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melanhoely's review against another edition
4.0
Written at 34.5%
At first I was bored while reading this book then things started to get interesting, and then a tragedy happened and I'm now crying like an infant. My favorite character in this entire freaking series is dead. From the very first time Andrew was introduced to us in the first book, I have loved him and was always a bit disappointed when he does not appear in some of the succeeding books; And now he's gone.
At first I was bored while reading this book then things started to get interesting, and then a tragedy happened and I'm now crying like an infant. My favorite character in this entire freaking series is dead. From the very first time Andrew was introduced to us in the first book, I have loved him and was always a bit disappointed when he does not appear in some of the succeeding books; And now he's gone.
mslaura's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as the earlier books in the Barker and Llewelyn series. One thing I have always loved about this series is the way the author stages his mysteries within a larger historical context, whether it be the Irish independence movement, the rise of Italian organized crime, or a supposed secret society of satanists. I have always come away with a greater understanding of the political and social climate of Victorian London. That element was sadly missing from this book. I didn't get the strong sense of setting that I have come to expect from this series, which was disappointing. This story could almost have been set anywhere. I will read the next book when it is published and hope that perhaps with this book the author just needed to get back into the swing of things after a 6 year hiatus from this series.
hsg's review against another edition
5.0
This may be my favorite of the Barker & Llewelyn series to date (it's #6). Cyrus Barker reconnects with his aristocratic nemesis Sebastian Nightwine for control of London and ultimately the location and possession of the mythical Shambalaa in Tibet. Nightwine has inexplicably found favor and immunity from past crimes with the British government and he knows every button to push with Barker. Nightwine is not content to curry favor with British officials; he sets out to blacken Barker's reputation for good. In response, Barker and his loyal young protege, Thomas Llewelyn, find themselves on the run across Victorian London and in a battle for their lives and freedom for crimes they did not commit. Barker's pre-London life in China is further revealed. Cyrus is a more vulnerable character here than in previous adventures but this allows Llewelyn to emerge as wittier and tougher than ever as Barker's right hand man. Atmospheric, witty, and so, so smart. A must read for fans of Historical Fiction!
*Special thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this as an ARE.
*Special thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this as an ARE.
stunoelle's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
truestorydesu's review
4.0
"Barker had not intimated in the two years I had known him that he had a brother" - except for that time in book 3 when Barker specifically mentioned going to Shanghai to look for his brother after their parents died. And how his brother fought with the Americans in the Taiping Rebellion. So...yeah, he did. Come on, Will Thomas!
Maybe Llewelyn just forgets shit...
Still no Mac/Llewelyn. I've got my fingers crossed. On to the next book!
Maybe Llewelyn just forgets shit...
Still no Mac/Llewelyn. I've got my fingers crossed. On to the next book!
heidig's review
5.0
This may be my favorite of the Barker & Llewelyn series to date (it's #6). Cyrus Barker reconnects with his aristocratic nemesis Sebastian Nightwine for control of London and ultimately the location and possession of the mythical Shambalaa in Tibet. Nightwine has inexplicably found favor and immunity from past crimes with the British government and he knows every button to push with Barker. Nightwine is not content to curry favor with British officials; he sets out to blacken Barker's reputation for good. In response, Barker and his loyal young protege, Thomas Llewelyn, find themselves on the run across Victorian London and in a battle for their lives and freedom for crimes they did not commit. Barker's pre-London life in China is further revealed. Cyrus is a more vulnerable character here than in previous adventures but this allows Llewelyn to emerge as wittier and tougher than ever as Barker's right hand man. Atmospheric, witty, and so, so smart. A must read for fans of Historical Fiction!
*Special thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this as an ARE.
*Special thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this as an ARE.
vkemp's review
4.0
The best part of a Barker and Llewelyn novel is the sense of time and place. These books are firmly set in Victorian London and these men are products of their time. Thomas Llewelyn is a failed scholar, once imprisoned for stealing and Cyrus Barker is a private enquiry agent with a mysterious past in the exotic Far East. Sebastian Nightwine, Barker's mortal enemy, appears in London, under the protection of the Crown. Barker is frustrated by Nightwine's ability to pull the wool over everyone's eyes. Nightwine is accompanied by his daughter, Sofia Ilyanova, a beautiful girl he has trained to be an assassin. The battle is engaged. We learn a lot more about Barker's mysterious past, including the fact he has a brother. I hope I don't have to wait quite so long for the next installment.