A review by therealcubcake
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense 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? Yes

4.75

In another departure from my usual genres, I finished "The Tainted Cup" by Robert Jackson Bennett. Big surprise to me was how much I really enjoyed it!

    From the first page, Bennett is a world builder. While moving the story along at a decent pace, so many details of this absolutely foreign world were explained, without details weighing it down. That is magic in itself, am I right?!

     Now, the story itself... think of everything you know about your classic whodunit murder mystery, but then throw the old rules out of the window and mix it all up into a fantasy world. A high officer is found dead, killed from a contagion, a tree growing out of his body to be precise.  Our eccentric detective, Ana Dolabra (who I couldn't help but to picture as Emma Thompson, go ahead make the movie, you are welcome) is on the case (wearing a blindfold no less), and not leaving her home. With her trusty new assistant Dinios Kol to help. Kol has been magically altered to become an engraver, one who retains every single detail/thing they encounter with the help of some tricks of his own. The mystery takes them across this mysterious land and its people's and is equally mysterious and thrilling as it is hilarious.

    Not only are we treated to a murder mystery, but also getting to witness the new relationship between detective and assistant grow itself. Bennett also gives us a story of different backgrounds working and coming together to save a city. A little something we could all use a little more of these days.

     I'm leaving a lot out here, because I don't want to spoil the fun ride for all of you! Unfortunately you have to wait until February, but hey, something to look forward to in the new year!