Moss, clay, and blood–that’s how Gillian began.A doll, crafted and given a mission by Danu. Given life by human and Fae blood. First daughter of Mab, Queen of the Fae, Gillian must track down the rogue fae in the Americas and bring them back under Fae Law with only a volunteer kelpie to travel with her.And no one knows what they’re in for. Not even the gods that sent them.Get the free prequel … that sent them.
Get the free prequel story Out of Shadows absolutely free at the author’s website or on Bookfunnel
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Moss and Clay by Rebekah Jonesy is book 1 in the Mab’s Doll series. This book introduces the reader to Gillian, a magical construct brought to life through the efforts of Mab, Queen of the Fae, and her human consort. Gillian’s mission is to come to America to rescue and return fae stuck in the modern world. Her sole companion—Pitch, a kelpie who isn’t like other kelpies.
Likes
I can see the effort Jonesy has put into researching the mythologies on which she bases these stories. Even better, she then puts her own twist on them that is both unique and still holds true to the myths from which they came. A marvelous example is the Troll King. I won’t ruin the fun and give anything away, but this character is an excellent example of what I mean.
I also love the depth of character each character has. Gillian’s combination of child-like naivete and Otherworldly power is well honed. Pitch is the perfect balance to her in both knowledge and levity. The various humans they meet are wonderfully clueless about Gillian and Pitch’s fae powers, but are valiant in their efforts to help a seemingly helpless woman. And each of them grows throughout the story, adding to the believability of each character.
Finally, I love how Jonesy gives this story such depth with the story arc that it is clear this will be a long-running series. Yet, she balances that well with a story that is complete on its own, no need of additional stories unless the reader continues the adventure. I appreciate the harmony between a book in the series and the overall arc of the series.
Criticisms
The major criticism I have for Moss and Clay is there are parts that feel rushed. I love the development at the beginning with Gillian’s birth and acclimation to life, including modern human life. It’s in the second half where she’s finding her first stray fae to attempt a rescue with that seems like it needs just a bit more development and smoothing out. I would also love to see more of her working on her interactions with humans, since this is really the first time she’s done so on her own.
The other piece that would be nice, though a bonus rather than an outright issue, is if there was a bit more story to the lost fae she discovers. Jonesy does such a brilliant job with the protagonists; I think it would be cool to have similar development with the accidental antagonist, too.
Conclusion
If you love urban fantasies, particularly ones that are rooted in mythologies and explore creatures not typically seen in urban fantasies, this book is for you. It’s a great read that pulls you in, makes you laugh out loud, and leaves you wanting to know what happens next. Seriously, go check it out.
Just finished Moss and Clay and boy what a fun ride. I always enjoy when mythology is added to the mix in a story and Jonesy definitely brings a LOT of mythology, research, and ideas to the tale of Gillian. If you divide the book in two, on one side you have Gillian’s origin story, which is some of the best writing and world building I’ve seen in a while. Absolutely brilliant and fascinating, I tore through that first half and Jonesy gets top marks for the Underhill, Queen Mab, and the Troll King.
The second half is also solid, though at times does feel a bit rushed as if the ideas to get down on paper came in a rush. The entrance into the world of humans still held that fairytale wonder where Gillian is shown to be on the hunt for stories that have escaped their rightful place. It transitions from full fantasy to a thriller murder mystery, which is compelling though less engaging to me than the first section of full fantasy. The dynamic between Simon and Gillian is at times quirky peculiar and at times a bit odd, due to her real nature, and the fact that Simon is not only human, but male. To be honest, it seems that if that second half had been fleshed out a little more, it would have been even better to give more meat to the antagonist and the resolution.
That said, I think the best review I can give it is to show that every time I sat down to read, I’d take it in 30-40 page increments, even when I’ve been tired and already have book 2 to start today. Jonesy brings a lot to the table and to see something with so many original ideas, well I can’t wait to see what else we discover beyond the Underhill in the following books.
I was privileged to see the birth of this series when Rebekah Jonesy shared a peek of the opening scenes through The Troll King. I was completely hooked! Gillian was delightful, her birth was intriguing, and her mission grabbed me. But I absolutely died giggling at the troll king. I can’t ruin it, but seriously, if for no other reason, you should read it to read the troll king!
Yet, the continuation of the story is just as delightful, though in a somewhat darker way. Yet, there are still some moments of humor, particularly when Gillian finds herself at odds with strange American customs like our weird dressing behaviors and our interactions with one another.
I absolutely recommend this enjoyable escape from the ordinary to get a look at the dark underbelly that makes urban fantasy one of my favorite genres. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series which releases later this year!
she is made as a solo and she is brought alive by books from human and fae. She is given a mission to track down the fae and get them back into line. Can she find them? Will they accept her? Will they turn back into line? See if she can
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.