Book #05 - Moon over Soho (Rivers of London #2) by Ben Aaronovitch
Moon over Soho (Rivers of London #2) by Ben Aaronovitch
Jazz can't kill people. Can it?
Finally, I'm getting around to reading this classic series.
I only had the German version in my posession, but that was probably just as well this year, because I am way behind on my challenge already anyway, and reading in German is still a little bit faster than reading in English.
I really liked this second book in the series. I liked the descriptions of magic, and Peter is a slightly unreliable narrator when it comes to his own magic prowess (or notable lack thereof), which is funny. I am not a fan of architecture or cars, so the main things he keeps describing about his surroundings just fly past me - but it wasn't actively annoying me. This book has a lot of sex, and I am sure that nobody at all is surprised at how much I liked that.
I was very apprehensive about what would happen with his partner from the first book, because what happened there was way worse than I'd ever expect to happen to a main character. But I think it was done really well and respectfully.
Most of all, the book is really funny. I laughed a lot reading it.
Note: Again, it's already been six weeks since I've read this book. I'm doing my best to remember everything. (I am trying to catch up with my reviews now.)
* I kinda liked that the case didn't involve any rivers this time. (Well, except for him saving his informant's life by bringing him to the Thames.) I liked the unpredictability of it.
* I knew about halfway through that his lover (and her sisters) must be the killer they were looking for. I didn't expect it to play out like that, though. And his unreliable narration fooled me for quite a while, too.
* I liked everything about Peter's mom. I'm not sure how much the author really knows about African families, but I think his wife is black? I couldn't really find out one way or another. It sounded believable to me. I like the way he describes the casual everyday racism Peter has to contend with.
* I can't say I like Peter's dad, though. I don't know, maybe it's because Peter also has kind of a cool relationship with his father. There's always this sense of distance. Mentioning his heroin addiction in passing, and the fact that parts of his brain were hurt by the vampire years ago, didn't help. I just don't empathize with him.
* I am not sure I really want to believe that Peter's brain didn't suffer any damage. That is a bit... scary.
* I loved the whole beast menagery thing. It was reported with the appropriate disgust, and it was just really really scary.
* I didn't really like the fact that the vampires killed themselves in the end. I see, from a plot perspective, that the author didn't want to keep them around, but it felt like a bit of an easy way out.
* I forgot pretty much everything about their masked adversary, but I'm not sure there's much to analyze about them, anyway. I'm sure they'll turn up again later.
* I liked that Nightingale seems to have ongoing health problems. Those look like they'll become a bigger problem later, too.
* I still like their kind of magic, and that he keeps trying to explain it with scientific means - like any normal person in our world would - but keeps failing.
4 stars - Really good, and laugh out loud funny, while at the same time also scary and tragic. An incredible mix. I almost gave it five stars.
1 - 5 stars - The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth #2) by N. K. Jemisin [DW link & LJ link]
2 - 4 stars - The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth #3) by N. K. Jemisin [DW link & LJ link]
3 - 4 stars - Blackout (Newsflesh #3) by Mira Grant [DW link & LJ link]
4 - 5 stars - Sovereign (Nemesis #2) by April Daniels [DW link & LJ link]
5 - 4 stars - Moon over Soho (Rivers of London #2) by Ben Aaronovich [DW link & LJ link]
x-posted from dw (comments:
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