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eddieboy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Murder
fi_johnston's review
5.0
Loved the alternate Elizabethan worldbuilding of a human Upper London residing on top of a Deep London full of vampires, werewolves, dragons etc and obviously you get the tube between them. Loved the characters, and the dynamics between the main four - extremely funny back and forths, full of tension and friendship and love and questionable magic potions and powers.
Really happy this is the start of a series, can't wait to read more of this 'found family in the middle of BIG, funny and possibly deadly shenanigans' narrative.
Really happy this is the start of a series, can't wait to read more of this 'found family in the middle of BIG, funny and possibly deadly shenanigans' narrative.
nikkimoran's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
taypoor's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to NetGalley and Farrago Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you are looking for a lighthearted, fast paced rom-com then this is for you! This novel follows Fang and Lazarre as they both come to terms with their newly dead or rather not dead afterlife. Together they team up to discover more about their shared curse with the help of a small, but mighty, dragon named Amber and badass apothecary owner named Nel. There are themes of found family and grumpy x sunshine romance that will have you rooting for the characters to get together!
While I did not care to much for the writing style I did appreciate the attention to detail and how unique the worlds were in the story. Set in Elizabethan England this London is divided into Upper London where the living reside and Deep London where the monsters and dead live. Seeing how the worlds interact with each other was something I had not seen before in fantasy novels.
I will be keeping an eye out for the second novel in the series to see where the story goes from here.
If you are looking for a lighthearted, fast paced rom-com then this is for you! This novel follows Fang and Lazarre as they both come to terms with their newly dead or rather not dead afterlife. Together they team up to discover more about their shared curse with the help of a small, but mighty, dragon named Amber and badass apothecary owner named Nel. There are themes of found family and grumpy x sunshine romance that will have you rooting for the characters to get together!
While I did not care to much for the writing style I did appreciate the attention to detail and how unique the worlds were in the story. Set in Elizabethan England this London is divided into Upper London where the living reside and Deep London where the monsters and dead live. Seeing how the worlds interact with each other was something I had not seen before in fantasy novels.
I will be keeping an eye out for the second novel in the series to see where the story goes from here.
tornoutending's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
☆☆☆
𖤓
In an alternative Elizabethan London, Fang and Lazare awake from their deaths to discover they are not quite human anymore. In fact, despite having acquired the power of immortality, they’re also not quite vampire, zombie, werewolf or any of the other supernatural beings that reside in the underground city of Deep London.
𖤓
What drew me to the book: I thought it sounded interesting.
How long it’s been on my TBR: Two months.
My expectations: The synopsis on Netgalley didn't give to much away so a cursed London and two men on an adventure to
𖤓
My thoughts whilst reading: Immediately I didn't like the language, the books setting was meant to be 1500s London yet the characters all spoke as if they were in a much more current setting without any real effort to be a little more historical and the language wasn't the only thing, the setting felt less like 1500's London, England and more just a random setting created by the author which just so happened to share its names with the places it was meant to be. Honestly I didn't write down a lot for this because I just wanted to get it read and finished (to the point I was skimming stuff like descriptions and scenes which weren't so important), it really wasn't something I was enjoying greatly.
How long it took me to read: 11 Days.
Overall: My thoughts can pretty much be summed up into just one word; okay. It wasn't awful but the language stopped me from being able to immerse myself more into the book and the setting was just not what I thought it would be and whilst the setting part improved over the course of the book (as I imagined the book having its very own setting and being of its own world) nothing else really grabbed my attention in the book. I didn't really care for or connect with the characters and I wasn't to pulled in by the plot. The only reason I didn't give the book a lower score was because it was okay for a short adventure book, definitely not the worst, it just wasn't for me and I think it would make a better TV show or film.
Miscellaneous: I didn't realise that the author of this wrote for Horrible Histories. One thing that annoyed me about the book was how Fang treated Amber, I get he was this gruff, hurt, asshole type but he treated Tem kindly and despite being 'warm' to Amber at the start he was just unnecessarily rude to her after that.
Did it meet my expectations: I didn't have a lot to begin with but not really, if you look at the like two men on a quest part then yes but it sort of fell flat on everything else for me. One thing I will say though is that I was expecting more romance, the book is marketed a little as a romance and it felt more like the romance was just part of the story rather than the main focus / a bigger part of the book.
𖤓
Favourite character: I didn't really have one.
Favourite scene: I don't think I had one to be honest, even now just looking back on it none of the scenes really stood out to me.
Favourite relationship: Fang and Tem's.
Favourite quote: "Alchemists accidentally crash <i>one</i> regional economy <i> one time</i> and we never hear the end of it!"
𖤓
Why I rounded the review up / down*:Not applicable.
