For a long time I have dreamed of writing books reviews for publications and I was thrilled to get a class assignment that asked us to write a review in the style of Kirkus.
THE ANGEL OF THE CROWS
BY KATHERINE ADDISON | RELEASE DATE: MAY 11, 2021
An angel and a doctor recovering from war injuries rent a flat on Baker Street in London... some well-worn tales are about to get flipped on their heads in this fantastical, historical mystery set in an alternate London.
Sherlock Holmes once declared "I may be on the side of angels, but don't think for one second think that I am one of them." Well, Katherine Addison has a thing or two to say about that. Vampires, werewolves, angels, Fallen (evil) angels, and hell hounds are real and sometimes respectable creatures in a late-Victorian London that is being terrorized by Jack the Ripper. It would be great if a detail orientated chap and a doctor could help solve London's strange crimes; enter Crow and Dr. J. H. Doyle. Doyle is returning from war against Fallen angels in the Middle East with an injury and more than a few secrets. Although angels are usually physically restricted to watch over the occupants of just one building, through "desperation my dear Doyle" Crow has escaped the odds and become the self-proclaimed "Angel of London." He is not Fallen but is not exactly welcomed by his fellow angels. He now protects the people of London by using attention to detail and logic to solve their crimes. Both Doyle and Crow are in need of a roommate and thus an unlikely and lovable friendship of outcasts begins. Told from Doyle's perspective the way the original Holmes tales are told from Watson's, readers follow the pair as they assist individuals and begrudging police inspectors solve crimes that seem to defy logic. As the smaller crimes are solved, the threat and violence of Jack the Ripper grows, is he too much even for the abilities of Crow and Doyle? At every turn readers will encounter iconic characters from the Holmes canon but always with a twist: will a cerberus help solve the mystery of Mary's cursed pearls? Where does Moriarty's thirst for blood come from? What do Doyle's initials stand for anyway?
Addison's retelling is an energetic adventure that will delight lovers of the original mysteries while providing much needed diversity to the stodgy originals and creating a supernatural world that's difficult to leave when the pages run out.
Pub. date: May 11, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7653-8740-0
Page count: 443
Publisher: Tor
The author of this review requests that anyone commenting on The Angel of the Crows not replace Dr. Doyle's name with pronouns.
Personal thoughts
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I picked this up off the shelf while visiting an indie bookstore in Seattle. I was pleasantly thrilled to discover this original reimagine of Sherlock and Watson; whose names are only used in passing in the novel. While readers may instantly recognize some of the mysteries and side characters, everything twists and turns in interesting ways. The story is fantastical and sometimes dark but mixes in a enough humor to never drag you down. You may just find yourself clapping at the end like I was.