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veethorn's review against another edition
3.0
It started out slow. The world building took quite a bit of time, much like one of the slower Heyers but without her gift for drawing characters quickly. But the second half was much better than the first, containing enough excitement and fast-paced unraveling of the mystery to satisfy anyone.
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
2.0
I think I had this one over-hyped to me a little, and so found it a bit disappointing. It's got a good set-up: a Victorian Urban Fantasy with a queer romance... but it just never all came together for me.
I felt like I didn't get a good enough demonstration/ explanation of magic in the world, despite how much of the book it took up. The romance wasn't a big component of the plot, and most of the obstacles Ned and Julian encountered were based on their communication issues. And I felt like the boarding school flashbacks took up entirely too much space in the plot, without ever getting a good resolution. Finally, I didn't actually like the main characters very much. I didn't emotionally connect with either of them, and so wasn't able to get as deeply into the book as one might want.
It certainly kept me reading, and had decent style, but I think in the end it felt like it was written by two people who didn't quite line it all up perfectly.
I felt like I didn't get a good enough demonstration/ explanation of magic in the world, despite how much of the book it took up. The romance wasn't a big component of the plot, and most of the obstacles Ned and Julian encountered were based on their communication issues. And I felt like the boarding school flashbacks took up entirely too much space in the plot, without ever getting a good resolution. Finally, I didn't actually like the main characters very much. I didn't emotionally connect with either of them, and so wasn't able to get as deeply into the book as one might want.
It certainly kept me reading, and had decent style, but I think in the end it felt like it was written by two people who didn't quite line it all up perfectly.
kristamccracken's review against another edition
5.0
Compelling murder mystery with a flare of magic and queer detectives. Loved the world building and quickly grew attached to the characters.
madgirl's review against another edition
4.0
The comparison of this book to Sherlock Holmes was what inspired me to read it (well, that, and my fondness for Lethe), though I was quickly pleased that the similarity is actually fairly superficial and this story goes far beyond that. Though it is still a tale of a great partnership (that, yes, is romantic as well) as well as a gripping mystery. The two main characters especially are very well drawn and fully realized, with a nice gradual reveal of some childhood incidents that helped shaped them. And the backdrop of the world, a sort of gaslight urban fantasy, is an interesting one. I would really look forward to move stories in this world.
tiggum's review against another edition
4.0
Really solid mystery in a neat setting with a good B plot centred on the relationship between the two protagonists. I'm adding the sequel to my "to read" pile.
torkin's review against another edition
4.0
I very much enjoyed reading this! The world-building is top-notch (I would expect nothing less from Scott at least) and the mystery is intriguing. If you like alternative Victoriana, which I am always a sucker for, you'll enjoy this book's clever magic system and sensibility as much as I did.
The book's treatment of bullying is also quite interesting and relevant, which I didn't expect but certainly appreciated.
I definitely liked the romance and rooted for the characters, but it relied too much on very poor communication for my taste. I also could do without the looming stigma of homophobia in my fantasy romances (even though it is very historically accurate for a late Victorian setting). That being said, the relationship was deep and believable, and I loved both main characters.
The book's treatment of bullying is also quite interesting and relevant, which I didn't expect but certainly appreciated.
I definitely liked the romance and rooted for the characters, but it relied too much on very poor communication for my taste. I also could do without the looming stigma of homophobia in my fantasy romances (even though it is very historically accurate for a late Victorian setting). That being said, the relationship was deep and believable, and I loved both main characters.
julie_kcwbc's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
2.0
Overall I’m really disappointed in this one. The description on the book doesn’t describe the plot or the romance very well. The mystery plot line was fairly weak. It felt like we were running around pointing fingers at everyone and causing a lot of problems. The romance was also weak. Very little tension. Also there are intense flashbacks about bullying throughout the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexism
prgchrqltma's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not entirely sure why this series has such avid support. It reminded me of the Charles Lenox series, I guess. Pretty interesting world building, but lots of to and fro. The central relationship is characterized by a Big Misunderstanding. Also, warnings for depiction of boarding school abuse.
ladydewinter's review against another edition
4.0
This was lovely! A fun mystery set in a magical Victorian London, and while much of the romance was understated, it wasn't any less powerful because of that. The kind of book I could read all the time, really.