Yes, again—thank you! This is precisely what a murder mystery period piece should be: Complex threads, red herrings, a MacGuffin (or 4), a little Deus ex Machina to top the plot, and true to all the blundering cultural ugliness and nostalgic beauty of the era. I was intelligently intrigued, emotionally engaged and ultimately caught off guard.

Marvellous.

I suspected by three quarters of the way who the culprit might be, but I was also adequately distracted from making any real accusation by the sly attempts of others to shirk notice for their own personal reasons that wrapped them in guilt. The carefully laid traps throughout this novel are genius. You might know, but you’ll doubt your knowing until the very end.

The full cast are vibrant! They are plagued and propelled by internal conflicts and personal struggles with honour and social standards. The raging suppressed fight for equality and justice—that simple yet impossible idea of gaining a voice in an oppressive patriarchal regime—is at the forefront for several of these complex characters, and what we now refer to as the intersectionality of these injustices is prevalent—yet, the writing remains true to the historical setting in which these atrocities would have been abominably accepted or blithely overlooked. These are the settings that have come to the table to witness a bloody murder, and the author knows her table intricately. Rather than bog the writing down with details and explanations, Stuart serves up morsels of these ongoing struggles to give context, and to draw us into the socio-political atmosphere of our humble unexpected heroine.

Identifying the ‘system errors’ in the imbalanced colonialist world ruler (The British Empire) through the unassuming voices of those caught in the fray by their very existence, Stuart sets the stage for what is to come: It would take something unexpected on a world scale to bring change to the system. It’s summer, 1910. We know what’s coming, and it will give women the vote and put them into the workforce for good.

So. I listened to the audiobook and I have a complaint: the narrator of this second novel couldn’t do the accents and voices required to keep me from having to wonder who was speaking at times. Fortunately, it didn’t detract from the flow and content of the novel, cos she was great otherwise. It’s just, when you start with Saskia Maarleveld, it’s difficult to take a step backwards. Mac here sounded Irish and Louisa, his previously Scottish wife used near RP English in this novel. The Welshman was entirely anglicised, though anyone from the North Country was proper Manc (but halfway through, a South Londoner took on a bit of a York twinge too, and that was weird weren’t it?). Just saying.

Li An and Harriet have a great start to something special, and with Curran sidelined for most of the story, the women shine for this mystery. 

Speaking of mystery, this one is near impossible to solve, and as the bodies pile up, hope diminishes…But Harriet, a mere woman and not even a police officer—a mere female typist—sees the challenge and rises to solve another bout of murders in pre-war Singapore.

Love it.

Already have #3 lined up. 

Certainly adventurous, but the tragedies are so multiple, you quickly learn to guard yourself against caring for any of these characters, which makes for rapid unemotional reading despite the clashing swords and constant peril this growing mass of participants faces.

Plot takes precedence over character development, though we are privy to feelings and thoughts galore as we jump from scene to scene, person to person, reading minds like mages ourselves.

The story is complex and unexpected—that is, whatever you think might happen, it’s not that the opposite happens, but the otherworldly thing that no one could have predicted happens. Keeps things very interesting throughout. All the lost time (spent in sudden trances or daydreams or dream-not-dream type encounters) and memories of things that haven’t yet happened (and other nonsensical reasoning) add to the fantastical element, and as they mostly happen to our uncouth, broody, half-dragon, fae-powered, necromancer woodsman-slash-accidental-hero Aaslo—even better. One of these days, I expect Aaslo will cross over to this other world and never return.

Also, monsters and dragons (or at least very large geckos) keep things aflame.

Telepathic banter between the living, the spirits of the dead, the sexy dogsbody Aphrodite of all Grim Reapers, the voices of the Fae, a full cast of catty and petty gods, and several of the walking dead (oh no, wait, the living can hear them too, sometimes) is consistent and often hilarious. It is mad and witty and humorous writing, but I wish I’d been able to connect to some of these slightly deranged social pariahs on a deeper level (and, man, you’d think I was primed for that)—but they sure made me laugh.

The versatility of the audiobook narrator is perfect for this varied gang of nut jobs.

Besides the English translation of the original 5th century poem, this is hands down the best retelling of the story of Mulan.

Sherry Thomas is a writer I can always count on to tell an adventurous and compelling tale. She enters the mind of Mulan here (albeit using modern comprehensible English) with respectful regard for many of the intricate historical bits without overwhelming her readers in pages of explanations and details. She makes me live and suffer the dangers of this arduous northern landscape and endure the suspicions and mystery of not knowing who the enemy might be among trusted counsellors and allies. There is a strong authentic sense of the pursuit of honour and the importance of place in family hierarchy, and palpable imagery is painted for us to enter the historical context and setting. But we also get a satisfying dose of the love shared in intimate friendships—and even a promise of romance.

This is a simple tale made more profound by the many purposeful threads of a master story teller as she weaves the facts of a complex dynastic history into the account of Mulan’s brave and daring story. 

Bonus: I can truly recommend this story to teens and young adults (12+) in good conscience.

