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weweresotired's review against another edition
4.0
See the full review at Short & Sweet Reviews.
Once again, this book starts out with Matthew being dropped into the middle of a completely unexpected situation. Just like last time, he has no idea where he is or how he got there; all he knows is that something is trying to destroy him. It seems to be a pretty common situation for him to be in; maybe he should start getting used to it. Matthew is quickly plunged into the shadowy world of the Midnight Mayor, who's tasked with protecting London from all sorts of malevolent types of magic. And something wicked is bent on destroying London, and poor Matthew is the only one who can stop it.
Swift is a fascinating main character because he's not your typical sort of hero. He's never described as dreamy or really, anything other than ordinary; he doesn't have women lined up to chase after him (indeed, his priorities are mostly along the lines of "staying alive" rather than "finding a girlfriend"). He's a very powerful sorcerer but sometimes doesn't quite know how to control it or what to do with it, but he's otherwise got no special skills other than "getting in trouble" and "still not dying". He's sarcastic and kind of bitter and very annoyed with everyone around him. (Just my type, really!)
Griffin's created a rich new world of urban magic that draws on the every-day and the ordinary in the city and turns it into something fantastic and otherworldy. The prose is the same dense, descriptive style that you hopefully came to love in the first book. Griffin's really got an eye for hiding important little details in amongst all those thoughts and observations of Matthew's, and even without that, the writing is so thorough that it's easy to get lost in the very real streets of London that she describes. This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I can't wait to move on to the next book.
Once again, this book starts out with Matthew being dropped into the middle of a completely unexpected situation. Just like last time, he has no idea where he is or how he got there; all he knows is that something is trying to destroy him. It seems to be a pretty common situation for him to be in; maybe he should start getting used to it. Matthew is quickly plunged into the shadowy world of the Midnight Mayor, who's tasked with protecting London from all sorts of malevolent types of magic. And something wicked is bent on destroying London, and poor Matthew is the only one who can stop it.
Swift is a fascinating main character because he's not your typical sort of hero. He's never described as dreamy or really, anything other than ordinary; he doesn't have women lined up to chase after him (indeed, his priorities are mostly along the lines of "staying alive" rather than "finding a girlfriend"). He's a very powerful sorcerer but sometimes doesn't quite know how to control it or what to do with it, but he's otherwise got no special skills other than "getting in trouble" and "still not dying". He's sarcastic and kind of bitter and very annoyed with everyone around him. (Just my type, really!)
Griffin's created a rich new world of urban magic that draws on the every-day and the ordinary in the city and turns it into something fantastic and otherworldy. The prose is the same dense, descriptive style that you hopefully came to love in the first book. Griffin's really got an eye for hiding important little details in amongst all those thoughts and observations of Matthew's, and even without that, the writing is so thorough that it's easy to get lost in the very real streets of London that she describes. This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I can't wait to move on to the next book.
eacolgan's review against another edition
3.0
Despite the great premise and skilful writing, this series isn't hooking me. The Peter Grant books are very similar in subject matter (urban fantasy mysteries in London) but they're more fun, and I have an easier time empathizing with / caring about Peter than Matthew. Don't get me wrong, I love the human/magic hybrid thing, but in two books I have yet to get a sense of who Matthew is when people aren't trying to kill him-- what he wants, likes, hates, etc. What drives him, in other words, absent a discrete crisis? I'm hoping given the end of this book that he's about to have a person in his life who isn't an ally or tool but could eventually be a friend. I'm going to read at least the next one in the series to see if this pans out; hopefully the human side of Matthew and his fire will show itself prominently enough to keep me going into book 4 and beyond.
kadomi's review against another edition
4.0
It is almost ridiculous how literary this urban fantasy novel feels. I am not sure if I can ever fully enjoy a Harry Dresden novel again when I know I could read something like Matthew Swift, more complex, more depth.
Matthew Swift and the blue angels start out much the same as the first book, which is a bit disconcerting. The Death of Cities has come to London and murders the Midnight Mayor, the protector of magical London. Before he dies he chooses Matthew as his successor, and he now has to figure out how to stop London from dying. And what's up with this hat that someone is missing?
Fascinating, literary, but maybe not quite as captivating as the previous book. And yet I can't wait to read the next one, to learn more about all the characters, the tantalizing hints that despite the blue angels, Matthew has emotions left to him.
Matthew Swift and the blue angels start out much the same as the first book, which is a bit disconcerting. The Death of Cities has come to London and murders the Midnight Mayor, the protector of magical London. Before he dies he chooses Matthew as his successor, and he now has to figure out how to stop London from dying. And what's up with this hat that someone is missing?
Fascinating, literary, but maybe not quite as captivating as the previous book. And yet I can't wait to read the next one, to learn more about all the characters, the tantalizing hints that despite the blue angels, Matthew has emotions left to him.
brassduke's review against another edition
3.0
Sadly not as good as A Madness of Angels. But still an enjoyable read with enough fresh and amusing concepts to keep interest up.
chemical_starsigns's review
4.0
misses some of the simplicity of the first book, but still action-packed and full of mystic phenomenons and urban magic
elusivity's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent follow-up to Book 1.
A novel in the breathless, grim, viscerally described style of true urban magic. Matthew Swift the semi-human sorcerer gets caught up into the myth of the Midnight Mayor, who protects the stones of the city against outside destruction.
Reminds me of The Books of Magic, John Constantine, and Dream of the Endless series of graphic novels -- the graphic nature of the description, the City of London as a vivid background and character, the dark and wild creativity of plot and magic, the constant motion, the twist and turn of plot. The climax seemed somewhat anti-climatic.
Whoso liked the first book shall enjoy this one as well.
A novel in the breathless, grim, viscerally described style of true urban magic. Matthew Swift the semi-human sorcerer gets caught up into the myth of the Midnight Mayor, who protects the stones of the city against outside destruction.
Reminds me of The Books of Magic, John Constantine, and Dream of the Endless series of graphic novels -- the graphic nature of the description, the City of London as a vivid background and character, the dark and wild creativity of plot and magic, the constant motion, the twist and turn of plot. The climax seemed somewhat anti-climatic.
Whoso liked the first book shall enjoy this one as well.
arcticelegy's review
adventurous
funny
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
5.0
erichart's review against another edition
5.0
A cracking story, bu most of all, a letter of love to London. As someone who lived there, I thoroughly enjoyed the author's portrayal of the city.