Do I regret reading it: No but it definitely wasn't my favourite read of the year.
Will I be reading the sequel: most likely not although when it release I'll probably check out some spoilers if I care enough or remember.
Will I be investing in a physical copy: No.
Do I recommend it: If you want a short book set in an alternate London with creatures, magic, a curse and found family then yes but if you dislike historical inaccuracies in Historical Fantasy settings then no.
*(for rating systems such as Goodreads)
𖤓
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the E-ARC.
𖤓
In an alternative Elizabethan London, Fang and Lazare awake from their deaths to discover they are not quite human anymore. In fact, despite having acquired the power of immortality, they’re also not quite vampire, zombie, werewolf or any of the other supernatural beings that reside in the underground city of Deep London.
𖤓
What drew me to the book: I thought it sounded interesting.
How long it’s been on my TBR: Two months.
My expectations: The synopsis on Netgalley didn't give to much away so a cursed London and two men on an adventure to
𖤓
My thoughts whilst reading: Immediately I didn't like the language, the books setting was meant to be 1500s London yet the characters all spoke as if they were in a much more current setting without any real effort to be a little more historical and the language wasn't the only thing, the setting felt less like 1500's London, England and more just a random setting created by the author which just so happened to share its names with the places it was meant to be. Honestly I didn't write down a lot for this because I just wanted to get it read and finished (to the point I was skimming stuff like descriptions and scenes which weren't so important), it really wasn't something I was enjoying greatly.
How long it took me to read: 11 Days.
Overall: My thoughts can pretty much be summed up into just one word; okay. It wasn't awful but the language stopped me from being able to immerse myself more into the book and the setting was just not what I thought it would be and whilst the setting part improved over the course of the book (as I imagined the book having its very own setting and being of its own world) nothing else really grabbed my attention in the book. I didn't really care for or connect with the characters and I wasn't to pulled in by the plot. The only reason I didn't give the book a lower score was because it was okay for a short adventure book, definitely not the worst, it just wasn't for me and I think it would make a better TV show or film.
Miscellaneous: I didn't realise that the author of this wrote for Horrible Histories. One thing that annoyed me about the book was how Fang treated Amber, I get he was this gruff, hurt, asshole type but he treated Tem kindly and despite being 'warm' to Amber at the start he was just unnecessarily rude to her after that.
Did it meet my expectations: I didn't have a lot to begin with but not really, if you look at the like two men on a quest part then yes but it sort of fell flat on everything else for me. One thing I will say though is that I was expecting more romance, the book is marketed a little as a romance and it felt more like the romance was just part of the story rather than the main focus / a bigger part of the book.
𖤓
Favourite character: I didn't really have one.
Favourite scene: I don't think I had one to be honest, even now just looking back on it none of the scenes really stood out to me.
Favourite relationship: Fang and Tem's.
Favourite quote: "Alchemists accidentally crash <i>one</i> regional economy <i> one time</i> and we never hear the end of it!"
𖤓
Why I rounded the review up / down*:Not applicable.
Do I regret reading it: No but it definitely wasn't my favourite read of the year.
Will I be reading the sequel: most likely not although when it release I'll probably check out some spoilers if I care enough or remember.
Will I be investing in a physical copy: No.
Do I recommend it: If you want a short book set in an alternate London with creatures, magic, a curse and found family then yes but if you dislike historical inaccuracies in Historical Fantasy settings then no.
*(for rating systems such as Goodreads)
𖤓
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the E-ARC.
emilyburrage's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
4.5
While a bit simplistic in some places, I found that this just made it a relaxing and enjoyable book to read - I can’t wait for the next books to come out!
caitsidhe's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
2.5
It's fine. Very fluffy. Nothing especially 'elizabethan' about the setting, honestly. Found it kind of flat and forgettable.
jkreads's review
3.5
This book was a great time! Really well written, funny with an interesting world and cast of characters. I enjoyed the time I spent in this alternative version of Elizabethan London. I did at times find it hard to keep track of all the different characters and plot threads, but this was a minor issue for me in what was otherwise a really solid story.
cheryl_gager's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I really liked the concept, overall plot, and the characters. However, this took me too much effort to actually pick up and finish, especially when it is such a short book. The reason it was a struggle was because there wasn't any real world building, character development or much description and build up. I feel like this should have been 50, if not 100, pages longer to build the characters, world and story so that I would care more. We were mentions of characters having a past but even the slight insight into what happened didn't give us much, and that had a lot to do with why the character acted the way he did. It all just felt kind of rushed and I was just left feeling disappointed as there is so much potential, especially with the characters. The dragon was amazing and my favourite. I am not sure if I will pick up the next book as I just don't know if the writing style is for me.