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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
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:
No
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was pleased to find this sequel while browsing idly, and snapped it up immediately. I have always loved the way that Garth Nix deals with gender and ethnicity in books, though I find the story matter a bit hit and miss. Nix loves to indulge personal fantasies and this book, set mostly in 1983, has a caveat on the front saying that this is a fanciful interpretation rather than being entirely historically accurate.. not that we'd necessarily expect that of a story where the main protagonist is the daughter of a locality god (Ancient Sovereign).
That said, Nix likes to fuss with specifics. In this case we are continually bombarded (nerd fashion) with the specifics of vehicles (make, model and colour), clothing, tech, food and beverages, firearms, books, rocks, and esoteric heraldry. It was enough to have me internet rabbit-holing for ages. I think the fleshing out of his world, did mean that the story suffered a bit in pace, but it definitely was a nostalgia trip for older readers.
Nix is a master of mundane fantasies. His worlds are egalitarian, people of different ethnicities abound. (Couldn't help but see a parallel to Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London, in a Black Scot, and a Hijab-wearing police officer.) Even the fantasy of travelling with lights and siren, being able to get across London despite traffic was not lost on me.
This is a story aimed at late teens through to adult age.. it doesn't have any explicit content (we're English!) though it does have some relationship angst. The predominant themes of accepting power and changing into something else, place it as a coming of age story.
That said, Nix likes to fuss with specifics. In this case we are continually bombarded (nerd fashion) with the specifics of vehicles (make, model and colour), clothing, tech, food and beverages, firearms, books, rocks, and esoteric heraldry. It was enough to have me internet rabbit-holing for ages. I think the fleshing out of his world, did mean that the story suffered a bit in pace, but it definitely was a nostalgia trip for older readers.
Nix is a master of mundane fantasies. His worlds are egalitarian, people of different ethnicities abound. (Couldn't help but see a parallel to Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London, in a Black Scot, and a Hijab-wearing police officer.) Even the fantasy of travelling with lights and siren, being able to get across London despite traffic was not lost on me.
This is a story aimed at late teens through to adult age.. it doesn't have any explicit content (we're English!) though it does have some relationship angst. The predominant themes of accepting power and changing into something else, place it as a coming of age story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Garth Nix is back with an all new fantasy adventure featuring Susan Arkshaw and the mysterious booksellers. Picking up after the events of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, the story follows Susan, Merlin and Viven as they are transported to a strange house taken out of time. There they find a series of murders have taken place and an ancient sovereign with the ability to animate stone. The ancient sovereign takes an interest in Susan and together with the help of the other booksellers, the trio must find a way to stop the Lady of Stone before she kills again.
I really enjoyed The Left-Handed Booksellers of London so I immediately picked up the sequel. This installment is just as action packed, featuring plenty of shoot outs, battles with mythical monsters and clever puzzles. This one felt particularly fast paced and I found myself turning pages quicker and quicker because I was so intrigued by the story. The plot is well executed and I enjoyed getting to know more about the magic that the booksellers and ancient sovereigns possess. Garth Nix continues to be one of my favourite authors, with all of his books delivering engaging storylines and compelling characters.
We stick with the three main protagonists as the previous book and Susan in particular feels well developed. I was really fascinated by her storyline, coming into her powers and trying to find a balance between living her normal every day life as an art student and the lure she feels towards her father’s powers. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion and was a really fun and engrossing read – I would love to read more about Susan and the booksellers and hope Nix continues to write more books in this world.
I really enjoyed The Left-Handed Booksellers of London so I immediately picked up the sequel. This installment is just as action packed, featuring plenty of shoot outs, battles with mythical monsters and clever puzzles. This one felt particularly fast paced and I found myself turning pages quicker and quicker because I was so intrigued by the story. The plot is well executed and I enjoyed getting to know more about the magic that the booksellers and ancient sovereigns possess. Garth Nix continues to be one of my favourite authors, with all of his books delivering engaging storylines and compelling characters.
We stick with the three main protagonists as the previous book and Susan in particular feels well developed. I was really fascinated by her storyline, coming into her powers and trying to find a balance between living her normal every day life as an art student and the lure she feels towards her father’s powers. The story comes to a satisfying conclusion and was a really fun and engrossing read – I would love to read more about Susan and the booksellers and hope Nix continues to write more books in this world.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes