The Sinister Booksellers of Bath

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

This is a series set in the 80's, and so we get a lot of fun decade-specific details from that. Susan's attire in particular is something I really enjoyed, and the vehicle descriptions were also a fun throwback. While it's a little strange as a child of the 80's to realize it was long enough ago to be used as a somewhat historical setting for a book, I did find myself enjoying it. And for younger readers, I think it does a good job of creating a real setting without overdoing descriptions or dwelling in the nostalgia too much.

Plot-wise the book kept moving and kept the reader on their toes. There were a couple unexpected twists, which is always fun. And as a sucker for portal fantasy, the moments where they found themselves transported one way or another were exciting. I found myself laughing at the unexpected a bit more in this book than the first. And while the plot for this tale is self-contained, there's a little bit of set up for a longer story arc that may take another book or two to resolve. I am intrigued by what may come.

Character-wise Merlin continues to be my favorite just because of cool points. We also see a lot of development in Susan, a gradual acceptance of who and what she is, and an attempt to balance that with who she wants to be.

All said, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It felt a little faster-paced and more compelling than the first one, and with more movement between the real world and other times/dimensions, and more time with the characters, I am completely sold on this series and looking forward to the next release!