Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by maralyne
A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A Drop of Corruption picks up some time after A Tainted Cup, with Din having served with Ana for several cases now, with a tired new attitude to go with it. Their latest case brings them to the Kingdom of Yarrow - a neighboring country that is slated to become a new Imperial province. What starts as a locked room murder of a Treasury official soon spins off into a much larger conspiracy, similar in scope to the previous book.
Where Din was eager and anxious to prove himself in the first book, in this one, he's used to the investigative routine and tired of it. I like the time skip and change in his character, because it gives him a lot of room to grow in this book. It also adds some humor to the way he handles Ana's eccentricities, especially when everyone else is usually horribly thrown off by Ana. Additionally, since I listened to the audiobook, I think the narrator brings a great voice to Din.
Another strong character that's instrumental to the story is Malo - the local Apoth Warden working with Din on the investigation. Malo is rough and provincial, and she and Din get along like a house on fire. The friendship they develop is one of my favorite parts of the book.
Plot-wise, this feels like a murder mystery thriller that poses some interesting questions about governance, imperialism, and corruption. The Kingdom of Yarrow signed a treaty almost a century ago allowing the Empire access to their lands and to absorb them as an official province at the end of the hundred year period. In the decades since, the Empire has established a sprawling apothetical compound in Yarrow that serves as the grave of the Leviathans. The Empire and the Kingdom of Yarrow have been uneasy bedfellows ever since. On one hand, the Empire is the colonizer - bringing their bio-technical might to the region and becoming a major employer and cultural influence. On the other hand, the Kingdom of Yarrow employs slavery and a strict social hierarchy that oppresses many. Yarrow itself and its nobility are not sympathetic entities, but the common folk are certainly sympathetic, Malo being chief amongst them. The story certainly does not side with the Kingdom of Yarrow, but I don't think it unilaterally tries to portray the Empire as the good guys either. Yet at least in the Empire, there is a chance for social mobility, and within the Empire, members of the Iudex, like Ana and Din, fight against internal corruption, which is portrayed as a constant threat. The personalization of the Empire's massive beaurocracy is fascinating, and I don't see it often enough in fantasy. Both books in the series so far serve to show how the Empire is made up of the all the little people and little choices snowballing to greater effects - both corrupt and virtuous.
I loved this book and its audio narration. It hit great notes with its pacing, characters, worldbuilding, and even some of its prose. I look forward to more Ana and Din mysteries!
Where Din was eager and anxious to prove himself in the first book, in this one, he's used to the investigative routine and tired of it. I like the time skip and change in his character, because it gives him a lot of room to grow in this book. It also adds some humor to the way he handles Ana's eccentricities, especially when everyone else is usually horribly thrown off by Ana. Additionally, since I listened to the audiobook, I think the narrator brings a great voice to Din.
Another strong character that's instrumental to the story is Malo - the local Apoth Warden working with Din on the investigation. Malo is rough and provincial, and she and Din get along like a house on fire. The friendship they develop is one of my favorite parts of the book.
Plot-wise, this feels like a murder mystery thriller that poses some interesting questions about governance, imperialism, and corruption. The Kingdom of Yarrow signed a treaty almost a century ago allowing the Empire access to their lands and to absorb them as an official province at the end of the hundred year period. In the decades since, the Empire has established a sprawling apothetical compound in Yarrow that serves as the grave of the Leviathans. The Empire and the Kingdom of Yarrow have been uneasy bedfellows ever since. On one hand, the Empire is the colonizer - bringing their bio-technical might to the region and becoming a major employer and cultural influence. On the other hand, the Kingdom of Yarrow employs slavery and a strict social hierarchy that oppresses many. Yarrow itself and its nobility are not sympathetic entities, but the common folk are certainly sympathetic, Malo being chief amongst them. The story certainly does not side with the Kingdom of Yarrow, but I don't think it unilaterally tries to portray the Empire as the good guys either. Yet at least in the Empire, there is a chance for social mobility, and within the Empire, members of the Iudex, like Ana and Din, fight against internal corruption, which is portrayed as a constant threat. The personalization of the Empire's massive beaurocracy is fascinating, and I don't see it often enough in fantasy. Both books in the series so far serve to show how the Empire is made up of the all the little people and little choices snowballing to greater effects - both corrupt and virtuous.
I loved this book and its audio narration. It hit great notes with its pacing, characters, worldbuilding, and even some of its prose. I look forward to more Ana and Din mysteries!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Body horror, Cursing, Drug use, Slavery, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Blood, Trafficking