I’ve got mixed feelings about this book. It was absurd, funny, confusing, and sweet all at different times. It reminded me of some very funny satirical fanfiction o read a long time ago. A lot of lines that could have been followed by a ba-dum-tish. That satirical veneer kind of prevented the more serious aspects of the book from taking shape, though.

I did love the found family trope, that was really lovely. And Amber the mediocre dragon was a treat.

One thing, though: were the guards ACTUAL birds? I got so confused.

Two not-quite-dead people, a small dragon, and a Welsh apothecary are thrown together in a fantasy version of Elizabethan London. (That's where I left off, about 16% into the book.) It's a fun premise, but I found the character development to be thin and the plot disjointed. I'm not sure what the author felt was resonant about this setting, but the style and language certainly aren't suited to it. I think they're going for a Discworld vibe, but without Pratchett's deft touch. This one just isn't for me.

I REALLY liked this one folks! I mean, did I have issues with figuring out what perspective it was meant to be from… yes… but if you put that to one side (i managed to do this about 33% of the way through) I adored the story, characters and humour of Cursed Under London.

It’s been a while but entering a world of vampires, dragons, zombies, ghouls and alchemists was exactly what I needed. There was a cleaverness and whit to the writing style with quipy nods to Shakespeare and Marlowe that has me laughing out loud. The characters had layers to them that made you want to keep reading and, of course, there’s even a little bit of romance tucked in there to!

Cursed Under London created a whole second world where the rules of our society no longer existed and what was right for the undead rang true. The woven LGBT+ undertones of Shakespearean London was pushed to the surface in a way that made me wish that societal norms of the time had been different. And the writing style dealt with this perfectly.

But that’s all I’m saying… I don’t want to risk a spoiler and if I get into the details of our 3 protagonists and how they well and truely have a place in my heart now I can’t promise I’ll keep this spoiler free. Cursed Under London has my stamp of approval, in this world and the world below our feet.

This one was one of the first fantasy books I’ve been introduced to, and I enjoyed reading it. I really liked the plot of this book, and the character’s names and personalities. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought Gabby Hutchinson Crouch’s Darkwood was the best debut book in the last fifty years and I devoured the sequels. Her next series, about the Rook family, didn’t resonate with me and I stopped after the first book. Cursed Under London is her first book of a new series, Cursed, and I wondered how I would feel about it…

It’s set in 1599, with Kit Marlow as one of the minor characters. There’s also another playwright, Bill, who’s the “Romeo and Juliet guy” and insists that Warwickshire isn’t “the sticks”. It’s a fantasy, with a dragon appearing on page one. Fang and Lazare are humans who find themselves immortal. However, immortal is not the same as fit and healthy. Fang looked, in Lazare’s eyes, “how a hangover felt”. “Didn’t we already kill you?” a puzzled criminal asked Fang. Fang, Lazare, the dragon (whose name is Amber) and a couple of other characters join together on a quest that takes them into the Deepside. The Deepside is below London and reached by the Tubes. It’s where the non-humans such as vampires, zombies and the fae live. Queen Elizabeth I does not reign there and the laws don’t protect humans, which is why there’s roast human on sale in the market.

As always in Crouch’s books, there are some wonderful one-liners that make the reader snigger in an unbecoming manner. I enjoyed the book and I shall look out for the next in the series with mild interest, but I felt the book dragged in places. There was perhaps too much insistence upon Lazare really fancying Fang but Fang not wanting to be loved or even desired. The quest in Deepside goes on too long for my liking. Perhaps Crouch is concentrating too much on the witty one-liners and has lost focus upon the overall tight narrative arc.

#CursedUnderLondon #NetGalley

ᴀʀᴄ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏғ ᴄᴜʀsᴇᴅ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ʟᴏɴᴅᴏɴ, ʙʏ: ɢᴀʙʙʏ ʜᴜᴛᴄʜɪɴsᴏɴ ᴄʀᴏᴜᴄʜ

⭐️⭐️⭐️

ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇs:
+ found family
+ satire
+ magic
+ historical
+ supernatural
+ romance

Synopsis:
Fang and Lazare both of near death experiences and awake to find they are not quite human or supernatural. The two strangers cross paths and journey to Deep London in an attempt to reverse their curse and drawn further into a shadowy plot.