Loved this!! The smells and sounds of Singapore jump out of this story—I could see the streets and very easily imagine what they’d have been like at the start of the 20th century from the just-right descriptions. Singapore is a place I adore, made all the more interesting by its historical setting in this novel. And Harriet Gordon has instant appeal with her secretive background and open aversion to certain authority. She’s an independent woman, as best as she can be, making her own way in times where such a streak wasn’t too popular among the gentry—and she can’t help but get herself in compromising situations because of her persistent principles. Amid jewel heists, forgeries, identity thieves, and with nary a clue who to trust, Harriet dives recklessly into solving multiple crimes that all seem strangely connected. And of course, there’s an attractive yet already spoken for policeman to confound her emotions as she fights for justice and possibly her life.

What’s not to like?

Literary fiction at its best. 

This novel spans generational gaps and ties a beautiful bond between species as it tells one seamless story from intriguing start to satisfying finish.

Not all characters here are easy to love, as in life, but all have redeemable qualities if we only have our eyes open to observe. And the most observant of us all is the least expected one of the bunch.

We know where this is going, and we have an inkling from the start as to how loose ends might be tied, so it’s not a mystery to be solved, but rather a journey to enjoy—and the storytelling is a delight of superior craftsmanship and impecable literary timing. Every twist of fate draws us nearer to witnessing the truth revealed, so that love can endure—and this is truly a love story above all.

I just finished and I’m drying my eyes and I’m going to sit here for a wee while contemplating nature and simple kindnesses and the beauty of creation and the human spirit.

Oh… you know what? I’m ordering a copy for my Dad for Christmas, because he’ll adore it. 

This was one of the best reads of my year.

Well. This doesn’t begin where it should, beginning at a sort of beginning, and thus it seems rushed in order to lay the foundation, which is to say it isn’t well written at the start...

But THEN, once the scene is set, which really only takes a tenth of the novel, it gets thick with plotty plot and comes alive with character, witty banter, and the darkly humorous quest of a reluctant hero.

This is a sword-wielding adventure, full of bizarre characters from all the fantasies and fairytales, twisting every expectation and dumping it on its head.

To say it’s similar to Robert Jordan’s Eye of the World is a bit of an understatement since it uses many of the same symbols, themes, characters (in different bodies) and plot devices throughout. Although, the journey itself doesn’t drag nearly as heel-heavy as Jordan’s multiple lengthy tomes.

If you want fantasy adventure without the political complexities and an infinity of pages of being lost in the woods and stranded on unknown islands, read this one instead of the fine-print door-stops of Martin, Tolkien, Jordan and other epic writers of the genre.

This is the McDonald’s version of a gourmet fantasy burger: Ready fast, over fast, not nearly as filling as others, immediately satisfying but not long-lasting, and always good in a pinch—oh! and slightly addictive because of that secret sauce, the je ne sais quoi that keeps us coming back.

I do like a dark, broody-type for a reluctant hero though, so Aslo has my full attention for this and any more to come…

A wildly creative little adventure with enough detail to engage the imagination and apt characterisation of a unique cast.

A trio of young overthrown royals are cursed with the powers of dark magic and a collective heart to do good in their world. Noa is the middle sibling, and hasn’t identified her own powers yet—if she even has any—but by instinct and mischief she gets herself involved in politics and power struggles most people think a thirteen year old girl can’t handle. Noa is out to prove them wrong. We follow her journey, peppered with the desperate behaviour of her brother (the too-young ousted king), and her under-foot little sister (a precocious curious child who has an odd love for insects). Noa meets and converses with monstrous sea creatures and vain otters, and gets in and out of all manner of danger in her attempts to help her brother win back his kingdom.

This is a one-book adventure fit for preteens and tweens that explores the themes of goodness, honesty, compassion, sibling rivalry, reconciliation, and the struggle to use our flaws to bring goodness into the lives of others. And also cake. 

This is a definite middle book to the series, deliberately plot building material, recuperating some of what was lost in the first book, though not everything (she's still a Captain without a ship, without a crew), and adding more content and characters that will be further explored in future instalments (the Blades are a fun group, and nice to have some gender mixed relationships forming). Not a tonne of action happens in this one, though near the end, everything that does happen (blowing things up, returning to the sea) seems to happen all at once. For readers who enjoy more than action adventure, there is a bit of political conflict building behind the scenes, even if we never see the dreaded enemy once in these pages. 
 
Ramping up for the big finale…

This second story was a more developed plot, intriguing, and a far deeper dive into the muddled complexities of these budding characters. 

 

Callum is conflicted. He loves his new friends, but there’s a darkness within that is trying desperately to rule him. This story is a middle battle to discovering his true nature, pitting him against even people he thought he could trust, and discovering what lies behind deceptive appearances. 

 

The magic is unique in comparison to other books of this genre, and though these children battle dark forces and study in deep caves, they face trials many a preteen can relate to in the real world. 

 

A fast-paced, quick-read adventure with more to come...

 

(A bit dark for -9s, I think, but a worthy adventure for 10+, boys and girls alike.) 

A good wee adventure aimed at younger readers (9-12), but perhaps a bit too intense for the youngest of these. Emulates the boarding school setting and a magical environment with a conflicted young anti-hero with strained family relationships at the centre of things. 

 

Entertaining, but not at par with the other projects of these two authors.