A review by quasinaut
The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I have such a mixed reaction to this book. Personally, I like that it returned to the world introduced in Unnatural Magic, but it could be confusing or off-putting for someone who picked up this book without having read the earlier book, especially since it's easy to miss that they're at all related. 

Overall, I feel like this story had its moments but could have benefited from more editing to tighten up the story and flesh out the characters. Sometimes the characters' actions felt too ill-conceived and/or conveniently timed to advance the plot. The accents and slang helped establish the world but at times veered into being heavy-handed and confusing. The intrigue wrapped up surprisingly quickly -- I kept expecting something to go wrong, or an earlier character to reappear, or someone to actually be working for the other side. 

I look forward to seeing what C. M. Waggoner writes next. Even if this one had a few moments that missed the mark, I quite enjoyed getting more adventures in this world!
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