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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The best thing about this book, hands down, is the world building. It is different from anything I've seen before, being closest to steampunk but with magic powering tech instead of steam. Another thing I really enjoy about the world is that it feels like it has a history and, more importantly, that this history doesn't exist solely for the sake of the plot.
The characters are also very engaging, as is the mystery. I found myself caring about what happened quite early on, which has always been a very important thing for me with any media.
The only real issue I had with the book was the character of Olivia Faraday. It took me quite a while to start seeing her as a character, rather than a trope. Looking back, this does actually seem to fit the narrative but it still was somethings a bit off-putting to me as a reader. However, by the end of the book I did warm to her and look forward to seeing where her development will take her in the future.
I definitely recommend that people check this book out when it is published, it was a great read.
The best thing about this book, hands down, is the world building. It is different from anything I've seen before, being closest to steampunk but with magic powering tech instead of steam. Another thing I really enjoy about the world is that it feels like it has a history and, more importantly, that this history doesn't exist solely for the sake of the plot.
The characters are also very engaging, as is the mystery. I found myself caring about what happened quite early on, which has always been a very important thing for me with any media.
The only real issue I had with the book was the character of Olivia Faraday. It took me quite a while to start seeing her as a character, rather than a trope. Looking back, this does actually seem to fit the narrative but it still was somethings a bit off-putting to me as a reader. However, by the end of the book I did warm to her and look forward to seeing where her development will take her in the future.
I definitely recommend that people check this book out when it is published, it was a great read.
3.5 Stars
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
The Deathsniffer's Assistant brings you a good, old crime to solve in an alternate magical 19th Century England setting. Chris, as a Wordweaver (someone who can put down words very fast, and is looked down upon by everyone), can't find a job to support his little sister except with the eccentric Deathsniffer Faraday.
I say eccentric, but basically she is a jerk. And while there are certainly characters you love to hate, she isn't one of them. At times she seems unpleasant just for the sake of it, and I felt sorry for Chris and the other characters that they have to deal with her on a regular base. At least I can close the book and be done with it.
The world was truly fascinating though. There are magical creatures that are used to power machines, light lights and everything. Those are kept working by the socalled Spiritbinders, of which Chris' sister is secretly one. Everyone is assigned a talent and those decide the rest of their lives, but basically what work they'll do. Chris fears his sister might be used in all kinds of political games because her powers are so strong. And he is not wrong either. Unfortunately, Rosemary is extremely stupid and only causes a lot of problems.
The mystery itself wasn't that spectacular but made for a nice read. The writing was very good but it was the world that really made me enjoy the book and look forward to the next book (despite Faraday).
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
The Deathsniffer's Assistant brings you a good, old crime to solve in an alternate magical 19th Century England setting. Chris, as a Wordweaver (someone who can put down words very fast, and is looked down upon by everyone), can't find a job to support his little sister except with the eccentric Deathsniffer Faraday.
I say eccentric, but basically she is a jerk. And while there are certainly characters you love to hate, she isn't one of them. At times she seems unpleasant just for the sake of it, and I felt sorry for Chris and the other characters that they have to deal with her on a regular base. At least I can close the book and be done with it.
The world was truly fascinating though. There are magical creatures that are used to power machines, light lights and everything. Those are kept working by the socalled Spiritbinders, of which Chris' sister is secretly one. Everyone is assigned a talent and those decide the rest of their lives, but basically what work they'll do. Chris fears his sister might be used in all kinds of political games because her powers are so strong. And he is not wrong either. Unfortunately, Rosemary is extremely stupid and only causes a lot of problems.
The mystery itself wasn't that spectacular but made for a nice read. The writing was very good but it was the world that really made me enjoy the book and look forward to the next book (despite Faraday).
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
First. This is a great book, it kept me hooked through the entire book (I wavered a little after I figured out the killer, but wanted to see how it played out).
Olivia is such a wonderful character. a great change on the Holmes trope. If anything, the POV felt, at times, a bit weak. His heroes journey was a bit forced too.
The mystery itself was great, although I feel McIntyre wrote herself into a corner toward the end of the second act where she pointed a light on the killer by forcing the characters not to think of them in their investigations.
Love the magic system, fits the setting very well. Can't wait to see more of the world!
Olivia is such a wonderful character. a great change on the Holmes trope. If anything, the POV felt, at times, a bit weak. His heroes journey was a bit forced too.
The mystery itself was great, although I feel McIntyre wrote herself into a corner toward the end of the second act where she pointed a light on the killer by forcing the characters not to think of them in their investigations.
Love the magic system, fits the setting very well. Can't wait to see more of the world!
Deathsniffer's Assistant is a book I picked because the title sounded interesting and because steampunk. I admit I am a bit judgmental by not having too many expectations from a writer's first published book, but this time I wasn't right and my expectations were exceeded.
The fantastic and steampunk element is represented entirely by Hermeticism that had a great influence during Renaissance and later during the Protestant Reformation. The writer makes a great job at keeping the feeling of that time in architecture of the buildings, clothing, manners, music and so on, therefore the fantastic and realism binds together in a delicious cake of a book.