When I read the description for this one I was excited by the premise, but found the plot to lack in execution. I enjoyed Fang and Lazare’s characters individually but not together. I did not quite buy the romance between the two, but enjoyed watching their personalities collide.

The fast paced plot had the and kept the characters continuously moving. The humor was excellent but where this one fell short for me was that the stakes felt too low for what the characters were trying to accomplish. The language used did not fit the setting of Elizabethan London which was off putting to me.

This one is advertised as being light hearted but there was still a decent amount of violence and blood. I was not a fan of the switching of POVs within a chapter. I feel that this one was a solid idea for a plot but needed another revision before publishing.

I really enjoyed the humor and characters but felt that more depth and attention to detail were needed.

Thank you NetGalley and Duckworth Books for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.

Pub date: 04/07/2024

[received an arc from netgalley, thank you!]

tropey and a little...juvenile. most of this book was either extremely underdeveloped or predictable or both, which became frustrating after i started to predict the plot beat-for-beat by comparing it to most 'cozy fantasy lit' that's come out in the past five years. the worldbuilding is straining very hard to be layered and complex but it's just clearly cobbled together from other stories. the book keeps trying to pull you back with humor but it's just unengaging! and overdone!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: just because you can doesn't mean you should.

I've read Crouch's work before and I'll agree that her writing is humorous. Without spoiling the convoluted plot that ties itself into knots before the end comes mercifully, in an alternate Elizabethan London, two strangers, Fang from the Ming Empire and Lazare from France, reanimate from their violent deaths and eventually bump into each (in more ways than one). Meanwhile, there are zombies, vampires, werewolves, talking swans and ravens, dragons and an underground London accessed by tubes dug into the fabric of the city.

I can easily give this two stars as simply a novel that has some interesting takes on an urban fantasy of London. The alternate Elizabethan milieu, however, is slight, adding nothing to the novel's language or its style: it could have been set in any era in the city's history (it could have even been set in Ankh-Morpork) and it would make neither more nor less sense. But the main character of Fang (and possibly also that of Lazare) is all surface detail: there is no authority in his characterisation, the specifics of his East Asian background barely registering on my East Asian radar (Ee-Ay-Dar, if you will). Why make it a huge plot point that the source of the alternateness of the setting is all due to East Asian rulers meddling with the powers of the universe and then not really engaging with the breadth of that cultural sphere? I feel shortchanged, especially when one of the protagonists is based on my culture. Might as well have invented an entirely different culture, used Atlantis or the Huns or the Sidhe Danaan, Arthurian legend or Robin Hoodesque ballads and lays: there's no follow through.

I really, really wanted to like this but I was constantly on the lookout for any detail that spoke of care; and I found none.

This was a fun read populated by characters you have heard of, but perhaps they are not quite as you would have imagined. Laugh out loud at times but always interesting. I look forward to more in this series........please.

Unfortunately, I really didn't like this one and I had the damndest time trying to finish it.

On the surface, the premise seems interesting. The story follows (primarily) two men: Fang and Lazare who both get murdered, then wake up each with the inability to die and some... interesting attributes. The crux of the story is the two of them reluctantly teaming up to figure out what the curse is and whether it can be removed until they get involved with a whole other plot.

It seemed like something I should have liked, but there were multiple issues I had with this book. For starters, the Elizabethan London setting didn't feel like mattered in the slightest. There wasn't a huge attempt at matching the language of the time or even matching the environment. It all seemed arbitrary at best. I think I probably would've enjoyed the story a lot more if the author had just created a whole new fantasy world inspired by Elizabethan London, keeping the modern language and some modern attitudes. As it was written, though, it was a little jarring, though I know that the intent wasn't historical accuracy.

