Scott
I entered this novel expecting a dystopian adventure. What did I find but a dystopian spy novel that John Le Carre would be proud of. It was a surprise but a very welcome one. I loved the way the author just kind of slid you into that reality, introducing different elements along the way, and really made you feel the main character's pov, his sense of alienation, his self-doubt. It just gets better from there.
I enjoyed the first book, a bit rough in places, but Aaronovitch is really hitting his stride with this one. I originally wondered about Peter's parallels with Harry Dresden - detective/police procedurals, urban magic, a smart-talking main character, locations existing as magic personified, both being a love letter to the city in which they are set. But I like the direction of these stories and they are definitely not derivative. Peter's story is a very human one, I love how the author weaves commentary in and out of the narrative, and I love the way it reminds me of time I spent in London, albeit too brief.
Overall I quite enjoyed this book. I loved the riddle of the multiverse that it started with. As we progressed through Cara???s experience on Earth 125 I will admit I started to think ???Oh god is this going to be a ???365 Days??? like Stockholm syndrome plot???? But my fears were unfounded and the rest of the novel unfolded with the interesting sort of point-counterpoint, plot-twist, cross, double-cross one-two punch that kept me turning the pages. It is a much more nuanced take on abuse and survivors and resilience than I initially gave it credit for. The author has really taken the time to think through the implications of her multiverse world AND tied that to interesting characters who make reasonable decisions and grow as they experience and develop events and understandings in their world. Wonderful.