Imaginary Numbers

InCryptid, Book 9

By: Seanan McGuire

Narrated by: Emily Bauer

The ninth book in the fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.

Sarah Zellaby has always been in an interesting position. Adopted into the Price family at a young age, she's never been able to escape the biological reality of her origins: She's a cuckoo, a telepathic ambush predator closer akin to a parasitic wasp than a human being. Friend, cousin, mathematician - it's never been enough to dispel the fear that one day, nature will win out over nurture, and everything will change.

Maybe that time has finally come.

After spending the last several years recuperating in Ohio with her adoptive parents, Sarah is ready to return to the world - and most importantly, to her cousin Artie, with whom she has been head-over-heels in love since childhood. But there are cuckoos everywhere, and when the question of her own survival is weighed against the survival of her family, Sarah's choices all add up to one inescapable conclusion.

This is war. Cuckoo vs. Price, human vs. cryptid...and not all of them are going to walk away.

©2020 Seanan McGuire (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Really needs 2 narrators

I love this series, but I've never been in love with Emily Bauer as a narrator. She worked okay for Verity, but she's not nearly snarky enough for Annie. And now she's doing Sarah AND Artie?

Complaints against the specific narrator aside, if you have a book told from 2 first-person POVs, it's really nice to have 2 narrators. When those characters are different genders, it becomes imperative.

I spent the majority of the book annoyed about how Artie sounded like a schoolgirl. It was distracting! I was really hoping each Price would get their own narrator, but if we can't have that, can we at least have the guy who does Alex do all the male first-person narration?

The story itself was a decent addition to the series. It's another cliff-hanger ending, and there were some plot holes and info-dumps. But it was fun and funny. It showed more of the Price family dynamic and explored Cuckoo culture.

maudlin

sarah’s character is fractured but healing. the portrayal of artie and sarah is just too maudlin. too angsty/whingy. not sure if it’s the performance (i usually like this narrator) or the dialogue (not on brand for the author, who i also love).

One of the best

in the series so far! This one moves fast and focuses on Sara and Artie, though Annie and Sam are here too. Might we have another?

Fantastic addition

I have loved the InCrytid books since I discovered them a few years ago and binged on them til I caught up. It was wonderful for Sarah’s character to be completely fleshed our in this book. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Great, as always!

Her worlds just are the absolute best. I never want her books to end. This one is just another example of that.