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豆柴小鉄を捨てた元の飼い主が牙王の元から救出にやってきた！小鉄を捨てたことを悪びれもしない元の飼い主「イツ子」小鉄のためと言い、小鉄を牙王の元から連れ去ろうとするが…

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Nope, not for me.  I should have known, since I've read Hamilton's work before and it left me feeling very dissatisfied, but I thought 'hey, a different publisher might make a difference'.

Hey!, no, it didn't.

Up until now I kept coming back because at the heart of each of her books is a good mystery, and that's true here too, but there's always been something self-righteous about her characters that I could never warm to.  In A Gentlewoman's Guide to Murder the gloves came off, and the author let loose the dogs of evangelical self-righteous war.  

This is an Edwardian feminist rant thinly veiled in a very good murder mystery.  Now, I do not for a minute think that Edwardian women had it anything but awful; they were for all intents and purposes, coddled slaves.  Neither am I anything but supportive of strong, independent women protecting their rights to be strong, independent women.  But I am violently opposed to all forms of evangelism: social, political and spiritual.  I refuse to tolerate heavy-handed preaching and ranting, and, dare I say it, harping, in real life and real life is too short to put up with it in my books.

But - for those that enjoy a dedicated, passionate, laser-focused character who verges on bitter because, seriously, her life sucked in spite of wealth and privilege, this book is not bad.  As I said before, it's well plotted and meticulously researched, and the story revolves around a particularly vile, dark, confronting crime (trigger for pedophilia).  It probably could have used a stronger edit, but since I didn't like the book, I'm not sure I'm objective.

Also, fair warning: this was obviously meant to be the start of a series, as it ends with a cliff-hanger/lead in to another plot line, but Midnight Ink is being shut down in a few months - if not weeks - so readers who do like the story might be left hanging.  As I have no intention of reading any further, I'm not surprisingly ok with never knowing about what happens at the asylum.

I write this review as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team, and I freely chose to review an ARC copy of this novel.

This is a novel set in the near future (2024-5) in the UK, focusing on politics, although I’d say that it is the equivalent of what a cozy mystery represents for the mystery genre. It has a light and humorous undercurrent; it does not go to extremes or deals in the most serious aspects of the topic; it is unlikely to offend most readers, and it does not touch on any of the burning and most controversial UK political issues (Brexit, for example). The author explains his reasons for his choice, and you can make of them what you wish.

There is a mix of characters, some more likeable than others, involved in the political race. In my opinion, Harry is the most likeable of them all, probably because he is honest and sincere, he gets reluctantly involved in politics, and as a retired man, fond of his family and with no evident major character flaws, and it is easy to root for him. Alistair has good and bad points, but I think most readers are bound to feel bad for him, and he does not have the necessary traits to ever become a political success. Bradley is the least likeable, although at some points during the book one might wonder if he is not as bad as he seems (and he is far from some of the totally ruthless individuals we are used to reading about in hard political thrillers). There are some secondary characters that are not on stage long enough for us to get to know them well but they give more variety to the novel and include some intriguing and even menacing elements. I don’t think an expertise on the UK political situation or institutions is necessary to read this book, although I suspect that the novel will be more enjoyable to people familiar and interested in UK politics.

This is a book of the time, and social media and media in general play a big part in the political process, seriously affecting the public’s perception, with revelations about the candidates being leaked as a way of trying to manipulate the results, secrets being revealed left, right, and centre (politically as well). But, as I said, this is a gentle book and even the revelations and the corruption that is unearthed is pretty mild compared to some recent scandals, and it is unlikely to truly shock or repel people (it is no hard-core political invective or exposé). Although some pretty dark goings-on are hinted at, it is never clear who was truly behind them and if any of the political candidates was truly involved, leaving this element of the story open to readers’ interpretations.

The book feels somewhat old-fashioned, even though it is set in the future, and although there are quite a number of female characters, most of them don’t play a central part in the story (and the one who does, and perhaps the most interesting of the characters, has doubtful motivations that stem from her relationships with a particular man), and either disappear early in the book or are part and parcel of a man’s campaign. Saying that, they come up quite well compared to most of the male protagonists, and they are often the ones pulling the strings from behind the curtains.

The story is entertaining, and having lived in Brighton and being familiar with the area, I particularly liked the local touch and the detailed background into local UK politics. I also liked the emphasis on the role of social media and media in general, Harry and his background in local radio (I love local radio and I also volunteer at a local radio station), and some of the most outrageous suggestions of future changes to politics (like the fact that rather than having names, the parties would become either the GOP or the OP, the Government Party or the Opposition Party, regardless of alliances or ideology, to ensure neutrality). It is also difficult not to read this book and think of possible candidates that would fit right into the roles, and worry that, no matter how humorous, what happens might be uncomfortably close to the truth.

The writing flows easily, creating a good sense of who the characters are, and in some cases making us feel touched and close to their experiences (I did feel pretty sorry for Alistair). The author has a light touch and is skilled at managing a fairly large cast of characters without causing confusion or overwhelming the reader.

An entertaining and gentle book that pokes fun at UK politics, unlikely to offend anybody with a sense of humour. An amusing and fun read for a day when we don’t want to take politics too seriously.

From "The Gentle Art of Cracking Heads" Episode 12 - The Human Division

I like modern day trivia thrown into sci-fi books . . .

Greta is the daughter of a female blacksmith and has grown up learning her mother's craft. One day, she saves a Jasmine tea dragon. The dragon's caretaker, Hesekiel, offers to teach her about caring for tea dragons. Each dragon has its quirks, but, when properly cared for, they produce magnificent tea that carries the memories of their current caretaker. Greta's visits to Hesekiel also allow her to get to know Erik, Hesekiel's long-time friend and partner, and Minette, a shy girl who is approximately the same age as Greta and who is closely bonded to a Chamomile dragon.

I didn't realize until I had the book in my hands and saw the little blurb on the cover that this was by the same person who created Princess Princess Ever After. Thankfully, the printing for this volume was better than it was for that one - all of the artwork was bright, clear, and lovely. I'm tempted to get a copy for my own collection, even though I have no idea where I'd keep it.

The story was simple and quiet, focused on the characters' relationships and the details of tea dragon care. The most action-filled moment was a tea-induced flashback to the beginnings of Hesekiel and Erik's relationship as

The entire volume dealt with things that took time and patience, from developing relationships with others to blacksmithing and tea dragon care. The inclusion of both older and younger generations worked really well in this respect. With Greta and Minette, readers could see the beginnings of a sweet and occasionally awkward relationship, while Erik and Hesekiel were a great example of a couple that had had years to get to know each other and settle into life together. There was a little of that when it came to the tea dragons as well, although that was more unbalanced. The process of establishing a relationship with a tea dragon was mostly covered in lectures, because Erik, Hesekiel, and even Minette had already gained the trust of their dragons and bonded with them fairly well.

While I wished this had been a bit longer (Minette's backstory, in particular, felt like it needed more closure), I really enjoyed this. The artwork was lovely. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that CLAMP, particularly their work Chobits, was one of O'Neill's influences - one panel featured Minette in a pose that reminded me a great deal of Chobit's Chi.

Also, the "Tea Dragon Handbook" at the end, which contained more information about various tea dragons and their care, was fabulous. I'd happily read an expanded version of it featuring even more kinds of tea dragons. I wonder what a Pu Erh dragon would look and act like?

Additional Comments:

If you're hesitant about getting this, it looks like the entire story can still be read online (minus the "Tea Dragon Handbook").

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)