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timinbc's review against another edition
2.0
This series is for people who found Agatha Christie's plots too simple. Perhaps it should have been called, "Unbeknownst to her..." because it is just jam-packed with "A is actually B".
OK, what's good? The good basic idea continues from book 1. The overall plot is quite good, and there are some moral issues. Some of the characters are not bad. Miranda is nowhere near believable as a 500-year-old; she thinks and acts like a late-teens person.
Summary: I think Lamplighter is better at ideas than at writing - or else her editor is a saboteur. Let's examine that:
Early on we have repeating info dozens of times, coupled with efforts to fill in for people who missed volume 1 when this plot is too complex for that. Just tell 'em to go read #1.
".. ways of moving between Prospero's Mansion." ... and? It's hard to move between one place.
Much research has clearly gone in to the mythical characters, so why are so many misspelled? Metratron (Matetron), Partrocles (Patrocles), Abbadon (Abaddon, later correct), Ozymandius (Ozymandias), ...
Faery/Faerie - most writers don't mix fairy and faerie, and few use "faery". Some claim that fairies and faerie are somewhat different things (with the kind in these books being faerie). Tinkerbell is a fairy; a banshee is a faerie.
We have imposter (impostor), "lay" for "laid:, "nobles oblige: (noblesse). We have a character "step foot in" a place (SET foot in, please).
We're told that the open Vault is a dangerous beacon, yet after meeting the Fire King Miranda is in no hurry to close it, choosing to go to the winter garden instead.
We meet Erasmus.
p. 136: "mocking green eyes" (?)
p. 137: gazed mockingly
p. 140: A slight mocking smile played about his lips
p. 140: ... his mocking expression .."
p. 141: .. his mocking smile ..."
p. 144: he asked mockingly
p. 152: ... his mocking dark eyes ..
p. 159: .. .asked mockingly ...
OK, we get it.
Here's some of the sort of prose that Elmore Leonard has deplored. It's the Tom Swift school of writing:
p. 144: "asked Cornelius ... murmured Erasmus ... I said ... Cornelius's voice rose in surprise ... muttered Theo ... I said ... Cornelius asked, amazed ... I replied ... Cornelius's voice wavered ... I finished ... Theo said gruffly ... he asked mockingly". p. 145: "Erasmus purred ... I asked, astonished ... he replied smugly ... I said tiredly ... Theo interrupted ... answered Erasmus smoothly ... barked Theo ... Theo growled "
"The garment was woven from night's air and the reflection of moonlight on black water."
Hm. Must have been cold. And it must have been tough to do up the buttons.
We learn that Bwah-hah, this is even better than book 1 bringing in Santa. This is where I first suspected that Lamplighter is playing this for laughs. Or maybe it was when a window led to the Land of Nod.
Someone says they can get Ulysses with the Staff of Transportation. They should all be aware that they can't, because it hasn't yet been to [where he is].
Here's a Tower of Pain that makes your eyes bleed if you look at it, ya right. That's in a dream, but we are told later that it's real - or as real as anything is in Hell. Similarly, as they are entering Hell, Erasmus is walking beside Miranda as she swims. Are we just playing with perceptions here? Because there aren't many situations where one person can actually while the person beside her walks a dry path, and there aren't many things that cause bleeding from a distance.
We learn late in book 2 that Mephisto has, and has never mentioned or used it. His memory isn't THAT bad. And where was he carrying it, and how did he fail to notice it?
Focalor arrives in the midst of a brawl, and stops to give an eight-line formal speech laying out his history. Everything we're told about him suggests that he really ought to just get right onto the slaying part.
Mephisto leaps from a flying lion, does a double back flip that knocks his hat from his shoulders to his head, grabs a sword in passing, knocks aside the bad guy's sword and stabs him. Hahahahaha, I get it, this is the book from which the author expects a cartoon to be made, right?
This book stinks - but I am going to read #3 anyway because it's a compelling story if you overlook a LOT of details - and I want to find out how Miranda's story turns out.
Oh - the title? I've been careful about spoilers, but if you've got this far I'll spill one: despite the title, we do not meet blankety-blank Prospero in this book. Unless he turns out to have been one of the others all along, which would only be the ninth time that's happened in the two books. He'd better be in the third one or I'm going to write a really long review.
One more: have I detected a not-very-subtle joke that Theo is, for all practical purposes, Theodore Roosevelt, right out of A Night at the Museum?
OK, what's good? The good basic idea continues from book 1. The overall plot is quite good, and there are some moral issues. Some of the characters are not bad. Miranda is nowhere near believable as a 500-year-old; she thinks and acts like a late-teens person.
Summary: I think Lamplighter is better at ideas than at writing - or else her editor is a saboteur. Let's examine that:
Early on we have repeating info dozens of times, coupled with efforts to fill in for people who missed volume 1 when this plot is too complex for that. Just tell 'em to go read #1.
