Reviews

A Case of Possession by KJ Charles

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emilaroc's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

mary_soon_lee's review

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4.0

This is the second book in "A Charm of Magpies," a trilogy of short fantasy novels set in a version of Victorian England that contains magic. The books remind me a little of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes short stories, that sense of menace lurking in the London streets, and two men working to defeat it. However, these two men are considerably more intimate than Conan Doyle's portrayal of Holmes and Watson.

I had enjoyed book one ("The Magpie Lord") but not more than that, warming up to the characters without entirely liking them. With shelves of books waiting to be read, I picked up this one because I was in the mood for something short and undemanding. A diversion. To my surprise, it not only diverted but often delighted. I fell under the spell of the two chief characters, and was swept along from start to finish.

A few minor remarks. Firstly, Merrick, one of the supporting cast, was my favorite character in book one and remains a favorite this time round. Secondly, I'm not the intended reader for the erotic sex scenes, though I think they are well done. I do, however, very much like the moments of vulnerability and caring that are shown. Thirdly, the narrative voice is crisp, clear, pleasing. At times, it achieves a spare brilliance. Here, for instance, is a sentence I loved from chapter three: "He had played his part without hesitation, because Tom had been kind to him in a life that had been very bare of kindness, and because he was twenty-two and didn't expect to last to twenty-three."

I didn't expect this to be more than a diversion, but instead it delighted me. Highly recommended.

About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).

clarabell23's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

An excellent second instalment. Better than the first but both are great. The magic is very cool and the bond between the MCs is really nice. Exciting and fast paced.