Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dnf @ 56%
there's nothing inherently wrong or bad about this book, it's just an ok read for me. i would pitch this as Sherlock meets a paranormal Stalking Jack the Ripper, though, so if you liked those - maybe check this out.
ultimately, i was just really bored reading this, and i don't think it's for me. which is fine. i think it would have been more interesting from Crow's perspective? i really liked his character but the main character, Doyle (aka Watson), wasn't really doing anything for me. and it was just the same murder-mystery case after case with not enough variety to keep me interested, and i just didn't care enough to keep reading.
so, idk, check it out if you're interested, but it wasn't for me.
there's nothing inherently wrong or bad about this book, it's just an ok read for me. i would pitch this as Sherlock meets a paranormal Stalking Jack the Ripper, though, so if you liked those - maybe check this out.
ultimately, i was just really bored reading this, and i don't think it's for me. which is fine. i think it would have been more interesting from Crow's perspective? i really liked his character but the main character, Doyle (aka Watson), wasn't really doing anything for me. and it was just the same murder-mystery case after case with not enough variety to keep me interested, and i just didn't care enough to keep reading.
so, idk, check it out if you're interested, but it wasn't for me.
I guess Addison wanted to re-write some Sherlock Holmes stories!
I think this works best if you're familiar with the stories but haven't read them recently, or else you might feel (like I did), that it was easy to see most of what was going to happen. (I have been listening to the extra-long Stephen Fry narrated one to help me fall asleep, so I'm quite fresh with most of these stories.)
Addison does some interesting things here, however, because of being a modern writer (interrogating some assumptions ACD made about characters) and because this is a fantasy. There's werewolves, hellhounds, vampires, angels, magic, and more - but this changes less than you'd think, which I thought was also an interesting commentary!
This probably could not have been written long ago though, for the very simple fact that
There are definitely hints of a relationship between Crow (Sherlock Holmes) and Watson, but it's framed as more queerplatonic/aromantic/asexual, but still: a committed loving relationship.
I loved the Mycroft analogue and would love a story about him specifically.
I think this works best if you're familiar with the stories but haven't read them recently, or else you might feel (like I did), that it was easy to see most of what was going to happen. (I have been listening to the extra-long Stephen Fry narrated one to help me fall asleep, so I'm quite fresh with most of these stories.)
Addison does some interesting things here, however, because of being a modern writer (interrogating some assumptions ACD made about characters) and because this is a fantasy. There's werewolves, hellhounds, vampires, angels, magic, and more - but this changes less than you'd think, which I thought was also an interesting commentary!
This probably could not have been written long ago though, for the very simple fact that
Spoiler
both Holmes (well, "Crow") and Watson are assigned female at birth, but are portrayed as either transmasc (Crow) or as a man (Watson).There are definitely hints of a relationship between Crow (Sherlock Holmes) and Watson, but it's framed as more queerplatonic/aromantic/asexual, but still: a committed loving relationship.
I loved the Mycroft analogue and would love a story about him specifically.
The Doctrine of Labyrinths quartet is one of my favorite series and The Goblin Emperor was amazing, so obviously when I saw Katherine Addison had written a new book I dropped everything for it. And there was a ton here to like! Addison builds worlds by just...having the characters live there, and offhandedly reference things about their society that the reader doesn't necessarily understand at first, and it's great! It makes the world feel really lived-in. I enjoyed the style, which did feel reminiscent of the original Sherlock Holmes stories. I love the descriptions of how angels and vampires fit into the world of Victorian London. I was pleasantly surprised at the "twist" of Doyle's gender, and Crow's own views on angelic gender identity. A lot of this book was so much fun to read. I feel like the author had fun writing it.
