This probably wouldn’t work as a stand -alone as there are a lot of references to the previous adventures of Susan and Merlin so feel that you need to read the earlier book before this one. I'll still be around for whatever book comes next, but my expectations will be far lower, honestly I'm a bit disappointed with how different my experiences have been with book one and two. This is the sequel and while it maintains the good humor and charm of the first book, I found it to be largely disappointing. Garth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter. The pace of the story is relentless. After plunging Merlin into mortal danger in the first few chapters, there is no let up, apart from the eating of many slabs of cake. The world building is excellent. The storyline not too convoluted and yet enough to keep you guessing. I've seen this described as YA fiction. The original book I bought was from the fantasy section. I'd label it a crossover book, can be read by all ages. Unless you have a nervous disposition 😉

Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi. The characters were great. They were developed well and relatable. I really liked the growing relationship between Merlin and Susan, the witty banter between the characters and seeing the type of magic used in this world. Besides the main characters, there are a whole host of minor characters, some from the previous book and many new ones who give the book real life. There are some great comic scenes involving cake as well as a very grumpy door man in the Admiralty Building in Bath. The comic scenes are an effective pause in the action which is very fast paced and involves a lot of travelling at high speed. If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, you will probably love this book, which offers generations of gods, wizards, and half-humans, all with a variety of powers. It didn't work as well for my as I'd wished, but I think I'm probably an outlier. Most readers who find it in their hands will probably be more enthusiastic.

New in Series

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal.”

If you love all things British enjoy it with a fresh pot of tea, china teaware and a generous portion of lemon drizzle cake. You will need sustenance just in case (likely) you cannot put it down. It should really go without saying that for a voracious book reader (like myself!) books about books, or libraries, or bibliophiles should be an automatic win. Susan resists her role in this whole story, and is whittled down to a very whiney character and she honestly treats Merlin like crap. Merlin wants to see her and she has dumbed their relationship to scheduled days. He, who has been in this business far longer than Susan's known of its existence, tries to keep her as safe as he can - because all she does is complain that she doesn't want to be apart of this, and when the time comes for her to really be afraid and need protection to yells at him. Susan doesn't deserve to be "The Chosen One" Character, she hasn't made me care enough about her, to believe that she can be anything more than a student. The charm of these books is largely due to the irrepressible Merlin, who winds up in said strange and dangerous garden because he can’t resist a mysterious bee; he also happens to be wearing Elizabet Bennet’s outfit from a BBC Pride and Prejudice adaptation (he borrowed it from a wardrobe assistant, as one does): If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal.

In comparison, whilst generally still quirky, the secondary characters are still a little nondescript, however, although the point is the need to focus on events around Susan. From the very first chapter there's danger and action which kept me so curious that I couldn't put this book down. The pacing was great and steady throughout the whole book too. It’s always an obnoxious character trope in fantasy and I’m disappointed to see this from Nix, who has previously always managed to write a relatively peaceful breed of fantasy that is YA appropriate without engaging in this level of sanctimony. Although this is the second book in the series, I haven’t read the first one. This book is so well written though that I had no problems keeping up with the plot, especially because certain things from the first book were referenced to and included.

I also adored Merlin in both books. He’s a very colourful character, who might also be called downright weird, but he wears his quirkiness with pride and can charm even the most sceptical people. He is also very aware of his own shortcomings and is not afraid to admit his mistakes. But first and foremost, he is very warm and caring and always thinks about others before himself.With at least a couple of Susan’s problems solved, for the time being, it’s not entirely clear if there will be a third volume. But surely there are yet more cities with more mysterious bookshops to be explored. I love this world. There's a familiarity to it that's comforting. In my opinion, fantasy works best when there's a root that we can cling to. Then you can add the fantastical side without having to consult a map, (although I do like a map) or reread where on earth we are. Susan is a good character who in this book grows in statue. Merlin is still the wonderful oddball he was in the first installment. The old mystical world is still as enchanting. The humour is still there in spadefuls. And I need Merlin to just keep being his best self. (He is my sweet baby and he deserves good things, and honesty... his relationship with Susan is just not convincing me.) The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life. I’m also a fan of the characters in this story. Susan is a down-to-earth and no-nonsense character who tries her best to fit into the regular world. But at the same time, she’s not blind to what happens around her and understands that, eventually, she will have accepted her own magical heritage. Reading about her journey from downright refusal to slow and reluctant acceptance and finding loopholes in the ancient world rules was highly entertaining.