Beattz

This book was hard. It took me a while to get into it, and I nearly gave it up. But I'm glad I didn't. By the end it was actually quite comforting to read, I found myself wondering what Henk was up to throughout the day. Not my usually fare, with no murders or complex basic systems, and I'm thankful for that. I needed a shake up, and the Old But Not Dead Club did that. Not to mention the plethora of insights on the process of aging, gracefully or otherwise.

This has been my favorite Murder Squad book to date. It may have something to do with the narrator, as I listened to it on audio, and he did a phenomenal job. Loved reading about what made Scorcher Kennedy tick, and what gets under his skin. Looking forward to reading #5

“The origami unicorn revealed everything to me.”

I forgot before the reread how much of this book focused on the inner thoughts of a teenage boy. While the ersatz metaphors are charming and delightful, the constant pining, not so much. Still, a great story and a good foundation for the series.

I truly love this series. The realm it's set in, the characters and their relationships, the humanity of the monsters and gracelings as they learn and evolve. I hope Ms Cashore gives us another installation sooner rather than later.