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gitanita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
One night, Peter and his partner Lesley are assigned to guard the perimeter of a gruesome beheading. While waiting for Lesley to get them coffee, Peter meets a ghost that tells him he has information on the murder. Peter, naturally, thinks he's gone crazy, but still he goes back to the same place to confirm that he actually saw a ghost. While there, he meets a strange detective called Nightingale, and soon Peter is transferred from a boring desk job to a Metropolitan police unit specialised in dealing with the supernatural world that lives in the shadows of London and England. Under Nightingale's guidance, Peter will train to become a magician (yes, in this world you are not necessarily born to magic) and try to solve a string of terrible attacks and murders caused by an unknown supernatural force.
I really liked the world Aaronovitch built. There is mention of known supernatural beings like ghosts and vampires, but there is also something new, England's rivers, those around the "Mother River" Thames (it included) are river gods and goddesses. Thames is divided between Father and Mother Thames, who are by the way, archenemies, and their sons and daughters" who are Thames' tributaries.
All of the main characters are very likable. Peter is intelligent, quick-thinking, a fast learner, and loyal to his friends. On the other hand, he can't help but think "dirty thoughts" about his partner Lesley and Beverly Brook, one of Mama Thames' daughters. That was the only part of the story that bothered me, because it was really unnecessary as it made me roll my eyes at Peter and think less of him. Other than that, the story was really interesting and fast-paced. This is the first book of a series of nine, with lots of short stories, but prequel to the first and in between the main books. I recommend it for a light, funny read.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Cursing and Drug use
Minor: Sexual content
aseel_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Minor: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Racism, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Drug abuse, Islamophobia, Murder, and Rape
raquel_rqlh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Addiction, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness and Medical content
purplepenning's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Alcohol, Child death, Gore, Cursing, Murder, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Violence, Sexual assault, and Blood
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia
strangeeigenfunction's review against another edition
4.5
I can, however, definitely see how people could be annoyed by Grant's tendency to be sexually attracted to women at relatively inappropriate times (there's definitely sexism, though I'd stop short of saying the book expresses a notable level of hatred towards women, aside perhaps from the historical Punch & Judy story) and I expect people with only slightly less tolerance for historical details or technobabble might get bored here.
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Sexism, Gun violence, Sexual content, Police brutality, Murder, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual violence, Drug use, Racial slurs, Addiction, and Excrement
decembermagpie's review
- 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
Graphic: Cursing
Moderate: Drug use, Kidnapping, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Drug abuse, Vomit, Medical trauma, Murder, and Physical abuse
Minor: Addiction
joneva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Death, and Murder
carolined's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I only finished it because I had the audio book on in the background and the audio book narrator, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, does a grest job.
I think the author was trying to make the protagonist a relatable, bumbling fellow, as you would find in a Neil Gaiman or a TomHolt book but in 2021 I am am no longer willing to embrace police officers as sympathetic protagonists, especially ones that joke with their colleagues about police brutality, concealing evidence, and real life atrocities like the shooting of Charles de Menezes. Also, as other reviewers have mentioned the protagonist ogles every woman he comes across and talks about his penis far more than is warranted.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Child death and Racism
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, and Domestic abuse