Scan barcode
cutenanya's review against another edition
4.0
Unlike the previous too books, I think this book is simply sweet and cute! In fact, to the extent it seems a bit unbelievable. I even thought of going back to the previous book and see if it's really merely 7 months between the events in the first book and the second book.
The strengths:
1) The dialogues between Mary and James. I always love the dialogues between this couple! So full of wit and confidence! James in this book has changed from a devil to an angelic devil! SWEET!
2) The description of the relationship between Mary and her father. Since the first book I already wondered about Mary's father and though there wasn't exactly a happy ending, I am satisfied with the way Lee wrapped it up.
The problems:
1) The story is SO SWEET and the swoonworthy scale so high that it formed a stark contrast to the previous book. While it's great in it's own romantic way, I still think Lee has overdone it, making the story much less believable.
2) The plot is thinner in my opinion as compared to the Body at the Tower, which is probably the best book by far in this series.
Still, I love this book and I am definitely looking forward to the grand finale to this lovable series!
The strengths:
1) The dialogues between Mary and James. I always love the dialogues between this couple! So full of wit and confidence! James in this book has changed from a devil to an angelic devil! SWEET!
2) The description of the relationship between Mary and her father. Since the first book I already wondered about Mary's father and though there wasn't exactly a happy ending, I am satisfied with the way Lee wrapped it up.
The problems:
1) The story is SO SWEET and the swoonworthy scale so high that it formed a stark contrast to the previous book. While it's great in it's own romantic way, I still think Lee has overdone it, making the story much less believable.
2) The plot is thinner in my opinion as compared to the Body at the Tower, which is probably the best book by far in this series.
Still, I love this book and I am definitely looking forward to the grand finale to this lovable series!
stephxsu's review against another edition
3.0
Whenever a new Agency novel by Y. S. Lee comes out, I always try to resist the temptation to devour it immediately, knowing that I will have to wait a while until the next book. I succeeded in resisting for all of approximately two weeks after I was approved for it on NetGalley. While, in my opinion, THE TRAITOR IN THE TUNNEL didn’t quite live up to how much I loved the first two Agency books, it is still a satisfying return to Lee’s Victorian London.
My biggest frustration with TRAITOR was that I felt that many things were “uneven.” The story takes place among the most well-noted London landmarks and features well-known historical characters, but I still didn’t get a really thorough sense of the setting and minor characters. Some of the actions of seasoned characters felt rather abrupt and left me scratching my head and wondering, did he/she really do that? I also didn’t feel as much urgency or investment in TRAITOR, and felt like no sooner had I grasped what was going on in the plot than it was over.
But perhaps it’s just a result of it being a long time since I was in Mary’s world, or the fact that I was reading this on a Kindle, which, truth be told, sometimes takes away from my engagement in a story. I am very glad to see Mary again, who is resourceful, yet also contains relatable insecurities, particularly involving her familial past and her future, both of which get explored in appreciable side plots in TRAITOR. As always, I am more than happy to see James again—even though some of his behavior did feel a bit incongruous with the James I knew from the previous two books.
So THE TRAITOR IN THE TUNNEL might not be my favorite of the Agency books, but this series is still arguably the best mystery series set in Victorian England available. Best yet, there is one more Agency book in the works—and you’ll agree with me that it is a wonderful thing to be able to read about Mary, James, and the others for as long as possible once you start this series!
My biggest frustration with TRAITOR was that I felt that many things were “uneven.” The story takes place among the most well-noted London landmarks and features well-known historical characters, but I still didn’t get a really thorough sense of the setting and minor characters. Some of the actions of seasoned characters felt rather abrupt and left me scratching my head and wondering, did he/she really do that? I also didn’t feel as much urgency or investment in TRAITOR, and felt like no sooner had I grasped what was going on in the plot than it was over.
But perhaps it’s just a result of it being a long time since I was in Mary’s world, or the fact that I was reading this on a Kindle, which, truth be told, sometimes takes away from my engagement in a story. I am very glad to see Mary again, who is resourceful, yet also contains relatable insecurities, particularly involving her familial past and her future, both of which get explored in appreciable side plots in TRAITOR. As always, I am more than happy to see James again—even though some of his behavior did feel a bit incongruous with the James I knew from the previous two books.
So THE TRAITOR IN THE TUNNEL might not be my favorite of the Agency books, but this series is still arguably the best mystery series set in Victorian England available. Best yet, there is one more Agency book in the works—and you’ll agree with me that it is a wonderful thing to be able to read about Mary, James, and the others for as long as possible once you start this series!
spevensie's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
flowersofquiethappiness's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this a lot! I'm not ususally a mystery reader, but this one was well done. I liked the behind the scenes of a great house, or should I say, a great palace. Y S Lee certainly seems to know her history well, and it shows. Definitely recommend.
jinjaritia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gore, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide, and Deportation
postitsandpens's review against another edition
4.0
This was another delightful book in a fabulous series. As opposed to the previous two books in the series, we get a lot more background into Mary's issues with her father's Chinese heritage, and an interesting look into the political climate of Queen Victoria's reign. James continues to be my absolute favorite person, and the ending made me extremely happy and eager to see what's going to happen in the final book of this series. I'd highly recommend this series to pretty much everyone; all of the books are action-packed and intriguing, and Mary and James are sure to win your hearts!