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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Difficulty keeping track of characters, and too many threads to a mystery I ended up not feeling enthusiastic enough about to read 500 pages.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Excellent read
4.5 really enjoyed this book. The writing was excellent with bold use of language. The characters are fantastically bizarre and well developed and the story just kept on rolling. About to purchase the sequel.
4.5 really enjoyed this book. The writing was excellent with bold use of language. The characters are fantastically bizarre and well developed and the story just kept on rolling. About to purchase the sequel.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
This is superweird - a bit too far down the fantasy route for me - but it's clever, well-written and interesting. It's not quite what I was expecting - I got it from an if you like x then y from Ben Aaronovitch and it's much more hard fantasy magical (I think that's the right term) than the Rivers of London series are. So I think it depends on how much of a fantasy reader you are...
Rotherweird reveals its intricately crafted secrets slowly over the course of this novel. A mixture of magic realism and historic fiction. Rotherweird is a fictional town that exists in a very real version of England.
Our stories starts in 1558 where a group or children, all born at the same time and with incredibly gifted intellect, are smuggled out of London to prevent their deaths as the reigning Queen believes them to be demons. The children are spirited to Rotherweird Manor, a remote area in the countryside, under the kind and warm tutelage of Henry Grassal. The children are keen learners but one of the harbours dark and disturbing intent.
Fast forward to the present and the town of Rotherweird that has sprung around the manor. The towns eccentric but highly intelligent inhabitants are fairly hostile to outsiders, although on slightly friendly terms with the local countrysiders. Rotherweird Manor has stood empty for years and there is a ban on learning or seeking out any knowledge of the past. Their school history teachers are forbidden to teach anything local or before 1880. When their outsider history teacher breaks these rules and disappears from Rotherweird, a new one is chosen in his place - Jonah Oblong. But arriving to this strange town at the same time is one Sir Veronal Slickstone, who using his money and influence has been given the right to live and renovate the old manor. Both of them are seeking to uncover Rotherweirds secrets, but to what end?
The writing is finely crafted and clever, it manages to perfectly balance comedy, history and tragedy. The settings are lush and imaginative. The characters are all warm and unique, with their own individual eccentricities. The names of the characters are also wonderfully quirky (Jonah Oblong, Rhombus Smith, Mayor Snorkel and Mrs Banter to name a few) the only downsides I'd say is there are times when the plot drags and the pacing is patchy in places. There's times when I couldn't stop turning the pages but just as many times when I began to lose interest. The author was previously a playwright which might explain some of these issues and I'm hoping these will be ironed out with the rest of the series. Overall it was enjoyable if you can pull yourself through the slower and clunky areas.
Our stories starts in 1558 where a group or children, all born at the same time and with incredibly gifted intellect, are smuggled out of London to prevent their deaths as the reigning Queen believes them to be demons. The children are spirited to Rotherweird Manor, a remote area in the countryside, under the kind and warm tutelage of Henry Grassal. The children are keen learners but one of the harbours dark and disturbing intent.
Fast forward to the present and the town of Rotherweird that has sprung around the manor. The towns eccentric but highly intelligent inhabitants are fairly hostile to outsiders, although on slightly friendly terms with the local countrysiders. Rotherweird Manor has stood empty for years and there is a ban on learning or seeking out any knowledge of the past. Their school history teachers are forbidden to teach anything local or before 1880. When their outsider history teacher breaks these rules and disappears from Rotherweird, a new one is chosen in his place - Jonah Oblong. But arriving to this strange town at the same time is one Sir Veronal Slickstone, who using his money and influence has been given the right to live and renovate the old manor. Both of them are seeking to uncover Rotherweirds secrets, but to what end?
The writing is finely crafted and clever, it manages to perfectly balance comedy, history and tragedy. The settings are lush and imaginative. The characters are all warm and unique, with their own individual eccentricities. The names of the characters are also wonderfully quirky (Jonah Oblong, Rhombus Smith, Mayor Snorkel and Mrs Banter to name a few) the only downsides I'd say is there are times when the plot drags and the pacing is patchy in places. There's times when I couldn't stop turning the pages but just as many times when I began to lose interest. The author was previously a playwright which might explain some of these issues and I'm hoping these will be ironed out with the rest of the series. Overall it was enjoyable if you can pull yourself through the slower and clunky areas.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No