lbrex's review
5.0
I read volume 1 of _The Mysteries of London_ for research and found Reynolds's work addictive and enjoyable. This story, published in a giant tome by the wonderful Valancourt Books, are a great example of early Victorian popular fiction--the "penny dreadful"--with a salacious narrative that winds through one cheap penny number after another. Reynolds's work outsold Dickens, and, upon reading these, one can certainly see why. There is not the same craft as Dickens, but the ability to string together intriguing characters, suspense, and blistering social satire is unparalleled. If you're interested in Victorian literature and like serial narratives--whether soap operas, telenovelas, or fantasy series--I think you'll find a lot to love here.
ink__and__page's review
4.0
Phew, this has so many twists and turns to keep up with! Really enjoying the read-a-long with author Sarah M. Eden on youtube found here . Such a great idea for the pandemic, to do a virtual read-a-long as we social distance for this pandemic! Eager to see how this story continues in Part 2...
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