The Somnambulist (edit title)

• Rated 0 stars

“strange to the umpteenth degree. not your typical british 19th century murder mystery...”

• Rated 4 stars

“http://thebookwormslibrary.com/?p=34 ”

• Rated 4 stars

“A very interesting book.

The narrator, here, provides a well-timed and eloquent contrast--acting as a chorus and as a mitigating voice in times of intense action. His voice is reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's, in "A Series of Unfortunate Events," though his humor occasionally proves tiresome when invoked at a vaguely inappropriate moment.

The story itself is intriguing.

The characters are lovable and distinctive...quirky and interesting. It is their development that is most enthralling throughout the course of the novel, though the mystery being solved is interesting in its own right. The tone is quick and moody, and the pace is perfectly matched to the storyline. All-in-all, certainly a fun read!”

• Rated 4 stars

“The Somnambulist is a rollickiing tale of detection, adventure, thrills and mysterious goings-on in Victorian London. In short, it is a bit like the image we have of Sherlock Holmes.

The story revolves around Edward Moon, stage magician and occasional detective, who is asked to solve a mysterious and creepy murder. Always delighted to be faced with a mystery and a worthy adversary, he throws himself into the case, dragging those around him along for the ride. This includes the Somnambulist, a pale hairless giant who never speaks. It is a little odd for the book to be named in his honour, as he is essentially windowdressing. He adds to the creepy atmosphere, but is never central to the story.

The story, meanwhile, mixes the realistic with steampunk, science fiction, and complete fantasy with ease, throwing in some sinister conspiracies, secrets and dramatically named entities. The narrative voice is very much a character of its own, with throwaway remarks, interjections, and a flair for the dramatic. It is exactly the kind of story and narrative I enjoy.

I nearly gave this book 5 stars, but in the end it did not quite sustain the menace and sense of high adventure. The resolution felt a little muddled and rushed.

That said, I'll definitely keep an eye on the writings of Jonathan Barnes, and buy whatever he writes next. Very much my kind of thing, this book. Terrifically enjoyable. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“Love Victorian novels with a magical twist. Great circus stuff.”

• Rated 0 stars

“This book sounded super interesting...for the first two or so pages. After that it didn't get interesting again until 3/4 of the way through and by then it was really really dark and weird. Plus the ending was an epic failure.”

• Rated 4 stars

“This book was one of the sort I rarely but persistently happen upon. It was a very cleverly written blend of fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, and all around magic. It reminds me very much of Matt Ruff's FOOL ON A HILL, in that respect, dipping its toes into so many genres. It was a very enjoyable read, one that propelled me along at a quick pace, all the time seeming just one step removed from reality. An unclassifiable sort of literature, but extremely compelling nonetheless. Certainly an author to keep one's eye on.”

• Rated 0 stars

“Taking a bit to get into, but seems to be a promising suspense novel. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“ It was an okay read. The story was interesting enough, but I didn't quite find it very fulfilling. If someone were looking for a way to pass a few hours, I would recommend this book. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“It was okay...the ending sucked though and it was a bit sensational at times, but none the less it had its moments and was fun to read.”