Published by: Angry Robot, March 3rd 2015
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Steampunk
Pages: 336
Format: Ebook
Source: Angry Robot, via Netgalley
The gaslight and shadows of the underground city of Recoletta hide secrets and lies. When Inspector Liesl Malone investigates the murder of a renowned historian, she finds herself stonewalled by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation – Recoletta’s top-secret historical research facility.
When a second high-profile murder threatens the very fabric of city society, Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar must tread carefully, lest they fall victim to not only the criminals they seek, but the government which purports to protect them. Knowledge is power, and power must be preserved at all costs…
The Buried Life started off great. A well-crafted world, characters with depth and integrity, endless secrets, and a complex murder mystery. I was hooked.
I liked the first half better than the second, honestly. I loved the mystery around the murders, the build up, the investigation in the beginning. I started to lose interest around the middle, when the plot felt to lull, but I still really enjoyed the story. The characters aren't exactly easy to love but they're fascinating. They make you want to know more about them. I liked some more than others; Roman was my favourite - he's charming and secretive and intimidating. Plus he was a complete mystery and it drew me in.
The world is great - Recoletta is a vivid underground city with a touch of magic. I honestly loved the setting; it was probably my favourite part of the whole book, how unique the language used to describe it was, and how it created a clear visual in my mind.
My only problem was it felt to seriously slow around the halfway point and I wasn't as excited by it as I was in the beginning. Because of that it took me a while to read, which lessened by enjoyment. It felt like it had a hundred extra pages at least.
Still, a dark and gripping mystery with a rich and well imagined world.
Characters ★★★☆☆
Setting/world building ★★★★☆
Writing ★★★☆☆
Ah, it is always so disappointing when a book starts off great and then just really seems to drag. Sigh. I've had that happen a few times, and not just in books. But whole series, and it never fails to leave me dissatisfied.
ReplyDeleteEven so, this sounds pretty cool! I love murders + steampunk, so it sounds like something I could like. Especially with mysterious and kind of unlikeable characters. I usually like those, too :D