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cillefish's review against another edition
3.0
Quirky and enjoyable, but sometimes the same breezy attitude that makes it amusing bleeds off some of the authenticity. For example: A water sprite who doesn't like the outdoors? A career coterie-killer who's pretty OK overall with hanging out with these folks when it's necessary?
On the one hand, I liked the idea that supernatural beings are just everyday folks with gas bills and day jobs and the same, scrambled human desires for security and change. But on the other hand, the "they're a lot like us" approach robs them of a lot of their oomph. Overall this book had freshness and verve, but I often wished Lafferty would delve deeper into what it is to be these people instead of just how the human characters perceived them.
On the one hand, I liked the idea that supernatural beings are just everyday folks with gas bills and day jobs and the same, scrambled human desires for security and change. But on the other hand, the "they're a lot like us" approach robs them of a lot of their oomph. Overall this book had freshness and verve, but I often wished Lafferty would delve deeper into what it is to be these people instead of just how the human characters perceived them.
gamercow's review against another edition
4.0
Great urban fantasy with characters you won't forget anytime soon. In addition to strong characters, Ms. Lafferty has built a world that made me start looking at the cities I visit in a very different light. I can't wait for further installments in this universe.
asfaltsblommor's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
des918's review
5.0
such an original story and i love all the different types of coterie. great book cant wait to read the next one
davidleeholcomb's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
madqueen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-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
3.75
golden_lilies's review against another edition
4.0
Read This Review & More Like It At Ageless Pages Reviews
Spunky girl writer accidentally gets hired to write a humorous book for a subculture she never knew existed, while solving a mystery before the end of the world. Plus obligatory romance.
I just described one of my lowest rated books of 2012 and one of my favorite of 2013.
What makes The Shambling Guide to New York City so great is it never loses that humorous part. It doesn’t take an underground publishing company run by a vampire, a zombie, and an incubus too seriously. Or seriously at all. It’s definitely a book that requires suspension of disbelief.
Zoe, a human, stumbles into a coterie, (that would be the politically correct term for monsters and magical beings,) bookstore. That probably shouldn’t happen, but we’re not going to worry about it. She finds a flyer for editor of a new publishing company. Convenient, considering she JUST left an editing job and is looking for work in the field! The head of the company is there and none too impressed by her “breathing” and “having a heartbeat”. Still, she manages to land the gig and dives right into learning about a world that’s been hiding in plain sight.
TSGtNYC doesn’t dwell on the absurdity of its plot, and neither should you. It’s fun. It takes a new, interesting look at some well known mythologies, (I liked the idea of zombies being functioning when they’re full and feral when they’re hungry,) and introduces some not-so well known ones. Sure the vampires are pretty standard, along with the fae, but seeing them all interact in a business setting remains delightful.
The world building is pretty spectacular, with most of NYC’s famous landmarks being reimagined as mystical symbols. For example, the Statue of Liberty? Sarcophagus for an ancient demon. The book focuses mostly on hiding in plain sight, though there are a few magically-hidden portals to the rats’ nest of tunnels used by coterie cabbies. Fair folk can take advantage of the boom of veg*an restaurants, while those that feed on human emotions can just sit near the hipsters. Incubus and succubus enjoy a wide variety of strip and sex clubs, including the setting of the only hard-R scene, (keeping the book firmly out of the YA section.)
I will say, using the homeless as a network of spies for the government felt odd and a little tacky. Same with the mystical but “crazy” homeless mentor. I think it’s supposed to be a commentary about how homeless people are everywhere and no one notices them, just like the coterie, but when it’s a real issue that affects 50,000 people in NYC alone? Kind of makes my fun fantasy about water sprites and death goddesses less fun.
The end fell down a bit with eleventh-hour powers and confusing action sequences. There are passages that needed to be read multiple times, and even then I’m not sure they really made sense. Still, I thought it was a very strong, entertaining book.
Obviously the coterie are the most interesting characters and I LOVED Morgen, Fanny, and Gwen. Granny Good Mae has an amazing backstory that I’d love to learn more about. Likewise, can Orsen, the retired vampire hunter, and Benjamin, his doctor/semi-retired Zoetist, (Life-creators. Raisers of zombies and golems,) husband get their own wacky spin off? Because I will pay good money for that. The romance didn’t set my soul on fire, but with a sweet, spunky main character and a lot of...diverse side characters, I highly recommend you don’t overthink it and just give it a try.
Spunky girl writer accidentally gets hired to write a humorous book for a subculture she never knew existed, while solving a mystery before the end of the world. Plus obligatory romance.
