A review by lukepadgett
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes

4.0

After reading the flyleaf I knew I would like this one. Fortunately, I was not disappointed. Weaving magical realism, detective fiction, surreal characters and places all together Barnes pulls off a wonderfully imaginative novel. The characters are quirky and unpredictable all set against the city of London, from a Brian Greene multiverse, circa 1805. The prose flows well keeping the narrative in constant motion; no digressions of bullshit flashbacks. None needed. For all these reasons and more "The Somnambulist" does not disappoint. Also, the novel is genuinely funny in a Rowan Atkinson "Black Adder" kind of way. Excellent reading.