The Walls of Byzantium

I really enjoyed parts of this book. There were some excellently descriptive narrative and the setting was intriguing, exploring the Island of Chios and the history of mastic. Unfortunately though, this was not enough to hold the whole novel together. There were too many characters introduced too quickly which meant that it was difficult to get to know them and understand their motivation, leading to a plot that, although not over complicated, was ultimately quite confusing. The last ¼ of the book was clearly just setting up for the sequel and the repetitive use of the short punchy sentences intended to add emphasis very quickly became annoying.
Annoying.
Overall, disappointing.