annieb123's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
What Abigail Did That Summmer is a spin-off novella in the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. Released 18th March 2021 by Subterranean Press, it's 232 page (print edition) and available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This series (and indeed the author's oeuvre full stop) is permanently on my must-read list. He's hysterically funny, often profound, clever, and always an engaging read. Since it occurs outside the main series, this novel doesn't have the same continuity as the others, but by the same token, it makes a fine standalone read. Because it's set in Great Britain (London environs), the slang, spelling, and language constructions are British English. I'm not entirely sure if it's because I was provided the North American advance copy for review, but it's full of asides and footnotes for American English explanations and equivalent phrases. I found some of them clever and tongue-in-cheek, but overall they got quite annoying fairly quickly and broke up the flow of the narrative without adding much.
Main character Abigail Kamara (Peter Grant's young cousin and a burgeoning adept at magic - real magic) is funny, wickedly sarcastic, brilliantly intelligent, precocious, and pretty much fed up with the world's rules. I love her attitude from my safe vantage point away from the fallout which follows her every move. Even in the main series, she's always been one of my favourite characters.
This book reads like a young adult novel and doesn't have the same tone as the main series. I'm admittedly in awe of how the author manages to build a really creepy tension at sub-audible levels without resorting to jump-scares. Despite it feeling discontinuous re: the main series, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to Aaronovitch's staunch fans, fans of urban fantasy, and lovers of non-fuzzy anthropomorphic foxes.
Four and a half stars. Brilliant execution, clean language, very entertaining read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
What Abigail Did That Summmer is a spin-off novella in the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. Released 18th March 2021 by Subterranean Press, it's 232 page (print edition) and available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This series (and indeed the author's oeuvre full stop) is permanently on my must-read list. He's hysterically funny, often profound, clever, and always an engaging read. Since it occurs outside the main series, this novel doesn't have the same continuity as the others, but by the same token, it makes a fine standalone read. Because it's set in Great Britain (London environs), the slang, spelling, and language constructions are British English. I'm not entirely sure if it's because I was provided the North American advance copy for review, but it's full of asides and footnotes for American English explanations and equivalent phrases. I found some of them clever and tongue-in-cheek, but overall they got quite annoying fairly quickly and broke up the flow of the narrative without adding much.
Main character Abigail Kamara (Peter Grant's young cousin and a burgeoning adept at magic - real magic) is funny, wickedly sarcastic, brilliantly intelligent, precocious, and pretty much fed up with the world's rules. I love her attitude from my safe vantage point away from the fallout which follows her every move. Even in the main series, she's always been one of my favourite characters.
This book reads like a young adult novel and doesn't have the same tone as the main series. I'm admittedly in awe of how the author manages to build a really creepy tension at sub-audible levels without resorting to jump-scares. Despite it feeling discontinuous re: the main series, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to Aaronovitch's staunch fans, fans of urban fantasy, and lovers of non-fuzzy anthropomorphic foxes.
Four and a half stars. Brilliant execution, clean language, very entertaining read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
calcitestar's review against another edition
4.0
A pleasant read with not quite the bite of his other books. As it starts off its almost as though your listening to Jackanory but then comes Guns and Rose's and it steps up a gear. The last part of the book is quite confusing especially if your brain has been lulled into a false sense of security with the beginning.
I may have to listen again to see if I really liked it or less so.
I may have to listen again to see if I really liked it or less so.
deaconist's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jbaltsar's review against another edition
5.0
Soo! muss Buch.
Spannend, witzig, unputdownable. Das können viele Autoren. Aber gleichzeitig nicht die Intelligenz des Lesers beleidigen, das könne nicht viele. Aaronovitch kann es.
Spannend, witzig, unputdownable. Das können viele Autoren. Aber gleichzeitig nicht die Intelligenz des Lesers beleidigen, das könne nicht viele. Aaronovitch kann es.
ielerol's review against another edition
4.0
I was slightly disappointed to see Peter wasn’t the narrator for this story, but only because it means Kobna Holdbrook-Smith didn’t read the audiobook. The woman who did is good, but Kobna is on another level.
Abigail is also good! From Peter’s point of view she’s exasperating, but as the POV her distrust of adult authority is of course very fun. Everything about this story is delightful (except the parts that were sad), especially the foxes.
Abigail is also good! From Peter’s point of view she’s exasperating, but as the POV her distrust of adult authority is of course very fun. Everything about this story is delightful (except the parts that were sad), especially the foxes.
coops456's review against another edition
5.0
I bloody love Abigail. So this novella was always going to hit the spot, but add the talking foxes and it's 5 stars all the way.
mbs1236's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
thereadingmum's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
dolios's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0