White Knight

White Knight by Jim Butcher

(Book #9 of The Dresden Files series)

Rating: 🍁🍁🍁

Link to Blurb

The Good Stuff:

1) Molly - She seems to finally be making some progress in growing out of her adolescent annoyingness. Yay! I like that she's not so good at the combat-related magic, but excels at the complicated stuff, making her very different from Harry, as well as most of the other wizards we've met.

2) Mouse - I think he's my favourite character in this entire book.

3) Elaine - It was great to see Elaine again, and witness the strides she's taken to make it right and conquer her fears. Also, the magic chain? Pure awesome.

4) Lasciel - I can't say too much without giving away the plot, but I enjoyed how Butcher dealt with the problem she presents to Harry.

5) As always, the dialogue is smart and funny, framed by the virtually non-stop, edge-of-your-seat action.

The Bad Stuff:

1) Harry - I really, really wanted to beat Harry over the head at several points throughout this novel. There was no real development of his character this time around - just a lot of Harry blasting his way through the problems he faces, out-witting and subsequently smiting all who oppose him. Except, you know, women, because chivalry! Instead of smiting them, he either solves all their problems or sets them on the straight-and-narrow. It's a good thing Harry's around!

2) What was with the flashback to New Mexico partway through? It was completely unnecessary and very disruptive to the rest of the story.

3) Have you noticed the way Harry tends to ramble a lot? Not vocally, but we get detailed internal monologues explaining all of his reasoning and thoughts on just about any subject. Which is all well and good, except he's repeating himself. I really don't need another exposition of his chivalrous nature, or his issues with the White Council, or his feelings about Murphy. This is the ninth book in the series, for crying out loud. If you don't know all that stuff by now, I suggest you go back and re-read the other eight.

4) I am getting incredibly pissed off at the way the author keeps sexually objectifying all the women (with the exception of Murphy - more on that later). I mean, come on! He has Molly have an orgasm in front of Harry and Butters (who watch instead of looking away), but their only real concern is that she's over 17, which is carefully established via Butters. What the hell happened to all Harry's chivalry there? Wouldn't a "gentleman" at least turn away? That whole scene made me want to find Butcher and smack him up side the head with his own book. But it doesn't stop there. Every woman is verbally undressed by the author and described in relation to her sexual appeal (at least the attractive ones). The only woman spared, for the most part, is Murphy. But that's okay, because she can kick your ass and is therefore basically one of the guys.

Overall, despite it's flaws I mostly enjoyed the book. It wasn't overly satisfying, feeling more like filler intended to tie up a couple of loose ends so they don't get in the way of the rest of series, but it was entertaining.