DNF at page 114.
I admit defeat. I’ve given this book not one but two shots — because, by all accounts, it should be an amazing story: gritty folklore, changelings, dark/somewhat silly magic, — a bit like Good Omens and American Gods — descriptive prose, and a huge cast of unique characters.
… but it just kinda fell flat.
There are some detailed reviews over on GoodReads which dissect this book and Cargill’s writing — noting, in particular, that Cargill has been trained as a screen writer, which is a very different art than novel writing. (If The Crimes of Grindelwald is anything to go by, I suppose we can conclude the same about the novels-to-screen jump … ) For me, it came down to two fatal flaws: (1) Too many ingredients, and (2) Not enough plot.
Favourite quote:
But the truth is, if everyone forgets about us, we fade away.
The Details:
- The Book: Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill
- Published: 2013, Harper Voyager
- My Copy: KFPL
- Read date: May 4-8; June 4, 2019
- Rating: DNF
The Geeky Jock 