Undone-Rachel Caine

Undone
Rachel Caine
Roc, Feb 2009, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451462619

The Djinn Cassiel was ancient when man had yet to appear on the earth. She is one of the Old Ones wanting nothing to do with humanity as she believes they are beneath her. Unlike David, she never lived amidst these human fleas; preferring life on the aether plane of pure energy. She is cold and treacherous even to her own kind.

Her life crashed when her Master, the newly made Conduit Ashan orders her to perform a task, but she refuses. As punishment for saying no, he changes her substance and exiles her in human form from the aether. Stunned Cassiel still needs aether energy to survive, but can only obtain it through the help of a weather warden. It is arranged that earth warden Manny Rocha will be her aether supplier in return for her assisting him with his job. The longer she remains in human form, the more she learns how to feel and that soon leads to her caring deeply for Manny and his family even his brother Luis. When tragedy strikes, instead of walking away to find a new host, Cassie and Luis team up seeking to find Manny’s kidnapped daughter who Cassiel has learned to love.

Rachel Caine, weather warden writing wizard, begins a sidebar series with the outcast Cassiel that will enthrall her fans as this is an excellent addition to the growing Caine mythos. Cassiel is terrific as a haughty essence who struggles with humanization learning first hand what a human is. Her transformation is brilliant as she is UNDONE by Manny and his family. With an abduction to add suspense, this superb urban fantasy enhances the author’s universe while setting up the sequel.

Harriet Klausner