This review will try and remain spoiler-free for book 18, but it will include references to key events in prior books in the series. You have been warned!
In January, Jim Butcher released Twelve Months, the 18th book in his acclaimed series The Dresden Files. When we last saw Harry in book 17, Battle Ground, he was starting the process of recovering physically and mentally from the Battle of Chicago. Harry lost friends and loved ones in the battle, leaving him a broken man.
In the months after Battle Ground, Butcher had announced that the next book would be titled Mirror, Mirror. After some reflection, it became clear that Harry had some baggage to unpack after years of trauma , culminating in the loss of his love interest, Karrin Murphy. Twelve Months is Butcher’s exploration of Harry’s road to recovery.
The Dresden Files is unlike any series I’ve ever read. At the start of the series, Harry is brash, naive, and immature. As a new author, Butcher mirrored Harry—a raw, unpolished talent with high potential. The first few books were a bit rough around the edges, but as the series evolved, so did Butcher, finding not only his voice, but Harry’s as well. With each new book, Harry became more complex, nuanced, and authentic, and the world around him richer.
Twelve Months is at times challenging, feeling more like a therapy session than a novel. Butcher was wise to give Harry time to grieve and grow as a person. This book was a necessary diversion, but I’m hoping for a return to form in Mirror, Mirror.