by Seanan McGuire
DETAILS:
Series: Toby Daye, #20
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: September 29, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 384 pg.
Read Date: September 16-18, 2026
What’s A Divided Duty About?
In brief—because Raysel’s not ready to come home, because she wants to keep doing therapy in a place with low expectations, and because she and Toby can work the system, the Queen decides that at the one-year mark, Raysel needs to stay in service to Toby.
Things get mighty tense at court when this is announced—tense enough that war could’ve broken out (literally). But cooler heads seemed to prevail for the moment.
Then Raysel’s mom kidnaps her. If she can’t be with her daughter legally, Luna will take Raysel out of the Queen’s jurisdiction—out of anyone’s jurisdiction—and bring her to Blind Michael’s land. With both of them with Luna’s mother in her father’s land, Luna trusts that she and Raysel will be able to stay there in peace and re-establish a connection.
But, of course, things don’t go the way Luna planned. Thankfully, Toby wasn’t going to give her a chance to do anything anyway. Or so Toby’s plan went.
What happens when neither plan goes right?
The Trauma That Keeps on Giving
So, if you’re not familiar with the events of Be the Serpent/Sleep No More/The Innocent Sleep you’re probably not reading this post. But if you are reading and haven’t read them…skip down to the next section.
One of the strengths of this series is that events matter—events from the third novel, An Artificial Night, were important to Sleep No More/The Innocent Sleep, for example. So it’s no surprise that the events of the three titles I mentioned in the last paragraph are still casting their shadows on these novels. Actually, so is An Artificial Night, now that I mention it.
In both the novel and the accompanying novella, But by Degrees, we see our heroes (and their opponents and allies) dealing with the repercussions of that trilogy—both when it comes to political fallout, psychological fallout, and emotional repercussions, and more. It’s evident everywhere and will likely take you by surprise at how those show up in these pages. The trauma from those events, mixed with what’s happened since then, combine to some twisted results—and simple new situations that are neither good nor bad, but are clearly the result of that trauma.
And honestly, I don’t think we’re done with that yet. Faerie (at least those living along the Western Coast) has a lot of healing and recovery to do.
Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?
Well, I’ve read the previous nineteen books 1-3 times each, so naturally I’m going to pick up #20.
I kept reading because I can’t imagine DNFing McGuire—especially not this one. I saw a few ways for this to end, and it really wasn’t until the last moment that I was sure how it was going to go. There were a handful of surprises along the way—not just related to the plot, but because of what I talked about in the previous section.
What does this book tell us about humanity?
Underneath everything—the court intrigue, the kidnapping, the family conflict, Toby’s work—even a lot of what the Luidaeg is up to (in both the novel and novella) has to do with healing and recovery. And the genuine human need for the space and time to pursue it. Toby’s not meddling with Raysel, Sylvester, and Luna for kicks—or from some kind of vengeance (although that would be understandable). No, she’s trying to give Raysel the time and space for recovery. She’s trying to get Sylvester to see that it’s what Raysel needs and to stand up for her to Luna. As far as Luna…well, that relationship has been damaged for so long, I’m not sure that Toby has much hope of anything.
But it’s not just Raysel that needs to recover—Sylvester does. Many in his service do, too. The same can be said for the Queen in the Mists and those in her court or in her knowe. Dean’s not in great shape, either. Or…or…or… you get the idea.
I’m not trying to echo what I said above, but I sort of am. But that’s the heart of this book—that people who’ve been through something need to find a way to recover and heal. That will not look the same for everyone, but those who care for them need to try to realize what they need for that recovery and give it to them. Even if that goes against what they want (or think would be best). Those people that give you the space, time, and support to recover, to figure yourself out—they’re your family, no matter what DNA or heritage says.
This book is about both efforts to find those ways to recovery, and what happens when they’re prevented or ignored.
So, what did I think about A Divided Duty?
I’m always amazed at how quickly I start thinking of Toby’s world as a comfort—one day I’ll go in remembering it and looking for it, but it wasn’t with this book. But right away, it happened. Sure, I knew it was going to get dangerous soon—because it always does. But that’s okay, because Toby’s determination and optimism make you think it’ll be okay again soon.
Toby goes to some dark places here (in multiple senses of the word), but she doesn’t seem to let it get to her as much as she might have otherwise. Maybe that’s because she and Tybalt are in a really good place and he’s watching her back. Maybe it’s because Miranda’s at home waiting for her with May, and as long as Miranda’s good, Toby’s good. She also seems more confident in her own magic (and even learns a bit more about it).
Speaking of Miranda—she’s at a really young age now, so she’s conveniently left at home with May and the rest to look over her. But that won’t last for long, I don’t think—if only so that May can do more than cook and babysit. I’m eager to see Toby and Tybalt balance parenting and heroics.
Toby has to face some of her biggest fears, and come to grips with a job she maybe could’ve done better years ago, which was good to see her deal with. And she does so with her typical aplomb and flair—and her husband and a member of her Urchin Squad (Cassandra’s term) by her side.
Good tension, good action—a good puzzle (or two) for Toby to solve. When the penny finally dropped for me, I was flabbergasted (arguably shouldn’t have been) and delighted—McGuire played me like a fiddle. Which makes me so happy. This was everything you want in a Toby Daye novel.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley—my thanks to both for this. This post contains my honest opinion about a book I chose to read.
This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
The most interesting incident Tuesday morning was my walking to a building on Thirty-fourth Street to enter a booth and push levers on a voting machine. I have never understood why anybody passes up that bargain. It doesn’t cost a cent, and for that couple of minutes, you’re the star of the show, with top billing. It’s the only way that really counts for you to say I’m it, I’m the one that decides what’s going to happen and who’s going to make it happen. It’s the only time I really feel important and know I have a right to. Wonderful. Sometimes the feeling lasts all the way home if somebody doesn’t bump me.
an area of space where the rules of physics don’t work like they’re supposed to/humans think they have to
