The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

by:  Daniel O'Malley
published by:  Little, Brown & Co.
publish date:  January 11, 2012

Myfanwy Thomas awakes in a London park surrounded by dead bodies. With her memory gone, her only hope of survival is to trust the instructions left in her pocket by her former self. She quickly learns that she is a Rook, a high-level operative in a secret agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. But there is a mole inside the organization and this person wants her dead.

As Myfanwy battles to save herself, she encounters a person with four bodies, a woman who can enter her dreams, children transformed into deadly fighters, and an unimaginably vast conspiracy. Suspenseful and hilarious, THE ROOK is an outrageously inventive debut for readers who like their espionage with a dollop of purple slime.

This book was on my Most Anticipated List for 2012.  I wasn't let down, but this book wasn't exactly what I was expecting.  I think I expected something a little more serious and thrilleresque.  The Rook seemed more like a grown ups version of Harry Potter.  Like something written for people who have matured past Harry Potter books, but want more of that kind of world.  It wasn't a bad thing by any means, I enjoyed the book a lot, it just surprised me.

For some reason I was also under the impression this book was a YA book.  It definitely wasn't YA, but considering some YA books I've read recently this book is relatively tame so other than language it's ok for anyone.  Myfanwy had a young voice so I think it would appeal to a wide variety of readers. 

The Rook was cleverly written.  It was told from the alternating viewpoints of Myfawny Thomas and Myfawny Thomas.  The first M.T. wrote the second a series of letters because she knew her memory would be erased and she would wake a new person.  She made all arrangements so the second M.T. could assume her life with relative ease.  It was a really interesting storyline to follow.

I felt like The Rook got a little long in places.  I listened to the audiobook and I felt myself wishing it would hurry up in some parts.  Overall, it was a really cool book and I'm glad I finally got to it.  It was worth the wait.