Scan barcode
courtney_anne's review
4.0
Not what I expected but it was great in the end. It took so many unexpected turns and I really loved the story line. Could get a little dull in places, but for the most part it was thrilling as well as a nice easy read.
jckrbbt's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
dapplezee's review
4.0
A very fun read. Music, mystery, intrigue and sexy aristocrats. You'll either love or hate this book, I think. It has a quirky style that I enjoy, but (judging from other reviews) just grates for some.
The author interview here on Goodreads is a fair preview of the weird-ity you might expect. If it makes you smile, then this book might be for you. https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/3526759-an-interview-with-magnus
The author interview here on Goodreads is a fair preview of the weird-ity you might expect. If it makes you smile, then this book might be for you. https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/3526759-an-interview-with-magnus
lynnea713's review
3.0
I enjoyed the story, the plot, and how it flowed. But I had been hoping for a book that would sweep me into an adventure. This was a book I felt I could put down easily. It just didn't suck me in as I wanted. Nonetheless a good story and I enjoyed all the history and mystery. It was still a fun read!
mjoyced's review
4.0
I liked the concept of this book a lot and will definitely be reading the sequel. However, the plot lagged in several places and I felt like I was being set up for a sequel, which is not my favorite. I'm glad the book did wrap up in the end, but the magical aspects of the book left me more confused than curious. I did enjoy all the nerdy music history aspects and the group of academics setting up the museum. Those were so fun!
lamom77's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book! A fun read for anyone who is a fan of Shadow of Night. The characters and story in this book are not as well written as Diana and Matthew's, but the history and historical figures of Prague come to life (literally) in this story. I would love to follow more historical adventures with Sarah, Max and Nico.
eyreguide's review
5.0
From the title, and a little from the plot summary I thought this novel would have more magical elements, but after reading it it seemed more in the vein of The Da Vinci Code with secrets long buried in history, and a thriller pace as Sarah and Prince Max try to discover who is behind the disruptive plots against the planned opening of the fabulous Lobkowicz museum. There is a lot of historical detail, murder, intrigue, and the very cool idea of a time-traveling drug.
The characters of Sarah and Prince Max were engaging, and perfect to take us on this journey through the underside of Prague. The writing is also clear and fast-paced - with the historical details never bogging down the pace of the story. In fact, I found all the additional information about Beethoven's life and Prague's past especially fascinating and I loved how it was all worked into the narrative. The only problems I had with the novel were the details over the "hell portals" which felt vague yet were important in the story and the sex scenes that seemed unnecessary and didn't really add much to the characters' development. Mostly it seemed like a shortcut for developing the characters' romance. But these are small issues I had with the book because I found it very difficult to put it down and was drawn on by the many surprises and the gradually unfolding mysteries. This is a great story with richly immersive detail, and excellently written characters. I highly recommend this book!
The characters of Sarah and Prince Max were engaging, and perfect to take us on this journey through the underside of Prague. The writing is also clear and fast-paced - with the historical details never bogging down the pace of the story. In fact, I found all the additional information about Beethoven's life and Prague's past especially fascinating and I loved how it was all worked into the narrative. The only problems I had with the novel were the details over the "hell portals" which felt vague yet were important in the story and the sex scenes that seemed unnecessary and didn't really add much to the characters' development. Mostly it seemed like a shortcut for developing the characters' romance. But these are small issues I had with the book because I found it very difficult to put it down and was drawn on by the many surprises and the gradually unfolding mysteries. This is a great story with richly immersive detail, and excellently written characters. I highly recommend this book!
krosebiblios's review
3.0
If you like political thrillers intermingled with a supernatural historical fiction novel then this is the book for you. I could have enjoyed this one a lot more if the pace was a bit faster. The setting was interesting, I now have a keen interest to visit Prague, but it still won’t garner this one a 5 star rating from me. The characters were a little bland and the chemistry between the leads was not believable and often laughable. This book caught my eye at the bookstore and I thought I’d check it out... once again I was suckered into reading a book by its cover...