octavia_cade's Reviews (2.64k)

I read the first few volumes of Locke & Key a while back but never finished the series, so I'm starting over now just so I don't forget anything. I do remember that Bode was perhaps the least interesting of the three siblings to me, and he's still not that exciting. What I really enjoy about this issue, though - and about the series in general, from what I recall - is the relationship between the three kids. It's dead-on realistic in the way that they talk to each other and I find it deeply entertaining. 

Another of the Rivers of London short stories; this time a historical one set in the 1960s. I enjoyed it, but I have to admit that I prefer Peter Grant as the protagonist - I find him effortlessly funny, whereas I feel that this should be funny but isn't... like it's trying a little too hard to be humorous. The only time it felt as if it was a Rivers story, tonally, was the Deplorables criticising the house as unfit for a baby at the end.

That being said, the fabric imagery down in the basement was really cool. I liked that, and the history behind it. 

This just isn't that great, I'm afraid. Kirk comes across as an absolute prig - though in fairness I think he is meant to - and the character strokes are very broad. It is a children's novel, but there's a broad streak of didacticism here that makes it quite a tedious little read in places. Carey has done some great Trek novels for adults, but she's missed the mark on this one for me. 

I have to agree that relocating to a place called Lovecraft in the wake of violent tragedy is probably a terrible idea. Especially if you're a teenager. Can you imagine the English classes? That's real horror right there, being forced to slog through the collected works of Mr. I'm Scared Of Everything. Having to read The Mountains of Madness is enough to make anyone want to end it all... out of sheer bloody boredom.

Snark aside, this is a strong opening issue. The kids are sympathetic, and I like that the aftermath of their father's murder is sensibly far more focused on their emotional responses than it is the more genre elements of the story, although of course they exist. Tyler, especially, is an appealing character, and I always like a mysterious house. 

This is really fast-paced for such a relatively long book; I zipped through it a lot quicker and a lot more easily than I thought I would when I picked it up. Anyway, I understand that there's quite a few books in this series, and I can see why. The main character's sympathetic, the plot's interesting with a great twist towards the end - one which I absolutely didn't see coming (but then I hardly ever do) - and a creepy, compelling villain. Plus, as I said, the pacing, which is probably the most attractive thing about it.

I'll definitely be picking up the next one. 

I do like these little books! They do a great job teaching basic facts about different animals. This time it's the bumblebee, and I'm glad - they're lovely, and I always enjoy seeing them flying round the garden. The ones I've seen lately have been particularly big and fat, so I trust they're feeding well. It's a shame I can't look inside their nests; I'd love to see the bumblebees assigned to air circulation flapping away on the nest ceiling. 

If there's ever a story set in a library that I don't like, I don't think I've read it. This one, set in the bowels of the British Library, fills me with longing. Not for the magical literary device at the centre of the narrative, no. But for all those bookshelves and the chance to explore them. There has to be a literary residency at the British Library, doesn't there? I'll have to look. If so, it's going on my bucket list. 

This is such an easy, fun read. Allison worked as a safari guide in Botswana, and this is a collection of his exploits introducing travelers to the local animals. My dad's recently come back from a trip to southern Africa, where he was able (lucky bastard) to visit the Okavango Delta (where Allison spends a lot of time) so it was interesting to read this while comparing it to the tourist version I got from him. 

The humour is the most appealing part here for me. Allison is clearly able to laugh at himself, and there's plenty of opportunity for him to do so. I cackled at him getting his jeep stuck in the hippo pools and having to abandon his tourists to run for help to get them out. It can't have been very funny at the time - hippos and crocodiles not being creatures you want to dangle yourself in front of! - but it was certainly funny to read.

There is, it must be said, less information on the actual animals than you might think when picking this up, as I did, at the local library. This is more a book on looking at animals than it is learning about them, but it's still a deeply entertaining one. 

This felt like the beginning of a longer story. I would read that longer story, because it's a fun beginning, but as a short story the end is irritatingly abrupt. 

I have to admit that it's taken me a week or so to slog through this. I just couldn't get into it. I've read and liked the rest of the series, but increasingly, as it's gone on, it's felt over-stretched to me. Padded out, and this particular volume is where that tendency has reached its peak for me. 

It dragged. I liked parts of it, but mostly I'm glad to be done. I can't help but wonder if this would have been a better, tighter series if it had been edited down to end a couple of books ago.