Either I have gotten older, or this series has lost a bit of themselves. Much of it seemed quite rushed, and some passages of the book has a problem of involving me emotionally.Many parts also seem to require more suspension of disbelief than before. It all seem less well thought through. Like I'm very sure many other people than the hero of the book could have done what she was "meant to do".There were many good points and I did like the book. Entertaining read, but nothing else. Will now proceed to read the last one. The latest in the stable of "City of..." doesn't disappoint, and satisfies my enjoyment of the genre 'teenage fiction'. This novel features the entire cast of 'Stravaganti' from both Talia and 21st century London, and is replete with time travel, disguise, pirates and a monumental sea battle. This last is given a little short shrift, considering it is what the book leads up to throughout the proceedings, but this doesn't stop me from looking forward to the next in the series ("City of Lovers" - Verona?!).