I just described one of my lowest rated books of 2012 and one of my favorite of 2013.
What makes The Shambling Guide to New York City so great is it never loses that humorous part. It doesn’t take an underground publishing company run by a vampire, a zombie, and an incubus too seriously. Or seriously at all. It’s definitely a book that requires suspension of disbelief.
Zoe, a human, stumbles into a coterie, (that would be the politically correct term for monsters and magical beings,) bookstore. That probably shouldn’t happen, but we’re not going to worry about it. She finds a flyer for editor of a new publishing company. Convenient, considering she JUST left an editing job and is looking for work in the field! The head of the company is there and none too impressed by her “breathing” and “having a heartbeat”. Still, she manages to land the gig and dives right into learning about a world that’s been hiding in plain sight.
TSGtNYC doesn’t dwell on the absurdity of its plot, and neither should you. It’s fun. It takes a new, interesting look at some well known mythologies, (I liked the idea of zombies being functioning when they’re full and feral when they’re hungry,) and introduces some not-so well known ones. Sure the vampires are pretty standard, along with the fae, but seeing them all interact in a business setting remains delightful.
The world building is pretty spectacular, with most of NYC’s famous landmarks being reimagined as mystical symbols. For example, the Statue of Liberty? Sarcophagus for an ancient demon. The book focuses mostly on hiding in plain sight, though there are a few magically-hidden portals to the rats’ nest of tunnels used by coterie cabbies. Fair folk can take advantage of the boom of veg*an restaurants, while those that feed on human emotions can just sit near the hipsters. Incubus and succubus enjoy a wide variety of strip and sex clubs, including the setting of the only hard-R scene, (keeping the book firmly out of the YA section.)
I will say, using the homeless as a network of spies for the government felt odd and a little tacky. Same with the mystical but “crazy” homeless mentor. I think it’s supposed to be a commentary about how homeless people are everywhere and no one notices them, just like the coterie, but when it’s a real issue that affects 50,000 people in NYC alone? Kind of makes my fun fantasy about water sprites and death goddesses less fun.
The end fell down a bit with eleventh-hour powers and confusing action sequences. There are passages that needed to be read multiple times, and even then I’m not sure they really made sense.
Spoiler
Morgen’s maybe-death read very difficulty for me. Not only was the action hard to parse, but because there was no break or mourning, I was confused on whether she was with the group or not for the remainder of the battle.Obviously the coterie are the most interesting characters and I LOVED Morgen, Fanny, and Gwen. Granny Good Mae has an amazing backstory that I’d love to learn more about. Likewise, can Orsen, the retired vampire hunter, and Benjamin, his doctor/semi-retired Zoetist, (Life-creators. Raisers of zombies and golems,) husband get their own wacky spin off? Because I will pay good money for that. The romance didn’t set my soul on fire, but with a sweet, spunky main character and a lot of...diverse side characters, I highly recommend you don’t overthink it and just give it a try.
meornithorynque's review against another edition
4.0
Well done, efficient, Entertaining, quite funny and all I want now is the next one!
pawact's review against another edition
4.0
Zoe, a travel writer running from a bad break up ends up broke in New York and looking for work. She comes across a flyer on a bulletin board in a decidedly odd bookshop. She answers the ad and it turns out that a vampire named Phil wants to put together a travel book for monsters (who here prefer to be called coterie). You know gods, goddesses, zombies, vampires, incubi. She is the only human on staff and she has to navigate harassment, skepticism and deal with the fact that half the staff would rather eat her than work with her.
The book starts off a bit slowly and stiffly as there is a lot of personal history and world building to cover and at first it seems a bit haphazard, but about a quarter of the way through, the threads begin to tighten and everything starts to come together. About half way through, you are on a rip roaring roller coaster of an adventure.
Lighthearted, fun and occasionally quite sexy with a female character whose strength grows with her confidence, The Shambling Guide to New York City is a smart, funny, heartfelt urban fantasy. Highly recommended
The book starts off a bit slowly and stiffly as there is a lot of personal history and world building to cover and at first it seems a bit haphazard, but about a quarter of the way through, the threads begin to tighten and everything starts to come together. About half way through, you are on a rip roaring roller coaster of an adventure.
Lighthearted, fun and occasionally quite sexy with a female character whose strength grows with her confidence, The Shambling Guide to New York City is a smart, funny, heartfelt urban fantasy. Highly recommended
oddgirlsmedia's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. If Buffy had to grow up and get a real job I feel like this would be a good fit for her.