On the other hand! I really wish certain aspects of the plot had been fleshed out/focused on more than others. I wanted to spend more time understanding the nature of angelic habitations and Crow's relationship with the other angels, or with the vampiric Moriarty Hunt (such a fun set of characters there). I wanted to dig into Doyle's obviously conflicted feelings about her gender (and sexuality!) and the role women are expected to play in her society; after the reveal of her full name, the fact that she's female doesn't come up again except for a few lines in the last handful of pages, and I don't understand making such a big change if you don't want to explore how that change affects the character/her perspective on things.
That said, the last few chapters were what smacked this down from a four-star read to a 3.5 for me. I love fanfiction, and I assumed from the quote on the first page that this was originally Sherlock fanfiction (side note - I never enjoyed Sherlock, so it says good things about Addison that I did enjoy her takes on the characters!), so that/the serialized nature of the original stories meant I wasn't surprised that the book as a whole was kind of disjointed. However!! Addison introduces an ongoing plot thread of Jack the Ripper, which is interesting and dark and keeps popping up throughout the plot. And in the end...it's "solved" in the space of about five pages. Doyle goes full hellhound and sniffs out the murderer, he's arrested, and then he's killed by an angry mob two minutes later. There are no answers to the questions of his motive, his possible copycat(s) or even his real name. It was all so simple and unsatisfying that it didn't even feel like a resolution - certainly not to a plotline that was built up over 400 pages.
(Also, and I'll fully admit this could just be me - when you make a big deal about angels Falling and how catastrophic that is, in a story wherein an angel is Sherlock Holmes, and in which James Moriarty makes multiple appearances...was I the only one expecting that to come back in some way? I thought for sure we were going for a Reichenbach Falls ending with supernatural consequences, not two minutes of Jack the Ripper, and yet...)
TL;DR: A fun read, but not as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be. I'll still be chomping at the bit for whatever Addison writes next!
On the other hand! I really wish certain aspects of the plot had been fleshed out/focused on more than others. I wanted to spend more time understanding the nature of angelic habitations and Crow's relationship with the other angels, or with the vampiric Moriarty Hunt (such a fun set of characters there). I wanted to dig into Doyle's obviously conflicted feelings about her gender (and sexuality!) and the role women are expected to play in her society; after the reveal of her full name, the fact that she's female doesn't come up again except for a few lines in the last handful of pages, and I don't understand making such a big change if you don't want to explore how that change affects the character/her perspective on things.
That said, the last few chapters were what smacked this down from a four-star read to a 3.5 for me. I love fanfiction, and I assumed from the quote on the first page that this was originally Sherlock fanfiction (side note - I never enjoyed Sherlock, so it says good things about Addison that I did enjoy her takes on the characters!), so that/the serialized nature of the original stories meant I wasn't surprised that the book as a whole was kind of disjointed. However!! Addison introduces an ongoing plot thread of Jack the Ripper, which is interesting and dark and keeps popping up throughout the plot. And in the end...it's "solved" in the space of about five pages. Doyle goes full hellhound and sniffs out the murderer, he's arrested, and then he's killed by an angry mob two minutes later. There are no answers to the questions of his motive, his possible copycat(s) or even his real name. It was all so simple and unsatisfying that it didn't even feel like a resolution - certainly not to a plotline that was built up over 400 pages.
(Also, and I'll fully admit this could just be me - when you make a big deal about angels Falling and how catastrophic that is, in a story wherein an angel is Sherlock Holmes, and in which James Moriarty makes multiple appearances...was I the only one expecting that to come back in some way? I thought for sure we were going for a Reichenbach Falls ending with supernatural consequences, not two minutes of Jack the Ripper, and yet...)
TL;DR: A fun read, but not as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be. I'll still be chomping at the bit for whatever Addison writes next!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Not at all what I expected, but very good.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I DNF'd this one I went through 3 chapters on audiobook and I was still confused. I really wanted to like it :(
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was a little disappointed upon receiving this book that it doesn't take place in the world of The Goblin Emperor. I was disappointed again that it riffs so liberally off Sherlock Holmes. And yet, I found myself genuinely delighted--the book is funny, surprising, and engaging. A treat to read.