A review by matteo_of_eld
The Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters

adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

I cannot believe how SAD this one is. The first few of the Amelia Peabody series are solid, likeable, 3-to-4-stars books (and obviously I've favored 4 stars) but starting with "The Ape Who Guards the Balance" there has been a real shift in the tone and characterization here that has packed a real wallop. Its as if Peters needed those first 9 to really establish her characters- and honestly she maybe needed that time to fully herself realize the juicy web she could weave with them that is eminently more interesting than the murder mysteries that ostensibly underpin the series. Of course, it helps that all the players are now fully fledged adults, and some of the best meat here, as in Ape, is when Emerson and Amelia grapple with the skill and talent of their now-adult children (and likewise when Rameses, David, and Nefret grapple with the same thing!) I hope this trend continues, both Ape and Falcon are fantastic books, with real pathos and tragedy mixed in to the jokes.

EDIT: Reading some of these other reviews... y'all really hate Nefret huh? Couldn't be me. I think she's great and any problems you might have with her you should surely also have with Rameses or Emerson or even Amelia? No? Hmm, maybe check that misogyny lmfao.