onewinternight's review
5.0
Bittersweet and touching. D. M. Cornish is an amazing author-the happy place between Dickens and Tolkien. I LOVED this series, and only wish Cornish was writing another one . . . Oh well.
Factotum takes up where Lamplighter left off, with Rossamund as Europe's factotum (hence the title). They travel back to Brandenbrass-Europe's home, and have a host of different struggles. Most of these are the inveitable "human monsters." Factotum is not as rapiddash as the other two until the second half. Instead, Cornish uses the social/political atmosphere to further develop Europe and Rossamund's characters, as well as their relationship. The second half is much more high octane, with ambushes and murderous monsters and men. The ending, while not unpredictable, was perfectly done. A worthwhile read, which is one of the best complements for a book this thick!
Factotum takes up where Lamplighter left off, with Rossamund as Europe's factotum (hence the title). They travel back to Brandenbrass-Europe's home, and have a host of different struggles. Most of these are the inveitable "human monsters." Factotum is not as rapiddash as the other two until the second half. Instead, Cornish uses the social/political atmosphere to further develop Europe and Rossamund's characters, as well as their relationship. The second half is much more high octane, with ambushes and murderous monsters and men. The ending, while not unpredictable, was perfectly done. A worthwhile read, which is one of the best complements for a book this thick!
world_etcher's review
4.0
As much as I love the series, the end kind of left me wanting for more. Still, fantastically written with beautiful, well thought out world building and wonderful characters.
linbee83's review
5.0
Ah, little did I know what I would get into when I picked up the first book in this series. What a wonderful, sad, fitting end to this series. I will miss this little world, with its Men and Monsters.
paintedgiraffe's review
5.0
What a fantastic book. I'm sad the series is over, but I'm one of those people hoping for a fourth book. The author spent ten years (at least) coming up with this world, and I think he should make the most of it.
samantha_christen's review
5.0
This book has everything a reader could want in it. The characters will stand by you forever, and absoute attention to deatil will have you wishing you could write with that much depth. I found this book(along with D.M. Cornish's two others)very thought provoking and an over all good lesson learned.
Factotum will provide an amazing story that reaches out to you and declaire to never let go. The last pages brang tears to my eyes as I said goodbye to my much loved friends and read the last words of the second world in which I lived, and finally left the world of monster blood tattoo.
The book came to a satisfying end, though, I myself, feel that their journey hasn't ended and it still goes on, traveling to far off lands with Rossamünd and friends...
Factotum will provide an amazing story that reaches out to you and declaire to never let go. The last pages brang tears to my eyes as I said goodbye to my much loved friends and read the last words of the second world in which I lived, and finally left the world of monster blood tattoo.
The book came to a satisfying end, though, I myself, feel that their journey hasn't ended and it still goes on, traveling to far off lands with Rossamünd and friends...
numbat's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
squishies's review against another edition
3.0
Wraps up nicely with lots of adventures along the way.
kieralesley's review against another edition
2.0
A somewhat disappointing end to the series. For the full three books this series has really been about showcasing the incredibly deep world that Cornish has built complete with beautiful drawings of characters and monsters, languages, maps and encyclopaedia. It feels full, rich and long-lived once you’re in it. Wild and steeped in history and rituals. We’ve also slowly been unlocking the mystery of who and what Rosamund is – finally revealed at the end of last book!
Unfortunately, I found the narrative in this last instalment lacklustre. I was hoping Rosamund being Europe’s factotum would bring us all manner of monster hunting adventures, take us to interesting places, and bring the revelation from the end of book two to a solid conclusion. In some ways it did. There was one multi-day monster hunting outing that allowed Rosamund to face his conflicted feelings about monster-hunting generally from a different angle and introduced some interesting elements of the world (and maybe even some sneaky winks to Lovecraftian elder gods!). This was balanced out though, with a lot of running around in the city, politicking, spending time with characters never seen again, and wandering from small town to small town.
The moral ambiguity is there to explore in this book, but I feel like this book spent a lot of time with Rosamund introspectively considering who he is and what his place in the world is and wandering from place to place than it did on bringing the trilogy to a climactic and satisfying close.
I guess I just want more from a third book. I want less time spent establishing the world and conflicts and much more working escalating and resolving those things which have been opened up and developed in the first two books.
The ending felt rushed and, despite agonising over it all book, Rosamund’s decision was almost made for him by Europe’s situation at the end. The action sequences were good and the world is still excellent, but I’m not sure if I could recommend the series to others now, knowing that it doesn’t bring the narrative strongly right through to the end.
This series is all about spending time in the fantastic world, but I would have liked more story to go with it.
Unfortunately, I found the narrative in this last instalment lacklustre. I was hoping Rosamund being Europe’s factotum would bring us all manner of monster hunting adventures, take us to interesting places, and bring the revelation from the end of book two to a solid conclusion. In some ways it did. There was one multi-day monster hunting outing that allowed Rosamund to face his conflicted feelings about monster-hunting generally from a different angle and introduced some interesting elements of the world (and maybe even some sneaky winks to Lovecraftian elder gods!). This was balanced out though, with a lot of running around in the city, politicking, spending time with characters never seen again, and wandering from small town to small town.
The moral ambiguity is there to explore in this book, but I feel like this book spent a lot of time with Rosamund introspectively considering who he is and what his place in the world is and wandering from place to place than it did on bringing the trilogy to a climactic and satisfying close.
I guess I just want more from a third book. I want less time spent establishing the world and conflicts and much more working escalating and resolving those things which have been opened up and developed in the first two books.
The ending felt rushed and, despite agonising over it all book, Rosamund’s decision was almost made for him by Europe’s situation at the end. The action sequences were good and the world is still excellent, but I’m not sure if I could recommend the series to others now, knowing that it doesn’t bring the narrative strongly right through to the end.
This series is all about spending time in the fantastic world, but I would have liked more story to go with it.