Then, there's the humor. This almost comes across as a parody of sorts at times, but I mostly found the humor not to my taste. The particular emphasis of humor surrounding Fang's race got old pretty quickly.

The characters and their relationships, too, just felt very surface-level. I never felt fully invested, even after learning about aspects of their pasts. I feel like if a little more work had been done, then maybe I could have. The main relationship between Lazare and Fang also just never really worked for me. Mostly because it felt like it didn't fully make sense on an emotional level? Like, it's constantly stated in the book that Fang is just SO pretty and Lazare is someone who prides himself on liking pretty things. Even when there was an attempt at breaking down the finer points of each of their personalities, it didn't really work for me. I just never bought into them actually liking each other as people, let alone that they were actually people.

This is a minor point, but it's a pet peeve of mine in books: I hate when a POV change happens in a chapter without some sort of page break indicating so. It's always jarring and takes me out of the text. I'm not sure if this is just an editing mistake or if this is intentional, but I really, really didn't like when it happened.

Finally, the plot.... I feel like by the end of the book, it sort of flew out the window. I'm not going to spoil anything, but there was a reveal at the end that I really didn't like. After reading the author's note at the end, the decision makes a bit more sense, but I still didn't enjoy it. It felt far too cartoonish and didn't quite make sense to me.

Overall, I'm just exhausted after muddling through this and disappointed because I expected to be a least a little charmed. Unfortunately, none of what this book was trying to do hit for me and I'm honestly just glad to be done with it.

I enjoyed this, it was unique and quite the supernatural mystery. I love the MM romance we get in this book and how insufferable Fang is, while Lazare is all kindness and heart. A very opposing combo who team up with new and old friends to find out what the hell is going on and why they are still alive!

Thank you to NetGalley and Duckworth Books for the advance reader copy.

I wasn’t sure where this book was going and what the overall story was meant to be about.
I found that I wanted a bit more from the world building and the main characters as the story went on and although I finished it I felt like this book was a set up for the sequel.

There are some cringy moments within the dialogue of the book and they felt childish even though this isn’t a children’s book.

Overall it was a fun read but felt a little disjointed at parts (2.5 stars).

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I truly never knew the direction this book was taking- it was witty and fun.
The world building was fantastic- seeing real life places through the lens of a magical underworld is often done, yet I found this refreshing.
This is such an original work- I expected something dark and broody, and was pleasantly surprised and impressed with this story.
I absolutely would recommend to others, and would read again

Thank you to black crow PR for the early review copy!
This one is for the readers of classic quirky fantasy growing up on Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchet these are the exact worlds I crave as a nostalgic reader!

Cursed under London really reminded me of how I felt reading Neverwhere for the first time it's quirky and silly with dark undertones of something nefarious happening in historical London.

A unique mix of fantasy, historical drama and good old queer high jinks.

Cursed under London follows Fang and Lazare as they have recently almost but not quite died. A curse has lead to a strange new kind of undead never seen before and it's up to them and the friends they gather along the way to figure out what on earth is going on and why.

There is a romance subplot in this book but overall I'd say it's heavily more fantasy than romantasy!

If you're looking for a fun short read and aren't put off by a swan police officer and are infact intrigued by that this book is probably for you!

The first 60% of this book was really slow for me. I didn't have much interest in the characters and I didn't find there was a good level of character development.

Around the 60% mark I found it picked up a bit and I enjoyed the last part of it a lot more. I wasn't a fan of the multiple povs not being separated by chapter. It could get slightly confusing at times. I didn't really enjoy the pov of Honkensby. I also found that some moments of tension and build up were destroyed by the dialogue. One instance that stands out was during a tense moment when the exclamation "gods farts" was used. This just isn't my type of humor and I found it slightly off-putting.

I did however love Nell, Amber and Tem. I liked Fang but also found him deeply annoying. I really enjoyed the friendship between Nell and Fang and the fact that he refused to admit they were friends somehow made it better. I also adored seeing him be tender with Tem who so clearly needed it. Amber was really silly and gave off the vibes of a dog who would greet a burglar with kisses.

