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pkc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is one of the best books I’ve read in ages. I’m a sucker for books set in Edinburgh anyway, but this is a gothic masterpiece - there! I said it! It takes the theme of duality of man explored in Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ (full titles omitted for long term finger health) and digs deep into some of the more contemporary readings without feeling prescriptive and overtly scholarly. I don’t want to spoil anything about this book, but it’s really really good. The plot is excellent, so twisty, very gruesome. The writing as well is sublime. The descriptions of gothic Edinburgh with its woven in celtic history are oddly homely. I can’t explain it. There’s a warmth in the darkness of Russell’s Edinburgh. This book is a triumph.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Slavery, and War
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