Take a photo of a barcode or cover
alaspooriorek 's review for:
The Lock-Eater
by Zack Loran Clark
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
It wasn't until after I finished the <i>Lock-Eater</i> that I realized this book is advertised for fans of both [book:The Trials of Morrigan Crow|34219873] and [book:Howl’s Moving Castle|6294]. Both titles are amongst my favorite books, so that's a high bar for me to compare <i>Lock-Eater</i> to. I can kind of see the comparison as well, so that's a plus.
Melanie Gate has grown up in an orphanage since she was a toddler. She's a foundling who was discovered next to a magically enforced city gate when she was small. A city gate that somehow unlocked itself against the wishes of the powerful enchantments upon it. "Lock eating" is Melanie's special talent. She's good at opening things, even to the detriment of others around her. On the night that Melanie accidentally destroys all the windows in the orphanage, a catastrophe befalls the city. The highest enchanter in the land has been assassinated and war is now brewing. When a mysterious animatronic magical servant appears at the orphanage one night to offer Melanie and apprenticeship to a witch outside the city, it seems fishy, but Melanie takes the offer. Now, she's got some very dangerous people on her tail. What's more, is Melanie even who <i>she</i> thinks she is?
<i>Lock-Eater</i> was a surprisingly entertaining and fast paced read. Melanie and the Traveler were very interesting and the plot was just fun to follow. While the twists at the end seemed a little slapdash and predictable, I could easily see something like this becoming a series. I definitely got hints of <i>Nevermoor</i> in here, along with <i>Howl's Moving Castle</i>, so I can see where the comparison comes from, even though this book didn't land as favorably for me as those titles did.
3.75/5 stars
Melanie Gate has grown up in an orphanage since she was a toddler. She's a foundling who was discovered next to a magically enforced city gate when she was small. A city gate that somehow unlocked itself against the wishes of the powerful enchantments upon it. "Lock eating" is Melanie's special talent. She's good at opening things, even to the detriment of others around her. On the night that Melanie accidentally destroys all the windows in the orphanage, a catastrophe befalls the city. The highest enchanter in the land has been assassinated and war is now brewing. When a mysterious animatronic magical servant appears at the orphanage one night to offer Melanie and apprenticeship to a witch outside the city, it seems fishy, but Melanie takes the offer. Now, she's got some very dangerous people on her tail. What's more, is Melanie even who <i>she</i> thinks she is?
<i>Lock-Eater</i> was a surprisingly entertaining and fast paced read. Melanie and the Traveler were very interesting and the plot was just fun to follow. While the twists at the end seemed a little slapdash and predictable, I could easily see something like this becoming a series. I definitely got hints of <i>Nevermoor</i> in here, along with <i>Howl's Moving Castle</i>, so I can see where the comparison comes from, even though this book didn't land as favorably for me as those titles did.
3.75/5 stars