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blamelucy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I listened to the audio book and really liked it. I was intrigued by the morally ambiguous protagonist, how his relationships with those around him are so complex despite his constant first person instance that they are shallow puddles, and how class / influence are portrayed.
I like that not only is the protagonist morally ambiguous, he also neither claims to know it all or nothing at all, making him an incredibly accurate representation of a realistic person. Dressed up in the uniform personality he tries to impress on himself and on the world around him, Arnold’s first person narrative lets the reader see though the cracks in his character’s outer shell in a way that even the character himself would perhaps not have not even realised were there.
This work has produced a hum of unconscious attention from me that has been lacking in my reads for the past several months.
I like that not only is the protagonist morally ambiguous, he also neither claims to know it all or nothing at all, making him an incredibly accurate representation of a realistic person. Dressed up in the uniform personality he tries to impress on himself and on the world around him, Arnold’s first person narrative lets the reader see though the cracks in his character’s outer shell in a way that even the character himself would perhaps not have not even realised were there.
This work has produced a hum of unconscious attention from me that has been lacking in my reads for the past several months.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Self harm, Violence, and War
Minor: Hate crime, Terminal illness, and Suicide attempt
cammarty404's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
An excellent debut from Luke Arnold. It blends the familiarity and nostalgia of old noir detective stories with the excitement and novelty of a world shaped by magic and fantasy. Looking forward to continuing the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism
maybephasing's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Drug use, and Suicide
Minor: War
crows_in_a_trenchcoat's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Minor: Death of parent and War
cheye13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- 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? Yes
4.0
This was a very unique and interesting story. I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, but it does a lot of heavy lifting world-building-wise that I figure sets up the following books well.
It's a bit slower than I would like. There's a story-within-the-story of Fetch's history and personal role in the current state of the world that is entirely predictable and drawn out, breaking up the action (and perhaps drudgery) of his current case. Those segments do a lot to slow the pace of the story, but also a lot to inform characters, relationships, and the world, both current and past. A lot of the character development and case breakthroughs are heavy-handed, but in a way I don't mind – I read this more as a fantasy than an actual mystery, and given the dips in pacing, I appreciated certain moments being so straightforward.
The shining gem of this story is the noir tone. So many projects pitch a take on noir and then don't follow through, either falling short of the tone or approaching with irony. The fantasy direction lets this typical jaded P.I. narrate genuinely through his hopelessness while keeping things fresh and intriguing for the audience. A wonderfully unique premise that follows through!
It's a bit slower than I would like. There's a story-within-the-story of Fetch's history and personal role in the current state of the world that is entirely predictable and drawn out, breaking up the action (and perhaps drudgery) of his current case. Those segments do a lot to slow the pace of the story, but also a lot to inform characters, relationships, and the world, both current and past. A lot of the character development and case breakthroughs are heavy-handed, but in a way I don't mind – I read this more as a fantasy than an actual mystery, and given the dips in pacing, I appreciated certain moments being so straightforward.
The shining gem of this story is the noir tone. So many projects pitch a take on noir and then don't follow through, either falling short of the tone or approaching with irony. The fantasy direction lets this typical jaded P.I. narrate genuinely through his hopelessness while keeping things fresh and intriguing for the audience. A wonderfully unique premise that follows through!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, and War
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Genocide, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Like a lot of fantasy, there is prejudice between fantasy races that, while not a direct allegory, may be close enough to certain real world issues (racism, homophobia, misogyny, etc.) as to warrant caution. Also of note: a natural disaster and instance of drowning occur.
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