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quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
They thought it was over. But can evil ever be destroyed.
Kate and Thomas have escaped the sorcerer Demurral and sailed to London with the charismatic Jacob Crane. But trouble lies in wait when their ship is seized and they are lured into the darkest heart of the city.
Further north, Raphah returns and is joined by unlikely companion Beadle on a terrifying journey in search of their friends. A journey haunted by unknown enemies and a shadowy beast.
But all paths are destined to lead to one place. A cursed street, hidden from the world – a place where souls are lost, fates are decided and old enemies have their revenge.
Directly following on from the events in Shadowmancer, I did not have high expectations of this sequel and was not disappointed. This is a peculiarly leaden historical fantasy that fails to convey any real sense of period or tension and which frequently descends into preaching a rather simplistic Christian message about the greatness of God.
Thomas, Kate and Jacob sail to London, only to find that those sympathetic to Demurral have plotted to take Jacob’s ship, stranding them in the city. Jacob takes the children to Salamander Street where his friend Pallium introduces them to Galphus, who offers help but who is not all that he seems. Meanwhile Raphah has teamed up with Beadle and journeys to London by coach, discovering that his fellow travellers have links to Demurral and whose travels are inextricably linked with his own.
There are some interesting ideas within the novel. A sinister factory run by Galphus, which relies on brutalising and abusing its child workers, is well realised, as are the effects of a drug called Gaudium, which beguiles Kate and begins to sap her will. The problem is that these scenes are few and far between and suffocated by Taylor’s heavy narrative style that frequently descends into purple prose. Barely a paragraph is allowed to go by without the use of a simile or metaphor and descriptions are pregnant with adjectives and adverbs. Also frustrating is the fact that the most potentially interesting scenes – for example when Raphah runs after a man subject to a curse who has held up the coach – happen off page, denying the plot of much-needed action.
Characterisation is generally poor and rarely rises above the two-dimensional. Galphus’s motives are never fully explored and I remained confused as to what he sought even though there is supposedly a big revelation at the end that ties everything up. Tom, Kate and Raphah are dull – particularly Raphah who does little except preach and shout in equal measure. Jacob Crane appears and disappears as and when necessary and Beadle is a somewhat pathetic witness to the events who it is difficult to engage with. Demurral is supposed to be a menacing background presence but his motivation and characterisation is too dull to rouse much interest.
Potentially interesting side characters such as Lady Tanville and the ghost Isabella are given little to do, which prevents them from establishing themselves. Most unforgiveable though is the ending, which lacks any of the emotional resonance necessary for it to work. To be honest, there is little magic within this book and it’s a chore to read. It was a relief rather than a pleasure to finally finish it.
The Verdict:
Really poor. The narrative is leaden, the characterisation poor and I never really got a sense as to which period of history this is supposedly set in. I can usually see what makes a book popular but the success of this book completely alludes me. Unless you like being bored and preached at, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Kate and Thomas have escaped the sorcerer Demurral and sailed to London with the charismatic Jacob Crane. But trouble lies in wait when their ship is seized and they are lured into the darkest heart of the city.
Further north, Raphah returns and is joined by unlikely companion Beadle on a terrifying journey in search of their friends. A journey haunted by unknown enemies and a shadowy beast.
But all paths are destined to lead to one place. A cursed street, hidden from the world – a place where souls are lost, fates are decided and old enemies have their revenge.
Directly following on from the events in Shadowmancer, I did not have high expectations of this sequel and was not disappointed. This is a peculiarly leaden historical fantasy that fails to convey any real sense of period or tension and which frequently descends into preaching a rather simplistic Christian message about the greatness of God.
Thomas, Kate and Jacob sail to London, only to find that those sympathetic to Demurral have plotted to take Jacob’s ship, stranding them in the city. Jacob takes the children to Salamander Street where his friend Pallium introduces them to Galphus, who offers help but who is not all that he seems. Meanwhile Raphah has teamed up with Beadle and journeys to London by coach, discovering that his fellow travellers have links to Demurral and whose travels are inextricably linked with his own.
There are some interesting ideas within the novel. A sinister factory run by Galphus, which relies on brutalising and abusing its child workers, is well realised, as are the effects of a drug called Gaudium, which beguiles Kate and begins to sap her will. The problem is that these scenes are few and far between and suffocated by Taylor’s heavy narrative style that frequently descends into purple prose. Barely a paragraph is allowed to go by without the use of a simile or metaphor and descriptions are pregnant with adjectives and adverbs. Also frustrating is the fact that the most potentially interesting scenes – for example when Raphah runs after a man subject to a curse who has held up the coach – happen off page, denying the plot of much-needed action.
Characterisation is generally poor and rarely rises above the two-dimensional. Galphus’s motives are never fully explored and I remained confused as to what he sought even though there is supposedly a big revelation at the end that ties everything up. Tom, Kate and Raphah are dull – particularly Raphah who does little except preach and shout in equal measure. Jacob Crane appears and disappears as and when necessary and Beadle is a somewhat pathetic witness to the events who it is difficult to engage with. Demurral is supposed to be a menacing background presence but his motivation and characterisation is too dull to rouse much interest.
Potentially interesting side characters such as Lady Tanville and the ghost Isabella are given little to do, which prevents them from establishing themselves. Most unforgiveable though is the ending, which lacks any of the emotional resonance necessary for it to work. To be honest, there is little magic within this book and it’s a chore to read. It was a relief rather than a pleasure to finally finish it.
The Verdict:
Really poor. The narrative is leaden, the characterisation poor and I never really got a sense as to which period of history this is supposedly set in. I can usually see what makes a book popular but the success of this book completely alludes me. Unless you like being bored and preached at, I wouldn’t recommend it.
