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aceinit's review
4.0
I have a soft spot for the subtle sensuality of Don Sebastien and his court, and this tale of two murder set six years apart was both beautifully paced and written. I am also delighted to see Jack reappearing in the novel, though I feel like perhaps the strength of his relationship with Phoebe may have been overplayed. I do not recall such a big deal being made out of them in New Amsterdam. Although, then again, Phoebe never really endeared herself to me the way Sebastien, Jack and Abby Irene did, so perhaps I've marginalized her story accordingly.
tasharobinson's review
3.0
I really wanted to like this novel more, given that the prose style is very pretty and mildly baroque, and Bear does an excellent job of setting a scene when she thinks it's worthwhile to do so. But it was just too slight and oblique, with too much left out. It's sort of a murder mystery, but I kept getting the impression that Bear was more interested in describing Moscow and her characters than in the story; she'll go from a detailed description of a character's feelings in a moment to a bare-bones summary of important events, which makes the book feel lopsided and a bit underdeveloped. Less than 200 pages is not much space for a story that takes place in multiple timelines, introduces so many characters, and then divides its focus between them. It feels like it could have been twice as long — or stayed short, but shifted the focus more toward what was happening and less toward everyone's inner landscape.
qdony's review
5.0
Com és habitual aquesta sèrie em sedueix totalment. No veig el moment de que publiquin el següent.
sarahbotreads's review
4.0
I really struggled with _Seven for a Secret_, but the White City picked my interest back up; I found it really compelling and easy to read. I loved getting more of Jack's POV.
mackle13's review
4.0
3.5
I think this is my favorite in the series so far.
We flit between two time periods in this story, 1897 and 1903, both in Moscow, and both about murders surrounding a woman named Irina.
My favorite part of this story is that we see more of Jack and his and Sebastian's relationship, which also gives more depth to Sebastian than some of what we've seen before. They definitely have an interesting and complicated relationship.
It was also nice to see more of Abbey Irene still active as a detective, though Phoebe seemed pretty ancillary to the story.
And it was definitely interesting to meet
This story has one of the largest senses of closure, as many of the other stories feel a bit too brief and end on notes of wondering what's coming next. While there is still some of that, I appreciated that it felt more contained than some of the other stories.
I think this is my favorite in the series so far.
We flit between two time periods in this story, 1897 and 1903, both in Moscow, and both about murders surrounding a woman named Irina.
My favorite part of this story is that we see more of Jack and his and Sebastian's relationship, which also gives more depth to Sebastian than some of what we've seen before. They definitely have an interesting and complicated relationship.
It was also nice to see more of Abbey Irene still active as a detective, though Phoebe seemed pretty ancillary to the story.
And it was definitely interesting to meet
Spoiler
a wampyr even older than Sebastian.This story has one of the largest senses of closure, as many of the other stories feel a bit too brief and end on notes of wondering what's coming next. While there is still some of that, I appreciated that it felt more contained than some of the other stories.
lottpoet's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
cindywho's review
4.0
This book is two stories intertwined - one takes place before the events of New Amsterdam and the other just after. It's a murder mystery touching on the pre-revolutionary art world of an alternate history Moscow. Sadly, Sebastian does not take a knitting break.
anna_hepworth's review
5.0
I picked this one up on spec at the local library, having discovered from the short fiction book of Bear's I read last year that I like their writing style. It was marked horror, but it isn't really. It is an almost cosy murder mystery that just happen to have vampires in (although, spelled 'wampyr'). What I didn't realise was that it is book 3 of a series. Fortunately, the book is well enough written that that was not an impediment to my enjoyment.
Set in Moscow at the turn of the 20th Century, the chapters alternate between two visits by our protagonists, roughly six years apart. There is a fascinating duality to these two stories, which coalesce beautifully. The viewpoint characters are fascinating, the world building (and evocation of setting) beautiful, the writing polished, and the plot beats along beautifully. Well recommended.
Set in Moscow at the turn of the 20th Century, the chapters alternate between two visits by our protagonists, roughly six years apart. There is a fascinating duality to these two stories, which coalesce beautifully. The viewpoint characters are fascinating, the world building (and evocation of setting) beautiful, the writing polished, and the plot beats along beautifully. Well recommended.
dovekie's review
5.0
This might be my new favorite vampire novel of all time. It's a jewel of a book. Every word and scene is polished and beautiful and wicked sharp. The mystery is engaging and smart without feeling forced or overshadowing the emotional drama that the characters endure. I cannot praise this book enough.
besha's review
5.0
This series is such a consistent pleasure: fin de siècle depravity in a slightly different Europe, an excellent female lead, realistically complicated relationships, and beautiful writing. I was disappointed that this novella was so short.
Reading it right after Amanda Downum did bring home the similarities between the latter’s Isyllt and Bear’s Abigail Irene—they’re both forensic investigators who use magic and have very complicated personal lives. The cross-pollination is unsurprising, given that the authors collaborate on Shadow Unit, but the similarities aren’t too distracting.
Reading it right after Amanda Downum did bring home the similarities between the latter’s Isyllt and Bear’s Abigail Irene—they’re both forensic investigators who use magic and have very complicated personal lives. The cross-pollination is unsurprising, given that the authors collaborate on Shadow Unit, but the similarities aren’t too distracting.