Obsidian Butterfly takes Anita out of her usual territory when Edward (bounty hunter, assassin, and scourge of the preternatural), invites her along for backup in a New Mexico monster-hunt. It’s a rare chance to learn something new and interesting about Edward, who has been a consistent figure of mystery in the novels to date. And it does not disappoint in the least.
Fans of the series will appreciate the fact that the sexuality in this novel has been toned down significantly. Although it is not completely absent, Anita is separated from her usual companions and is thus less susceptible to distractions.
This novel gives us an in-depth view of Edward’s daily life, and some quite tantalizing hints of how he became who he is now. And although Anita’s methods are more direct, and the role of monster politics in the series is less pronounced, there is no shortage of horrific events. Anyone prone to (and bothered by) highly-visual nightmares would be advised to skip this one. Ditto for those with a particular affinity for children – or sensitivity to children being harmed. Some of the events in this book touch on normally taboo topics, although the depictions are not especially graphic by the standards of this series.
But if you can stomach the actions of the villians, this is one of the best of the Anita Blake novels. The largest complicating factors in Anita’s life are absent, leaving her personal life mostly a non-factor. (Strange as it seems, Edward’s personal life does become a factor). The plot is narrowly focused around the monster killings that Anita has been called in to solve, with a minor subplot that becomes predictably entangled with the primary storyline.
Rather than the more European mythology that Anita’s adventures have usually encountered, Obsidian Butterfly is set in the southwest and focuses on the Aztec mythos. There is no shortage of interesting material there.
Anyone reading the series for the eroticism should skip this one. Otherwise, it comes highly recommended, especially for Edward fans.