".. ways of moving between Prospero's Mansion." ... and? It's hard to move between one place.
Much research has clearly gone in to the mythical characters, so why are so many misspelled? Metratron (Matetron), Partrocles (Patrocles), Abbadon (Abaddon, later correct), Ozymandius (Ozymandias), ...
Faery/Faerie - most writers don't mix fairy and faerie, and few use "faery". Some claim that fairies and faerie are somewhat different things (with the kind in these books being faerie). Tinkerbell is a fairy; a banshee is a faerie.
We have imposter (impostor), "lay" for "laid:, "nobles oblige: (noblesse). We have a character "step foot in" a place (SET foot in, please).
We're told that the open Vault is a dangerous beacon, yet after meeting the Fire King Miranda is in no hurry to close it, choosing to go to the winter garden instead.
We meet Erasmus.
p. 136: "mocking green eyes" (?)
p. 137: gazed mockingly
p. 140: A slight mocking smile played about his lips
p. 140: ... his mocking expression .."
p. 141: .. his mocking smile ..."
p. 144: he asked mockingly
p. 152: ... his mocking dark eyes ..
p. 159: .. .asked mockingly ...
OK, we get it.
Here's some of the sort of prose that Elmore Leonard has deplored. It's the Tom Swift school of writing:
p. 144: "asked Cornelius ... murmured Erasmus ... I said ... Cornelius's voice rose in surprise ... muttered Theo ... I said ... Cornelius asked, amazed ... I replied ... Cornelius's voice wavered ... I finished ... Theo said gruffly ... he asked mockingly". p. 145: "Erasmus purred ... I asked, astonished ... he replied smugly ... I said tiredly ... Theo interrupted ... answered Erasmus smoothly ... barked Theo ... Theo growled "
"The garment was woven from night's air and the reflection of moonlight on black water."
Hm. Must have been cold. And it must have been tough to do up the buttons.
We learn that
Spoiler
Ulysses is on Mars.Someone says they can get Ulysses with the Staff of Transportation. They should all be aware that they can't, because it hasn't yet been to [where he is].
Here's a Tower of Pain that makes your eyes bleed if you look at it, ya right. That's in a dream, but we are told later that it's real - or as real as anything is in Hell. Similarly, as they are entering Hell, Erasmus is walking beside Miranda as she swims. Are we just playing with perceptions here? Because there aren't many situations where one person can actually while the person beside her walks a dry path, and there aren't many things that cause bleeding from a distance.
We learn late in book 2 that Mephisto has
Spoiler
Merlin's crystal ballFocalor arrives in the midst of a brawl, and stops to give an eight-line formal speech laying out his history. Everything we're told about him suggests that he really ought to just get right onto the slaying part.
Mephisto leaps from a flying lion, does a double back flip that knocks his hat from his shoulders to his head, grabs a sword in passing, knocks aside the bad guy's sword and stabs him. Hahahahaha, I get it, this is the book from which the author expects a cartoon to be made, right?
This book stinks - but I am going to read #3 anyway because it's a compelling story if you overlook a LOT of details - and I want to find out how Miranda's story turns out.
Oh - the title? I've been careful about spoilers, but if you've got this far I'll spill one: despite the title, we do not meet blankety-blank Prospero in this book. Unless he turns out to have been one of the others all along, which would only be the ninth time that's happened in the two books. He'd better be in the third one or I'm going to write a really long review.
One more: have I detected a not-very-subtle joke that Theo is, for all practical purposes, Theodore Roosevelt, right out of A Night at the Museum?
kattra's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sigfig's review against another edition
2.0
Ultimately book 1 and 2 have all just been preparation for book 3 where I hope something will actually happen! Frustrating because I am now hooked so had to read them...
magdon's review against another edition
4.0
lovely: still imaginative and amusing. cant' wait to see how it all finishes up.
casvelyn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
middlekmissie's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful sequel that manages to be better than the first in the series.
http://thebookfix.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/prospero-in-hell/
http://thebookfix.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/prospero-in-hell/
mgwuh's review against another edition
2.0
Interesting interpretations of religion undermined by very strong puritan, gendered, heterosexual values on FULL display.
gskenney's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great read! The characters are well-rounded and interesting, and the whole Prospero family band of adventurers, quirky as they are, are likeable and sympathetic in their various ways--especially the heroine Miranda. I had trouble putting this book down! Can't wait to read the sequel.
gossamerchild's review against another edition
4.0
Well, I was right about the writing improving with the second book. I was much less distracted by the useless exclamation points. Thank you for that. Miranda continues the search for her father, who she now knows is actually in hell. I like all the other literary references in these books, and Lamplighter's description of hell is pretty impressive. Highly enjoyable fantasy.
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