Wildcard ~ November
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
My opinion in three sentences:
I was all hope and anticipation starting the novel, and Callum’s bakery was a strong beginning, but after that point, things took a longtime to really get anywhere. Once we reached halfway, Lee finally caught my interest, unravelling a gripping and entertaining read in true justice to the prequel (complete with stunning quotes and great characterisation.) Sadly, however, the main plot twist was a little too obvious and, despite the justification in the author’s note, I do feel that thematically the characters were a little too ahead of their times in regards to gender neutrality and roles.
(Without spoiling anything) the best bit:
At the heart of it, there’s a real adventure in the sequel to match the stellar The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, complete with tension, suspense, fabulous writing and strong, unique characters. The tale, though seemingly similar, isn’t even a rip-off or rewrite of the prequel, either. Sure, it took longer than I wanted to really get there, but it was well worth the wait and I was gripped. I really hope Lee pulls it all out for the third in the series – who do I need to blackmail to get my hands on the book sooner?
A warning for the book:
The novel is an unfortunate victim of the sequel syndrome, proving not as strong, a little lacklustre and almost a filler between the first and third (though, thankfully, it seemed not to fall into the latter of these potholes). If does, however, take a good while for the story to find its footing and really get going – but do persevere because it turns out to be as good as the last once it gets there!
Recommended for fans of:
- These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
- Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller
- A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher
Dreaming With Your Eyes Wide Open 