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A review by slawler
The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
4.0
This magical realism romp through 1980s Bath, England is a fun and easy read. It has been some years since I read the first in this series (The Left-Handed Booksellers of London) and while I was able to get along with this next adventure, I was missing some plot details and minor character references from the previous novel. I would definitely recommend reading the two books in quicker succession to keep the details fresh.
The 1980s setting was very vibrantly described, and the historic references to other eras were one of the highlights of the book. My biggest critique is that this novel relies heavily on the characterization in the previous novel. There's a lot of action and the new plot develops quickly, but the characters didn't shine the way they did in the first installment. Reading the two books more closely together would probably solve this as well. I also would have liked to see Susan and Merlin's relationship develop more. I did enjoy seeing Susan's power develop and how she chose to react to her changing identity.
The 1980s setting was very vibrantly described, and the historic references to other eras were one of the highlights of the book. My biggest critique is that this novel relies heavily on the characterization in the previous novel. There's a lot of action and the new plot develops quickly, but the characters didn't shine the way they did in the first installment. Reading the two books more closely together would probably solve this as well. I also would have liked to see Susan and Merlin's relationship develop more. I did enjoy seeing Susan's power develop and how she chose to react to her changing identity.