Strong characters, memorable magic, and an interesting setting combine to make this novel about a gang of young magic-users in a fantastic version of 19th century New Orleans a delight! The magic here feels wild and fundamentally inhuman, even when it's friendly or aligned with human concerns, and K.M. Harrell does a fine job of weaving the various fantastic elements into the world. The plot cracks along with a fun episodic structure that lets us see the different parts of the city, and all of the people from different walks of life who, in one way or another, require the services of a necromancer.

I also want to speak for a moment about the characters, because the author absolutely nails the banter between the young protagonists. They all feel like real kids with their own specific concerns, even when they're raising the dead or doing a heist in someone's brain. All feel of the characters fully realized--even the villain who, in a lesser author's hands, would surely come across a caricature, seems here like a man with genuine pathos.

If you're a fan of Jonathan Stroud's Lockwood & Co. series, or ghosts and adventures in general, you should check this book out!

Five stars

Jvbabb

Booksirens

Historic New Orleans, the mysterious necromancer book and its magical helper, to the plucky children and their thrilling adventures, this story grabs you in and does not let go until its fantastical conclusion.

But more than a great romp, it is a story of friendship. I loved Besa, whose goodness shines through, despite her many tribulations. Dickey is a hoot and Margaret is formidable, their repartee stirring things up. Most of all, they learn the power of being there for each other as they negotiate a strange, dark world of spirits and beasts.

And did I mention the food—cakes, pastries, pies? Yum! And the clothes? They all add richness, along with the unrestrained, technicolor prose.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking to escape to somewhere truly different!

Five Stars

Jthorpe

Booksirens