My Five Word TL:DR Review : This was an Absolute Delight

I kid you not, this book is just wonderful.  It took me on the strangest journey and I fell in love with Bancroft’s prose.  I still haven’t read Babel (I know!  And, yes, I am quite utterly ashamed of myself) – but, I always planned to read it and perhaps this little taste of his writing style will give me the kick in the pants that I need.

Where do I even start with this?  We have a Victorian inspired world bursting with invention but at the same time still playing host to some wonderfully fantastical creatures.  The imagination at play is superb and the writing – I am speechless.  This is a book for lovers of intricate and exquisite writing.  The detail is almost decadent and the style has clever flourishes and little snippets that make you want to wallow around and reread the page you’ve just read.  I couldn’t tear my eyes away.  It’s heartwarmingly cosy in parts, fiendishly clever in others and full of wonderful concepts that lovers of fantasy will be able to soak themselves in.  That’s perhaps enough gushing.  Lets see what’s what.

The story is a mystery potentially involving a royal scandal – and therefore there is more than one party either trying to cover facts up or release them to cause a scandal.  Events get off to an immediate start when the King’s secretary visits our MCs – Iz and Warr with a perplexing case of potential blackmail and the news that the King wishes to be baked into a cake, no less.  Anyway, Iz and Warr don’t usually deal with royalty, they’re private investigators who deal with anything from ghosts to chimney wraiths but they reluctantly decide to take on the case.  Of course, this is a cold case, the events that took place have had 40 years to cool off and cover their tracks, but Iz, our formidable hexologist, has a piece of chalk (with which to draw her hexes) and a stubborn streak a mile wide so no piddling 40 years is going to put her off.  Armed with a bag of artefacts – that is effectively a magical portal to an unknown warehouse filled with magical items (and a bookish dragon) – her trusty husband, who seems able to charm himself into just about any situation, and a few brief facts our pair set off in search of answers.

So, what did I love about this.

The writing – enough about that above.  It’s just too good.

The two main characters are a wonderful couple.  They’re intelligent, loving, well matched in a totally crazy way, funny and determined.  I want more from this couple and from this world.

The imagination is just captivating.  I never fail to be surprised with the creativity of some of the authors out there and this book definitely took me by surprise.  I mean, on the one hand, I expected this to be good, this is an author who seems beloved by fantasy readers and authors alike, but, I’m not sure that I expected to love it this much.

I would say, and perhaps take this with a pinch of salt, but this reminds me of a new Holmes and Watson, with Iz being the enthusiastic detective relentlessly going over the facts and reaching wild assumptions whilst Warr is the assistant, tagging along, carrying his wife’s bag, endlessly good natured and basically oiling the wheels to keep everything running smoothly.  Plus the time period suits not to mention the style and dialogue.

Stunning, clever, stylish, filled with creativity and misdirection. I can’t wait to see where this takes us next.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks.  The above is my own opinion.

My rating 5 of 5 stars