Scan barcode
book_snail's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Police brutality, and Racism
strangeeigenfunction's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
I see a lot of comparisons to the Dresden Files, which I cannot provide, being unfamiliar with them. To me this feels something like Jasper Fforde was told to write a Discworld Watch novel but set it in London and include magic and copious historical details. I like it! (especially as someone who has feelings about a totally different river in an entirely different part of the world)
I can, however, definitely see how people could be annoyed by Grant's tendency to be sexually attracted to women at relatively inappropriate times (there's definitely sexism, though I'd stop short of saying the book expresses a notable level of hatred towards women, aside perhaps from the historical Punch & Judy story) and I expect people with only slightly less tolerance for historical details or technobabble might get bored here.
I can, however, definitely see how people could be annoyed by Grant's tendency to be sexually attracted to women at relatively inappropriate times (there's definitely sexism, though I'd stop short of saying the book expresses a notable level of hatred towards women, aside perhaps from the historical Punch & Judy story) and I expect people with only slightly less tolerance for historical details or technobabble might get bored here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Sexism, Gun violence, Sexual content, Police brutality, Murder, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual violence, Drug use, Racial slurs, Addiction, and Excrement
carolined's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
This book was only published in 2011 but it has aged really badly.
I only finished it because I had the audio book on in the background and the audio book narrator, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, does a grest job.
I think the author was trying to make the protagonist a relatable, bumbling fellow, as you would find in a Neil Gaiman or a TomHolt book but in 2021 I am am no longer willing to embrace police officers as sympathetic protagonists, especially ones that joke with their colleagues about police brutality, concealing evidence, and real life atrocities like the shooting of Charles de Menezes. Also, as other reviewers have mentioned the protagonist ogles every woman he comes across and talks about his penis far more than is warranted.
I only finished it because I had the audio book on in the background and the audio book narrator, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, does a grest job.
I think the author was trying to make the protagonist a relatable, bumbling fellow, as you would find in a Neil Gaiman or a TomHolt book but in 2021 I am am no longer willing to embrace police officers as sympathetic protagonists, especially ones that joke with their colleagues about police brutality, concealing evidence, and real life atrocities like the shooting of Charles de Menezes. Also, as other reviewers have mentioned the protagonist ogles every woman he comes across and talks about his penis far more than is warranted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Child death and Racism
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Domestic abuse
More...