The main characters are Chris and Olivia, no need for more spoilers and their form and spirit are quite interesting and well made. Both have an apparent shell that hide their true personality which will be discovered during many adventurous events. Chris's shell is made by manners, they are his friends, his shield, his weakness and his charm. Beneath lies an emotional, loving and powerful young man. Olivia's carapace is her arrogance, smugness and impertinence. If you want an approximate image of her imagine a mash-up of House (from the TV show with the same name), Sherlock Holmes and Jessica Fletcher (from TV show "Murder, she wrote"). You just can't not love her. Under her shell is a hardworking and lonely woman and other things I won't spoil.
The book starts with the 3rd person stock narrator ",but wait, there is more!" After the Prologue the writer is using Chris as a surrogate narrator, not because it is his story but because it's best to use his well-mannered mind to uncover Olivia's character in the way you unwrap a candy, expectantly for the sweet. In some places the writer slips the perspective in the eyes of Olivia, but discreetly and only for shortly; plays "hot potato" with narrator's perspective ("Olivia was like a pocket watch wound and wound and wound until every gear inside was creaking and straining and beginning to be released. This staccato clok clok clok of the palfrey's hooves made her flinch with every iteration" - maybe not the best example)
Other thing I liked was the way she was playing with the young man, like a cat with a mouse, but luring the mouse in a net of yarn threads. She is a complex character that has a sum of qualities and also weaknesses and more often she is losing but this doesn’t break her spirit.
What I truly appreciated and loved was the female role in that society. Only things that made the difference between men and women was clothing and some manners&etiquette. No woman was sexualized. There were male and females officers, male and female detectives, male and female doctors, male and female murderers, male and female prostitutes. Female were powerful and held authority by their own merits and not by belittling all men around, and being respected for that by both men and women. I want to live in that kind of society.
I want to give credit for a specific antagonist, one small thorn that was almost unnoticeable but made me rage. In the middle of the plot I was so involved in the action, the mystery was unraveled by putting pieces together like a castle made of cards. Then this little $&!@ came and took a card from the base; instant rage. It isn't for now a plot changing character but he's so off-putting in my mind.I hope he's castrated and dies in pain in the next books.
The single "con" thing I could find in the book is the flow of the story. All goes well and smoothly and at some point all actors (narrator and characters alike) come to a stop. It gave me the feeling of a theatre play where the actors forgot their lines and whisper to the Prompters "Line…!" then after a clumsy 1-2 paragraphs the story has his flow back.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and look forward for the next book (the writer said on twitter the draft is already finished, we wait for it to get published).
For the people who doesn't have the patience to read my blabber I have some key words: steampunk, hermeticism, complex characters, female lead, crime, mystery.
The fantastic and steampunk element is represented entirely by Hermeticism that had a great influence during Renaissance and later during the Protestant Reformation. The writer makes a great job at keeping the feeling of that time in architecture of the buildings, clothing, manners, music and so on, therefore the fantastic and realism binds together in a delicious cake of a book.
The main characters are Chris and Olivia, no need for more spoilers and their form and spirit are quite interesting and well made. Both have an apparent shell that hide their true personality which will be discovered during many adventurous events. Chris's shell is made by manners, they are his friends, his shield, his weakness and his charm. Beneath lies an emotional, loving and powerful young man. Olivia's carapace is her arrogance, smugness and impertinence. If you want an approximate image of her imagine a mash-up of House (from the TV show with the same name), Sherlock Holmes and Jessica Fletcher (from TV show "Murder, she wrote"). You just can't not love her. Under her shell is a hardworking and lonely woman and other things I won't spoil.
The book starts with the 3rd person stock narrator ",but wait, there is more!" After the Prologue the writer is using Chris as a surrogate narrator, not because it is his story but because it's best to use his well-mannered mind to uncover Olivia's character in the way you unwrap a candy, expectantly for the sweet. In some places the writer slips the perspective in the eyes of Olivia, but discreetly and only for shortly; plays "hot potato" with narrator's perspective ("Olivia was like a pocket watch wound and wound and wound until every gear inside was creaking and straining and beginning to be released. This staccato clok clok clok of the palfrey's hooves made her flinch with every iteration" - maybe not the best example)
Other thing I liked was the way she was playing with the young man, like a cat with a mouse, but luring the mouse in a net of yarn threads. She is a complex character that has a sum of qualities and also weaknesses and more often she is losing but this doesn’t break her spirit.
What I truly appreciated and loved was the female role in that society. Only things that made the difference between men and women was clothing and some manners&etiquette. No woman was sexualized. There were male and females officers, male and female detectives, male and female doctors, male and female murderers, male and female prostitutes. Female were powerful and held authority by their own merits and not by belittling all men around, and being respected for that by both men and women. I want to live in that kind of society.
