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wildwood77's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
smemmott's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Torture, and Violence
hekate24's review against another edition
4.0
Still liking this series quite a lot. It's weird because oftentimes I have trouble following the actual mystery; it often gets lost under a sea of names and old grievances and financial scores (it's slightly embarrassing since I'm usually no slouch at following along with a mystery.) But the characters remain delightful, and the world itself is fascinating. And even if I couldn't really follow along with how January is drawing conclusions the growing sense of dread is such a palpable thing here. Like the first book, it's such a blistering portrayal of the psychological effects of slavery and classism. Every time January deals with a white person he has to read the situation and respond perfectly, and sometimes even responding perfectly doesn't save him from retaliation. It's infuriating to read about, and it was the life of countless people. So, yes, I'm going to continue this series. Not really for the mysteries, but for the characterization and sense of place.
margaretefg's review against another edition
3.0
This mystery seems to drag on, but I am fascinated by Benjamin January and how Hambly has him navigating through different worlds based on class, race, and language.
staticdisplay's review against another edition
5.0
I had a pretty good idea about the mystery from the beginning, because I have just a little knowledge of New Orleans history. this seems to be intensively researched (I'm not qualified to evaluate the research per se but even the afterword about the historical record was informative and well-written, and interesting to get a sense of the author's personal voice vs narrative of Benjamin). it gave me a new way of understanding what life was like during this time period in a more granular way than reading a non-fiction, high school history-type of book. it seems absolutely unbearable.
I only wanted 2 things; a map, because I had a hard time following where/how Benjamin was going as he went to a variety of locations by boat, train, etc. and 2 I hope some of the books in this series will not put Ben in mortal peril as it can become repetitive and unrealistic - not in the sense that people can't be imperiled but that he would continuously somehow survive. all these injuries would take a toll over the years... what I'm saying is please cut him a break!
as an aside I loved his mother's 2 fat cats, possibly the only cozy thing about the story.
I only wanted 2 things; a map, because I had a hard time following where/how Benjamin was going as he went to a variety of locations by boat, train, etc. and 2 I hope some of the books in this series will not put Ben in mortal peril as it can become repetitive and unrealistic - not in the sense that people can't be imperiled but that he would continuously somehow survive. all these injuries would take a toll over the years... what I'm saying is please cut him a break!
as an aside I loved his mother's 2 fat cats, possibly the only cozy thing about the story.
suzeclark's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
jdthunter's review against another edition
4.0
Well done historical mystery set in early 1800's New Orleans. I enjoyed all the historical New Orleans details, and the story kept me guessing until the end.
twistinthetale's review against another edition
4.0
A superb crime novel which reprises the role of former slave, Benjamin January, as the unwitting solver of injustice. Set in New Orleans in the 1830s, this novel describes in details the splendours and dangers of the city. Disease, filth and crime are rampant. In this novel former slaves are going missing and January seeks, within the upper societal echelons and the seething lanes and hovels, an answer to the disappearances. This is a well-structured, fast-paced novel with an intriguing cast of characters.
mistyknights's review against another edition
4.0
A really well written historical mystery series about a person of color living in pre-Civil War America (aka unicorn).
miraclemarg's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0