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A review by waywardskyril
The Reanimator's Soul by Kara Jorgensen
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
The Reanimator's Soul brings such a depth of complicated human emotions to a world full of common politics and uncommon magics. In addition to Oliver and Felipe's burgeoning relationship, family problems, and the new murder mystery that falls in their laps, this book also introduces Oliver's infamous ex. There's so much going in this story. It's smart. It's complex. And it's so good.
There are a lot of things I enjoy about this story, but at the forefront of all of them is how real Oliver and Felipe feel as people - their emotions, their anxieties, their needs, and their struggles to balance life and work. They’re fully structured characters, not only in the present, but with pasts that haunt them.
While this story progressed Oliver and Felipe’s interpersonal relationship beautifully, it also built upon the characters individually from the first book and gave us growth and more insight into relationships outside of their bubble, all while handling a complicated case that shows off more of the magical community and of prejudices both inside and outside that community.
There’s so much packed into The Reanimator’s Soul that I haven’t even glossed over in this review, that the book feels much longer than it is - in the best way possible. It’s loaded with questions and answers, pain and comfort, buried pasts and stoking futures, and frankly, it’s a whole lot of bang for your buck. To me, it’s a book to sit down with and savor, consume with a mug of your favorite hot beverage and slip into this magical past where two men struggle to solve a crime much bigger than it seems while dealing with past lovers, present family drama, and their feelings for each other.
It’s a great, well-written book that honors what was created in the first novel builds upon it. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a lush, urban fantasy murder mystery with a queer romance, especially if you’re looking for an autistic main character. This won’t disappoint.
There are a lot of things I enjoy about this story, but at the forefront of all of them is how real Oliver and Felipe feel as people - their emotions, their anxieties, their needs, and their struggles to balance life and work. They’re fully structured characters, not only in the present, but with pasts that haunt them.
While this story progressed Oliver and Felipe’s interpersonal relationship beautifully, it also built upon the characters individually from the first book and gave us growth and more insight into relationships outside of their bubble, all while handling a complicated case that shows off more of the magical community and of prejudices both inside and outside that community.
There’s so much packed into The Reanimator’s Soul that I haven’t even glossed over in this review, that the book feels much longer than it is - in the best way possible. It’s loaded with questions and answers, pain and comfort, buried pasts and stoking futures, and frankly, it’s a whole lot of bang for your buck. To me, it’s a book to sit down with and savor, consume with a mug of your favorite hot beverage and slip into this magical past where two men struggle to solve a crime much bigger than it seems while dealing with past lovers, present family drama, and their feelings for each other.
It’s a great, well-written book that honors what was created in the first novel builds upon it. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a lush, urban fantasy murder mystery with a queer romance, especially if you’re looking for an autistic main character. This won’t disappoint.