Copperhead

Moving from the gothic to the political, this feminist urban fantasy (sequel to 2012’s Jane Eyre pastiche Ironskin) shifts the war with the Fey from countryside to cityscape. When anti-Fey activist Jane goes missing, her sister, Helen Huntingdon, takes over Jane’s role as leader of the anti-Fey forces, which include both humans and dwarvven. Married to the wealthy, useless Alistair, Helen gets involved in organizing the leading ladies of society, fashion, and the arts. With tolerance and tenacity, Helen struggles to overcome prejudice against both dwarvven (as the belligerent pro-human Copperheads chant, “One People, One Race”) and women while undermining the Fey King’s plot against humans and trying to help her sister. Connolly is more inventive than in her previous book, but straying from a good model allows the tension to deflate. More successful than the citywide threat are the domestic dilemmas and a romantic triangle with Helen at its apex. Agent: Ginger Clark, Curtis Brown. (Oct.)