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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-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:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not as good as the first but still fun
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
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:
No
I’m a big fan of Nix’s work and always appreciate a new book from him. Unfortunately this one is a miss. A follow on from the Left Handed Booksellers of London, this novel suffered from awkward pacing, with a sprinting start for 100 pages, then a drawl, idle pace for 200 pages before a rushed ending.
The unnecessary overlong description of cars, weapons and clothing became tedious and unnecessary to the storyline. I’m all for immersion into a story’s universe but it detracted from the storyline which was sadly middling at best.
The main character Susan is whiny and complaining throughout the book, not wanting to accept her destiny and Left Handed Bookseller Merlin seems to have lost a lot of his charisma that was such a joy to read in the first book. Their relationship also seems insincere and disingenuous, with poor Merlin put on the back burner for Susan’s art studies and limited to one meeting per week. Honestly, Merlin, find someone who appreciates your awesomeness or go back to being the wonderful floozy that you are!
The stakes don’t seem so high this time round, with a middle-level threat villain and lack of interesting magical creatures. The title of this book is as awesome as the last but misleading as we don’t actually get to learn that much about the booksellers and the extent of their powers/roles and there is nothing ‘sinister’ about them other than their left-handedness (but I guess that is the point?).
Sorry Mr Nix, I do still love your work and I’m sure your late father would still have been very proud of you. On the plus side, I’m mightily looking forward to your next release later this year, ’Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz: stories of the Witch Knight and the Puppet Sorcerer’, as I read a few of the tales a few years back and absolutely adore them. I’ve been waiting for a complete compilation of these stories for a while now!
As for this novel, I only wish your proofreader/publicist would have offered some useful insights before giving it the all clear… 2.5 stars.
adventurous
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:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes