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sassmistress's review against another edition
4.25
I really enjoyed this read for myself, except for the occasional annoying content concern. It was unique and exciting, with some funny turns. The (adult, female, competent professional) MC loves her books and tea, but bravely faces adventure for her beloved Library, the collector of important works of literature from countless alternate dimensions. This does sometimes involve burgling the book in question.
This book draws inspiration from detective fiction, steampunk (/magic punk?), Fae lore, and a little of that Douglas Adams wit. We've got airships and stagecoaches juxtaposed with werewolves and glamour and eldritch horror. And also cybernetic alligators đ Such things are the result of a world falling prey to the forces of chaos.
Nonstop action, fantastic magic system, terrifying bad guys. To avoid spoilers, I'll be really vague here, but the book climaxes with some spot on, breathtaking imagery of the ultimate fate of evil.
Lots of magic,and I'm a sucker for a good magic system. The Librarians use The Language to make things happen (with limitations, if you can tell the object to do something in the Language, it'll happen. They have to study vocab regularly). Fae are universally bad and use chaos magic. The two are incompatible. Tech imbued with magic in this world, that part's pretty vague.
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Confinement, Car accident, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Gun violence, Medical content, Cursing, and Sexism
Sexual content: (fairly quick, minor for adult sensibilities, and earlier in the book): - Fae attempt to seduce the MC. "[the smile] was inviting, somehow suggesting darkness and candlelight and closeness, a catch in the breath, a warm hand in hers, a pressure against her body..."Â And she shakes it off. More murmuring close to lips, description trying to sound enchanting. - Work partner invites the MC to sleep with him. She declines because there's work to do and he's "not her type". Which, apparently, is "darkly dangerous, of dubious morality." Both brag in vague terms about their sexual prowess. Later ogles his fancy outfit and wonders whether she regrets declining. - MC is bisexual, not central to the plot but it comes up several times. Brief consideration of "which way" a potential antagonist "swings", passing thought about using the intern as a honeypot, and several oblique references to the MC's past fling with another woman. - One or two other instances of passionate admiration, steamy but not very spicy visual appreciation, calls him "intoxicating" for being unguarded đ - Later, just attempts by the MC to avoid showing too much leg while maneuvering in her long skirt. Spiritual content: - "It was at times like this that Irene really wished she believed in prayer." - "There was something fascinating about the pure, focused dedication that [her mentee] gave the caviar: it seemed to somehow elevate the little black grains into something holy, even divine. ".... Other: - Gory descriptions of burnt skin, oozing wounds, exposed bone, the scene of a beheading, and the bad guy skinned a person and used it as a disguise. They found the skin and it's highlighted as gruesome. - Discarded cigars and cigarettes in the aftermath of a party. - Sinking vehicle trigger:jackie_marion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Alcohol, and Gore
nottooscarythanks'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
4.5
Graphic: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
philosopher_kj's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Cursing, Alcohol, and Sexual content
abbey_ford's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
mattiedancer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
- Fans of fantasy mixed with sci-fi
- Fans of complex fantasy worlds
- Fans of characters who love (or live in) academia
- Lovers of books and fantasy novels
- Someone looking for a new, unique read and isnât afraid of a complex world state.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Murder, Gore, Gun violence, Car accident, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence
Minor: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, and Animal death
julesh28's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Manchmal finde ich die Ăbersetzung etwas dĂźrftig. Das macht denn teilweise wirren/umständlichen Schreibstil nicht gerade verständlicher.
Wie dieses Weltensystem konzipiert ist, finde ich jedoch total interessant. Ich bin gespannt, noch weiter eingefßhrt zu werden. Manchmal ist es mir aber alles etwas zu abstrakt und ich hätte gerne mehr Erklärung.
Ansonsten war der Roman aber an einigen Stellen wirklich ausgesprochen lustig, was ihn durchaus lesenswert gemacht hat. Des Weiteren ist er sehr anschaulich geschrieben und das Leseereignis hat sich angefĂźhlt, als wĂźrde ich auf eine Fahrt mitgenommen.
Insgesamt kann ich es empfehlen, aber nur an Menschen, die ausgesprochen gerne lesen und viel Leseerfahrung haben. Ich denke, Leseneulinge hätten keinen Spaà an dem Buch.
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Meine Lieblingsanmerkung zu dem Buch:
S.194: Imagine, n paar Alligatoren stßrmen deine Mittelalter-Fete, du versucht sie mir deinen Elfenkräften zu besiegen, scheiterst und ne gefßhlt 100 jährige Lady sagt, sie hätte lieber ihre Pistole mitbringen sollen, als wäre es das Normalste der Welt, dass die Liechtensteiner Gesellschaft gerade Alligatoren schickt
(Die Stelle repräsentiert gut, wie wirr und zeitlich funny dieser Roman ist.)
Graphic: Blood, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexism
katievallin's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Gun violence, Murder, Body horror, Blood, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Racism, Violence, Car accident, Death, and Gore
Minor: Sexism, Sexual content, and Stalking
bethanycrowepowell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Death, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death and Ableism
Pivots quickly from intellectual banter to excruciating magical effects and squicky dead body things. Not overly detailed, but runs the darker side of "fantasy violence".jesswp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Moderate: Racism