There are so many things I could say about this book. Though the second in the series, it's actually the first of the Matthew Swift books I've read - and you can bet I'll be picking up the rest.In many ways, the way that this book reads reminds me strongly of both the Dresden Files and some of Gaiman's work. The character of Matthew Swift, sorcerer (and something rather beyond) doesn't just have the feeling of a person placed in a situation - the characterization is all there, is fleshed-out and very much human. There's a clear sense of the fact that he has had life beyond the immediate, that he has motivations beyond those we are given. There should always be more to a story than what's "onscreen" and this book accomplishes that beautifully.There's a mystery afoot, and the device? Well, if you're paying attention, some aspects should become clear fairly early on - and at the same time, this is wonderfully paced, and it doesn't give away too much at once.The way that the central aspects of the story are introduced.... the Midnight Mayor, the mystery of the shoes, the long and arching line of what the heck is Happening in London... They all read very naturally. This is a book where things make a whole lot of sense in context and all the little bits add up. There is action, tension, some wistful recollection, and plenty of forward momentum. You get the clear sense that there is something wrong in Matthew Swift's world, and while it would have been very easy to make him all-knowing or all-powerful, that's not the path chosen here. This is a person who fights and sweats and bleeds, who doesn't magically become alright with the turn of a page. This is a person who knows that there are consequences but also understands that there are necessary actions, that those necessary acts don't necessarily justify the means.I did notice that some comments reference that the choice made in regard to resolution of the villain did not seem appropriate; while in an objective sense that may seem to be true, I feel that the motivations and attitude of the character making those decisions makes sense in context. It's not just a sacrifice being made for the sake of one person - it's a second chance. It's a way to protect someone when he had no chance at all before. I really do feel that in this aspect, it's a choice that rings true, a choice that would ring true for Matthew Swift. It's a way to repay someone he can't, to look after someone else in a way he feels he's already failed once.There is a little of the tendency to present the reader with a "wall of text," but I don't feel that it interfered with my ability to enjoy the story: the narrative voice is fairly even-handed, the story peaks and progresses and introduces concepts in ways that may not become fully apparent until recalled later. There's a lot of information I didn't realize I'd been given until it became relevant in the progression of the plot. Additionally, the setting is one of those things that rings familiar and alien all at once - London, as a place, as something slightly more - and I love all the little details. There's a lot going on here, and I got a very clear sense that it's a view on a slice of a great expanse: that the world doesn't just drop off where the setting for the story visibly ends. All in all, the story is well-written, the characters fleshed out, cause and effect and consequence all parts of the life of the story. It's one of the few books I've read in recent years that I have wholly enjoyed - a book that had me looking for more pages between the endpapers. I'll definitely be picking up the other books in the series. Absolutely awesome! I rate this 10 stars!!! Dark, funny, sardonic, ....As a master of her craft, Kate Griffin has an intrinsic understanding of the magic and power of words, expertly weaving this power into a vibrantly captivating series about an anti-hero who wishes THAT hadn't happened because it's wrong and now he has to up and do something about fixing it. I love the creepy, whacked out doctor! Please, Ms Griffin, give us more Matthew Swift and Magicals Anonymous!!!!!
What do You think about Midnight Mayor (2010)?
A stronger start than the first in the series, and a powerful finish.
—coral
5 stars for the descriptions of London alone.
—nkosi
