A Madness of Angels

I don’t really know how to start this review.  Usually I say a little about the book and then go on with my thoughts and feelings after finishing it.  A Madness of Angels has kind of turned that on its head.  I struggled to get into it, I think I read the first chapter three times before it started sinking in.  Too many similes and repetitions started to put me off but since I am a stubborn kind of reader, I persevered and I’m glad I did.  The writing matured as it went on and the characters became more solid.  I can’t say I was able to truly empathise with the main character of Matthew Swift, but you understood where he was from and you did end up liking and caring about him.  What made the book so interesting was the setting and method of magic.  An arcane London living, breathing and existing alongside the mundane.  The magical community has their own rules, ethics and paths and the rich history of London plays a large part in that.

The reason I bought this book was because of a citation from Mike Carey on the cover and since I enjoy his work a lot, I thought it might be similar in feel and in that respect I was not disappointed.  It was not anywhere near as easy to read as Mike Carey’s work or to mention another favoured urban fantasy author Jim Butcher.  I can’t say I was gripped enough to keep reading in spite of other things that needed doing, and I was quite confused with the plot at times.  Saying that,  I was keen to pick it up when I could and continue on, needing to see what happened in the end.

I think on the whole I would recommend this book, I can’t quite put my finger on why I didn’t find it absorbing but it was entertaining.

Rating:  

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