Ratings6
Average rating3.7
I really, really wanted to love this. I adored Cantero's other English-language novels, and I pre-ordered this figuring it would be a sure winner.Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me. The characters are either two-dimensional, or so extreme I couldn't relate to them. I think I see what he's going for - this should be like Sherlock Holmes having to share a body with John from [b:John Dies at the End 1857440 John Dies at the End (John Dies at the End, #1) David Wong https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1189289716s/1857440.jpg 1858059], and how they somehow wind up saving the day, despite their conflicting styles. Only, for me Adrian and Zooey came across as less subtly drawn than either Holmes or John! I guess Cantero's hyperbole fell flat for me, while it clearly worked for other people. The plot also didn't quite gel for me - but I can see how this may be more about my dislike for Noir overall than a specific failing of this story. The solution to the mystery is pointless and impossible to predict. That's just not my bag.I will say that there were some laugh-out-loud moments, and there were some interesting themes around gender, siblings, Noir tropes, and fiction in general - I just felt like Cantero merely touched on them, opting to focus more on zany action.I'll definitely check out Cantero's future work. I think my enjoyment depends a lot on what the genre is, so hopefully the next one will be more in my wheelhouse!