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London Urban Fantasy: Bitter Waters and The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

26 Jun

Bitter Waters
by Vivian Shaw
I was disappointed when Vivian Shaw said that Grave Importance was the final book in the Dr. Greta Helsing trilogy, since I felt the modern fantasy series about a doctor who helped treat creatures of myth like vampires and mummies, had so much potential for additional fun adventures. I was therefor delighted when Bitter Waters, a stand alone novella featuring Greta, who must solve the mystery and come to the aid of a newly bitten vampire child, Lucy was announced. This one will be especially popular with vampire fans with vampires Varney, Ruthven, and Grisaille all coming to the aid of Greta in helping Lucy recover from her ordeal. I also enjoyed Shaw’s interpretation of Dracula and his part in the story as well as the small side story about a cranky elder barrow-wight. Much of the joy of the series is seeing those typically depicted as monstrous in a humanized way with regular every day issues such as dealing with an aging parent. The culprit for Lucy’s situation felt a little too easily wrapped up, offstage, but I felt like there were hints that all may not be as it seems and I’m wondering if we may be setting up for future stories; I certainly hope so. We had read the first novel in the series, Strange Practice, as apart of our Science Fiction and Fantasy book club. The group enjoyed the book and I highly recommend the series for those looking for a contemporary fantasy with British flavor.

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
by Garth Nix
We read the The Left-Handed Booksellers of London for our June book discussion on Monday, which all of the group members enjoyed. The book is marketed as for Young Adults, but has a lot that will resonate with New Adult readers and older readers may find themselves nostalgic for the 1983 setting. Susan has just moved to London and is excited to be living in the big city and the opportunity to find her father who she has never met and her spacey mother has only ever hinted about. What she finds out is that it isn’t just your average mugger she needs to look out for in the city, the things of legend really do begin to go bump in the night and her father is a being more powerful than any she could have conjured from her childhood fantasies. She is joined in her adventures by Merlin, who is amongst an unusual family of Booksellers, the Left-Handed of which like Merlin are the adventurous fighting type while the right handed are the more studious intellectual variety. The story revolves around Susan’s efforts to discover who her father is before his enemies can capture her. Lots of unique creatures romp through this creative and quirky story. For those wanting more you can check out The Sinister Booksellers of Bath.

I hope you will consider joining us at next month’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion Group where we will be discussing Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

A Spooky Summer Read: Gallant

12 Jun

Our Hoboken Summer Reading Challenge for all ages runs through August 30; Hoboken resident card holders can track your reading and win prizes! Many readers will say that they will sometimes pick up a spooky read as a way to try and beat the heat or to pick up something a little more unconventional for their summer Beach Read. This along with a gothic, dark academia inspired setting is bound to pique the interest of those who are looking for something different to read for summer.

Written by author V.E. Schwab, Gallant tells the story of Olivia Prior, a girl who has spent most of her life growing up in Merilance School for Girls, with no connection to her parents, save only for her mother’s journal, that seems to only unravel into madness by its end pages. Then she receives an unexpected invitation to come home to Gallant, only to learn quickly that no one was expecting her when she arrives, greeted by family members that include a hostile cousin and the sight of ghouls in the hallways. In her search to uncover secrets, Oliva discovers an entrance way into a place that both is and isn’t Gallant, where the ghouls are solid and a mysterious figure rules over them all. Having always yearned for a place to belong, it’s now a question of whether Olivia will protect the world against the Master of the House or take her place alongside him.

V.E. Schwab’s writing once again captures a beautiful and captivating narrative with her prose, immediately pulling the reader into a dark and gothic world that Olivia inhabits, providing just enough of a dark academia aesthetic within the first few chapters of the book. We instantly feel for Olivia due to how isolated she is within the walls of Merilance, having no friends and having been ostracized by almost everyone in her family, yet she shows her strength as a protagonist by showing us that she will not allow herself to become an easy target. 

Several key things become apparent once she arrives home in Gallant. She must first learn about the secrets within Gallant itself and thus learn more about herself and her abilities, and she must discover the fate of her parents. All of this we learn through Olivia’s journey within the pages of the book and every moment is well captured and leaves the reader wanting to know more. Even if you are unfamiliar with V.E. Schwab and her catalog of work, this is an excellent book to start with, especially if you are looking for something that has a spooky and gothic atmosphere.

For those who are seeking a book to start off their summer reading, Gallant is a fantastic read for anyone who wants something a little more gothic and chilling in their choice of beach reads.

You can also read my review of Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue a colleague’s previous post about A Darker Shade of Magic.

nce she arrives home in Gallant. She must first learn about the secrets within Gallant itself and thus learn more about herself and her abilities, and she must discover the fate of her parents. All of this we learn through Olivia’s journey within the pages of the book and every moment is well captured and leaves the reader wanting to know more. Even if you are unfamiliar with V.E. Schwab and her catalog of work, this is an excellent book to start with, especially if you are looking for something that has a spooky and gothic atmosphere.

Written by:
Lauren Lapinski

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