I want to give credit for a specific antagonist, one small thorn that was almost unnoticeable but made me rage. In the middle of the plot I was so involved in the action, the mystery was unraveled by putting pieces together like a castle made of cards. Then this little $&!@ came and took a card from the base; instant rage. It isn't for now a plot changing character but he's so off-putting in my mind.
The single "con" thing I could find in the book is the flow of the story. All goes well and smoothly and at some point all actors (narrator and characters alike) come to a stop. It gave me the feeling of a theatre play where the actors forgot their lines and whisper to the Prompters "Line…!" then after a clumsy 1-2 paragraphs the story has his flow back.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and look forward for the next book (the writer said on twitter the draft is already finished, we wait for it to get published).
For the people who doesn't have the patience to read my blabber I have some key words: steampunk, hermeticism, complex characters, female lead, crime, mystery.
4.5 Stars
I really liked this, it was a strange steampunk with fairy vibes.
It was cheeky and interesting, there was not much world building but it was a great read and the mystery was quite thrilling.
I really liked this, it was a strange steampunk with fairy vibes.
It was cheeky and interesting, there was not much world building but it was a great read and the mystery was quite thrilling.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My second time reading this and I'm still struggling with what to say about it...
As a mystery novel, I think it hits pretty decently. There's a revolving door of suspects, one murder after another, and keeps you (or at least me) guessing as to who the culprit is till very near the end. I was less sold on it as a fantasy book, seeing as how the world isn't very well-explained. It's basically the opposite of info-dumping, in which we are given barely any information to work with, and what we are given is in the form of words and names and past events that are never (or not until much much later in the book) given any sort of context. I think the world-building could be interesting and good, but it needed more depth to it and history explained to make it so. It almost feels like a second or third book, as things are mentioned and it's assumed that you have any idea what any of it means.
The book is just shy of 450 pages, which is quite a lot, and in this book's case, I'm not sure it needed to be, especially since none of that is spent building the world. Could have used some editing here and there to slim it down some.
Chris can be a bit dull, but at the same time, he's got enough personality to make him somewhat relatable. He seems a bit resentful of having been left in charge of a dying estate, guardian to a younger sister, and living with a whole lot less of comfort than he was previously used to prior to the untimely death of his parents. He's forced to get a job with a deathsniffer, and as you can imagine, those jobs aren't highly prized, but they will pay the bills. He's not too sure of himself in a lot of regards but at the end of the day, really just wants to keep his sister safe.
Olivia strongly smacks of a female Sherlock - her eccentricates, her brassness, her relationship with the police force, her manic phrases followed by blank somewhat depressive episodes, etc. She could amuse me at times, and I liked seeing her soften up slightly by the end of the book, mostly towards Chris.
Not sure I'll continue with the series, as I read some reviews for the next books and I'm not sure they're my cup of tea.
As a mystery novel, I think it hits pretty decently. There's a revolving door of suspects, one murder after another, and keeps you (or at least me) guessing as to who the culprit is till very near the end. I was less sold on it as a fantasy book, seeing as how the world isn't very well-explained. It's basically the opposite of info-dumping, in which we are given barely any information to work with, and what we are given is in the form of words and names and past events that are never (or not until much much later in the book) given any sort of context. I think the world-building could be interesting and good, but it needed more depth to it and history explained to make it so. It almost feels like a second or third book, as things are mentioned and it's assumed that you have any idea what any of it means.
The book is just shy of 450 pages, which is quite a lot, and in this book's case, I'm not sure it needed to be, especially since none of that is spent building the world. Could have used some editing here and there to slim it down some.
Chris can be a bit dull, but at the same time, he's got enough personality to make him somewhat relatable. He seems a bit resentful of having been left in charge of a dying estate, guardian to a younger sister, and living with a whole lot less of comfort than he was previously used to prior to the untimely death of his parents. He's forced to get a job with a deathsniffer, and as you can imagine, those jobs aren't highly prized, but they will pay the bills. He's not too sure of himself in a lot of regards but at the end of the day, really just wants to keep his sister safe.
Olivia strongly smacks of a female Sherlock - her eccentricates, her brassness, her relationship with the police force, her manic phrases followed by blank somewhat depressive episodes, etc. She could amuse me at times, and I liked seeing her soften up slightly by the end of the book, mostly towards Chris.
Not sure I'll continue with the series, as I read some reviews for the next books and I'm not sure they're my cup of tea.
This novel had excellent ratings but I really had to push myself to get through it. The concept was really interesting. It was an alternate universe where everyone is categorized and have special talents. They also trap spirits and creatures to work for them. However they did not spend long explaining everything and it was confusing. The novel would have been so much better if they went into detail. The heart of the novel is about Chis who goes to work for a deathsniffer who tries to find murderers. A wealthy art patron has died and his wife has hired them to find his murder. On top of helping to solve this murder he also has to protect his sister who turns out to have wizarding skills. This novel had so much promise and I was just really let down.
Leaden prose, a thin plot spread over far too many pages, tacked-on hackneyed fantasy elements, and a world populated with supposedly adult characters that behave and speak like teenagers. A tedious chore to get through.