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A review by meemzter
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
3.0
Things in Jars is beautiful, innovative prose paired with vivid descriptions of Victorian London and a large helping of the 19th century Frankenstein Aesthetic™ and of course, some timeless fantasy/mythology. This novel is also a smart mystery, with more than a few exciting reveals.
I struggled with this book at first, and I think it was honestly because the prose was too well-crafted and I am sometimes a lazy reader. The second half of the book was really engaging and made me regret that I hadn't given the first half the attention it deserved. There are a rich cast of characters here, but I admit I had a hard time keeping up with them all. However, the main 4 or 5 are all vibrant and memorable.
Bridie Devine is a wonderful heroine - a smart, compassionate, tough detective with a penchant for smoking pipes and donning disguises, and when I turned the last page of this book I found myself already missing her.
I can say with confidence that this is a good, beautifully written novel that is well worthy of praise. If you, like me, are a lazy reader and struggle to get into this one, I would say slow down, take your time and soak up every richly rendered paragraph. It's worth it.
I struggled with this book at first, and I think it was honestly because the prose was too well-crafted and I am sometimes a lazy reader. The second half of the book was really engaging and made me regret that I hadn't given the first half the attention it deserved. There are a rich cast of characters here, but I admit I had a hard time keeping up with them all. However, the main 4 or 5 are all vibrant and memorable.
Bridie Devine is a wonderful heroine - a smart, compassionate, tough detective with a penchant for smoking pipes and donning disguises, and when I turned the last page of this book I found myself already missing her.
I can say with confidence that this is a good, beautifully written novel that is well worthy of praise. If you, like me, are a lazy reader and struggle to get into this one, I would say slow down, take your time and soak up every richly rendered paragraph. It's worth it.