rachel at the end of the series. And if so, with who?

Another great book in a great series. Maybe not the best one tension-wise but there is enough of character development going on to keep you interested. On to the next one!