(This is a large 2, a 2.5 or 2.75, but not a 3).I find it hard to believe that this is the same author that wrote the October Daye novels, or the Newflesh trilogy, because the writing in those was so much better than this. I wanted to like this - I really did.What did I like? Interesting, if stereotypical, world where mythical creatures are living alongside the mostly unaware humans. The Aeslin mice were usually good for a laugh.Unfortunately, this is another book where the heroine is described by others (and herself, repeatedly) as a kick-ass superhero, trained from birth to avoid and/or escape traps, who does neither very well. She's also a professional ballroom dancer and travels by parkour to work - I think the author threw too many ingredients into the blender here. The constant asides about how strange the heroine's life is quickly became boring and distracting.The side-kick and romantic interest was totally one-dimensional. He ticked along like a windup train on the very straight track laid out for him in the back cover blurb. Other supporting characters fell similarly flat for me.I might give the sequel a try, probably after someone else I trust reads it first...