K. C. Lannon

Magic comes to Victorian era London in this engaging fantasy novel. Cecil's dream of opening a museum to teach the populace about faeries is finally coming true. Unfortunately it's off to a rocky start, getting few patrons. His life is further complicated when he discovers a young orphan who is half-fae and being horribly mistreated. Of course he has to take her in. He's also running from his past... and it's about to catch up with him.

I had a great time reading this one. I could tell that it was connected to a larger universe, but it worked well without having read the Winter's Blight series. I enjoyed the slow reveal of Cecil's past, as well as that of the truth about Lucy. I liked watching their relationship develop. The magical elements were well paced as well, and I adored Vera. I will happily look for more of their story in the future.… (meer)

All Cecil wants to do is open his museum of magical creatures. Everything from fossils to live faeries is ready to go, but just before opening day a beast attacks. The police approach him, suspecting supernatural involvement, and he has to prove that none of the his creatures are to blame and solve the crime before he is allowed to go ahead. I have not read the series that the prologue is attached to but I don't think it had a significant impact on my enjoyment (as should be the case for a prologue! but it isn't always). Looking at the blurbs for these books it seems they focus on different characters anyway.

It took me a little while to be able to separate certain pairs of characters in my head (I have no idea why), but the world kept me intrigued. I loved how various creatures were incorporated so naturally. Some were friends, other were pests and others simply exist. I really loved the Brownie for some reason! The story builds up slowly to a rather dramatic climax in which a lot happens in a short time. While I hate to make the comparison (as I am not a big fan of the author's views) I think this is a good example of what Fantastic Beasts could have become had it not tried to go down so many plot lines. Although the characters and ideas are completely different! It just has a somewhat similar atmosphere filled with magic, strange creatures and those who love them and those who fear them. If you are interested in a slightly more magical London with magical creatures and mysterious skulking figures, this might be the book for you! Although I do wish we had seen more of the museum aspect as that was what originally drew me to the book. Although I did have a good time regardless!… (meer)

I had trouble at first with reading the book, because it was a prequel. I had read a prequel before and I did not mind, because I had read the first book of the series. But I have not read the series Winter's Blight, and that shows.
But in the end I loved Lucy, the girl with the scar and the terrible nightmares, Vera, the half faery and Cecils’s ward and Cecil himself, who always is striving to do the good thing. It is interesting to see the slow downfall of Felix, Lucy,s father.
The book is about witches, fairies, beasts and other supernatural creatures. I like that.
But the sentence I like the most is after Cecil discovers the coven has come to London. ‘He envisioned her like a cave-dwelling troglodyte keening and qualing at the sound of steam engines. It was entirely unnatural’. I love that last sentence. And of course I like the word troglodyte, I hear the word very, very seldom.… (meer)