I did really like the plot twist ending. The end of the book being left on a bit of a cliffhanger makes sense considering this is the start of a series.

Overall it seemed like the type of book I would enjoy but it just fell short especially when it came to character development and dialogue.

Review on www.goodreads.com/shaunasbookshelf

"Cursed Under London" by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch is a thrilling urban fantasy novel that takes readers on a gripping journey through the hidden depths of London's underground. Crouch's vivid imagination and expert world-building bring the city to life in all its eerie and atmospheric glory, setting the stage for a tale filled with magic, mystery, and danger. As protagonist Ellie navigates the shadowy underworld, readers are drawn into a web of ancient curses and supernatural intrigue that keeps them guessing until the very end. Crouch's writing is sharp and evocative, with twists and turns that will leave readers breathless. But it's not just the action-packed plot that makes "Cursed Under London" shine—it's also the richly drawn characters and their complex relationships that add depth and emotional resonance to the story. With its blend of urban fantasy and pulse-pounding suspense, "Cursed Under London" is a must-read for fans of the genre, offering a thrilling and immersive experience that will leave them eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

So Fang and Lazare are two foreigners trying to make it in Elizabethan London so naturally they meet nasty ends in dark alleys through no fault of their own except they don’t quite die. They each have become sort of immortal, in a cursed kind of way. Laz has grown wings like a vampire but he doesn’t suck blood and Fang can create illusions but only horrible ones it’s all a bit peculiar. Throw in a fae child and it’s all a bit of a mess. If you’ve read any of Crouch’s work before this is familiar ground, it’s fun, funny and heartfelt. Fang is delightfully grumpy and Laz is charming sunshiny for a Frenchman, they are totes adorbs together. The setting gets a bit lost in the world building, it could be set anytime anywhere so I’m hoping that becomes more relevant in future books.

Thank you very much for validating my request :)
An underground London where fantastic creatures of all kinds reign? Humans from “Upper” who rub shoulders with dragons, vampires and ghouls from “Deep” London? Plot, battle, humor AND romance? On paper, it was a big YES!
However, I remained mixed with my reading. Yes the concept was nice, yes the universe was quite well thought out, and YES the humor and romance brought a "cozy" side.
But everything became quite confusing, with several characters and groups, a plot and plot twists that went a little in all directions...I had a hard time staying hooked. I didn't get attached to the characters who I found a little clichéd and who even, at times, exasperated me.
Afterwards I wouldn't say that I didn't like it! Hence the mixed feeling. Cursed under London is nevertheless an entertaining read and a slightly gothic, funny and quite zany "cozy fantasy" book that is nice to discover.

First off, this book is funny. It is very much akin to the 'Horrible Histories' style - light, modern humour in an alternate-Elizabethan setting.

But it's A DNF for me, because I just couldn't get over how hard it was trying to be Terry Pratchett. The sentence structured, the metaphors... good to aim for the stars, but I felt this meant the book never got its own identity.

I was frustrated more than entertained, so I regretfully stopped. I'm certain other readers will enjoy this - it definitely is a romp. Just not for me.

Cursed Under London by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch drew me in with the magenta cover. It boasts to be “The unputdownable first novel in a new Elizabethan romantasy series.”

I’ll admit - I had no trouble putting this down; it was one of those books that I had to motivate myself to get through… the fact that I was buddy-reading this with my friend helped me to not DNF. I am glad that I stuck it out, because there were some funny moments and I did enjoy parts of this story, but I didn’t love it as a whole. I do not think that I would choose to continue reading this series - as I’m not totally invested in story, but I would be interested in reading more from this author!

I think there’s totally an audience for this book & that there are going to be readers who pick it up and fall in love, deeming it worthy of five stars. Unfortunately that wasn’t me. I think I’d recommend this book to romantasy lovers like myself and see if you enjoy it!

Thanks so much to NetGalley & Farrago Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.