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sophiamv's review against another edition
5.0
You just never want to leave the worlds Diana Wynne Jones creates. Magical!
caomhghin's review against another edition
5.0
This has become one of my favourite Diana Wynne Jones books. There are two beautifull worked out plots which gradually, and complicatedly, merge into an even better single one. The characters as ever are strongly envisaged and the setting wholly real even at its most fantastical. It is full of delights. The city of levels is a tour de force, Romanov's island magical, Roddy's epiphany a ravishing delight, the denoument both deeply serious and very funny.
A glorious book.
A glorious book.
scorpling's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
han_nur's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hypatia13's review against another edition
4.0
Fun, light-hearted and entertaining. Very silly in places, but overall very good read.
lesleymathieson's review against another edition
4.0
Once again, Diana Wynne Jones has written an entertaining novel where magic feels so implicit in the world that it is easy to accept it as reality. Great interweaving plot, and fun characters. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, though. The climax escalated extremely fast, and the aftermath was more sketched in than I would have liked.
As a note, I did not realize this was second in a series when I read it. I'm interested in going back and reading the first one. But I never felt like any backstory to the setting was just "sketched in." The only sign that it's part of a series are the hints at a more complicated past for Nick, which seem to be covered in the first book.
As a note, I did not realize this was second in a series when I read it. I'm interested in going back and reading the first one. But I never felt like any backstory to the setting was just "sketched in." The only sign that it's part of a series are the hints at a more complicated past for Nick, which seem to be covered in the first book.
darkenergy's review against another edition
4.0
Read this before Deep Secret because I'm a terrible person... and it works fine as a stand alone, although the first book provides some useful background information.
tani's review against another edition
2.0
Somehow, this book never quite did it for me. It was mildly amusing in places, but not much more than that. I think it felt a little too scattered for my tastes, to be honest. Although, strangely enough, the ending definitely made me wish for more...