Ratings20
Average rating3.9
This is not the story you think it is. These are not the charactersyou think they are. This is not the book you are expecting. London 1888. Angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings in a well-regulated truce. A utopia, except for one thing: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. Dr J. H. Doyle returns to London having been wounded in Afghanistan by a Fallen, and finds himself lodging in Baker Street with the enigmatic angel Crow. But living with a rogue angel is not so easy; the pair find themselves drawn into the supernatural and criminal worlds of London, from a man kidnapped by a vampire nest to Jack the Ripper's horrific murders. Besides Doyle's nightmares, there is the lingering worry that Crow might Fall... "A new Katherine Addison book is a cause for celebration. Break out the champagne, this one's a treat!" -- ELLEN KLAGES, author of Passing Strange, winner of the British Fantasy Award and World Fantasy Award "Each book Addison writes is a highly-polished and gorgeously set gem. The Angel of Crows is no exception." -- FRAN WILDE, Nebula-winning, Hugo and World Fantasy Nominated author of Updraft and The Fire Opal Mechanism "... remarkably compelling and fascinating" -- io9, on The Goblin Emperor "With its subtle, intricate, fascinating worldbuilding and a hero who succeeds through empathy and patience rather than brawn, The Goblin Emperor is absolutely unique among recent fantasy novels, and it delighted me from beginning to end. I wish I could read a dozen more books set in the Elflands." -- KATHERINE ARDEN, bestselling author of The Bear And The Nightingale, on The Goblin Emperor
Reviews with the most likes.
What a fascinating book! I don't want to give away too much, but I think it is fair to share that this is based somewhat on the Sherlock Holmes stories, but with a cast of characters that are unique. If you can get your hands on a copy, do so and read it!
This book sounded so interesting to me. Alternate London with Angels, werewolves and vampires. A Sherlock Holmes retelling. That sounds amazing.
Sadly, it wasn't my favorite. Even with all the supernaturals, it wasn't anything special. It was ok, but I wasn't wowed.
I received a copy from Net Galley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5 stars.
This is Sherlock Holmes fanfic, and with fanfic as the baseline for judgment, it's delightful. Crow, the Holmes character, makes so much more sense as a non-human who is puzzled by the basics of human life. Whereas Holmes (at least in my memory of the original) might be offputtingly brusque, Crow has an alien-like curiosity and interest in people. It's a nice change from the anti-hero House-type main characters that are currently popular.
[Spoilers below]
Putting fan-fic aside, I don't think there's enough framing of why Crow is an angel. There's a hint of an overarching narrative that could be neatly tied up, but it never really happens. A lot of questions go unanswered.
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