Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

12 reviews

helfire124's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense 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? Yes

5.0

Gripping story that had me laugh out loud at parts.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

amazelan's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

j'ai ADORÉ
ça faisait longtemps qu'un roman fantastique ne m'avait pas autant transporté, si j'en avais eu l'occasion je l'aurais lu d'une traite !

l'histoire est vraiment originale, + qu'un premier tome qui pose le décor, on part directement dans des péripéties pour percer des mystères et en découvrir d'autres.
les personnages sont réalistes, je les ai trouvé vraiment attachants (Merlin purée MERLIN).
la fin est peut-être un peu trop rapide, mais en même temps elle se clôt très bien, et j'ai hâte de pouvoir lire la suite !

le seul point négatif que je peux trouver à cette histoire c'est la place beaucoup trop importante/essentielle accordée à la police, franchement on aurait pu s'en passer et faire même mieux sans...

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

nekoshka's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted 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

4.25

Omg this was so cute???
It does suffer from the usual YA problems like underdeveloped characters and a predictable plot, but otherwise it’s unexpectedly good. 
Susan, the MC, is very much the "chosen one" with special powers and special parentage but it’s not annoying and they don’t make her overpowered. And she’s punk!
Merlin is a delightful love interest. Loved the approach to his gender and how the fact that he’s questioning it doesn’t make him any less attractive, flirty and self-assured. Again, I would have loved a bit more elaboration on this topic, but maybe we’ll get it in the next book. 
I thought at first that the constant clothes descriptions would annoy me, but the ended up being a really fun detail. 
The worldbuilding is interesting but sparse. Not developed enough. 
Overall, very easy and light read. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

ijustreallyliketrees's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I probably would have loved this if I'd read it as a teen but as I am not a teen anymore this was just okay. Fun, but probably won't bother reading book 2 unless the library gets a copy.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

monalyisha's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No

3.0

It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA novel; this one was more New Adult than YA, which suited me fine. I picked it up because the premise sounded, to me, like Buffy with booksellers (basically, booksellers patrol the Hellmouth). The fantasy focus in this was more fey than demonic (which isn’t typically my jam). Points added for the obvious Ursula K. Le Guin homage. Points detracted for the author’s weird obsession with the tv show The Professionals (is this just a weird British thing I don’t get?) & for falling into that fantasy-genre trap of too much plot/fighting, too little character/dialog.

I’ve read other reviews with comments to the effect of “there’s just something special about Merlin.” I don’t entirely agree. I think too much of his personality was devoted to his fashion obsession. My favorite characters were Susan and the even-handed booksellers. It’s possible that I’ll read the sequel…but it’s more likely that I’ll skip it.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

pvbobrien's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous 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? No

4.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

macliffe's review against another edition

Go to review page


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

minanonim's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious relaxing tense 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

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

monniebiloney's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

The main character is blander then a cracker and I would have Droped the book if it wasn't for the efact the world building was interesting and the side characters were interesting.

Merlin was awesome and was non-binary (not that Susan cared or acknowledge this fact, all Susan cared about was that Merlin was hot and looks like a play boy to her. What playboys do you know are debating about changing their physical body's from a male presentation one to a female presentation one Susan. Tell me.) I wish he (the character uses male pronouns in the book, and hasn't decided to switch yet) was the main character as everything about him was more compelling, such as the fact that Merlin was trying to investigate the murder of his MOTHER, while Y/N was looking for her daddy 🥺. I don't think Susan is a good love interest for Merlin, and they need someone who will acknowledge their gender identity, not just place their own expectations onto him. Susan likes Merlin because she thinks he's hot and a playboy, and no other reason and it's depressing. Like Susan, Merlin is a humana being. Treat him like one.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings