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stwriter92's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.5
I have to say, this series has been an absolute joy to read so far. I'm pretty sure it'll carry me all the way to the end of the year. I haven't loved a series in such a long time and it has been wonderful to come back to these characters time and time again! I was excited to see that this installment dealt more with the dragons and the politics involved in their society.
The story opens with Irene narrowly escaping a family of vampires and arriving safely at the Library, only to be sent on another a far more delicate mission of an internal nature. Another Librarian has become ensnared in the political games of dragons, putting the Library's precious neutrality at risk. Irene and Kai must get to the bottom of and bring an end to the collusion. However, once they touch down in 1920s New York, they soon realize that things (as always) are not as neat and tidy as they seem in initial reports. They are now in a race against time to find a precious book and prevent an all out war.
As always, Ms. Cogman has breathed life into a marvelous story full of marvelous characters. I especially enjoyed watching the inner workings of draconic society and the political gambles involved. Watching Irene forced to play by their rules and still somehow finding a way to come out on top was an absolute treat. I'm also a sucker for Prohibition Era New York (see The Diviners), so that was just icing on the cake. I was also extremely happy to see Irene and Kai finally get together. It was about time! I was so scared that Kai was going to leave, but that quickly melted away when he ended up surprising her in the end. I ended the book with the biggest grin on my face.
The only thing I found wanting was a lack of Mr. Vale. I find him such a fascinating character and I love seeing his dynamic with Kai and Irene. I hope the next book has all three of them again. Going by the ending, I think I can safely expect this to be the case! .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, and Gun violence
Minor: Kidnapping and Death of parent
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