Review: Magic can happen anywhere.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 9, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I was entranced by the characters, intrigued by the location but simply blown away by the wonderful prose. The heroine of this story is unusual. Adelaide is an older, smaller office worker in a dull job whose life suddenly expands when visions begin to occur in her every day life. Haphazard meetings with various odd characters including a local fox begin to intrude into her previously very placid, self contained existence. Engaging characters including a hippyish librarian become allies in her quest and slimy baddies continually try to thwart her adventures. Half the fun occurs because Addy is not even aware of these battles being fought around her. She just continues to do what she feels is right.This book is full of wry observations and subversive humour. The author gently pokes fun at people with comments such as those about a vegan who has an itchy scalp but can't kill the lice, or a guy who is really good looking and he still has got all his own hair!!  There are simple descriptions for example Dulcie, an elderly friend, in hospital who "reached up to me from her enclosure of bedclothes, a soft prison created by good intentions" that need no other words to capture the situation. Clean air is described simply in the lines " I never felt so happy. No traffic fumes or diesel particles blighted the air. Each breath gave me strength". I found myself rereading paragraphs for the pure pleasure they gave me.The pace of the story slowed toward the end and I felt there was a touch too many repetitive adventures. The heroine would dash off, usually in a taxi to complete a quest; she would be foiled, then back home in a taxi to plan and plot another exploit. But the conclusion was very satisfactory and I look forward to joining Adelaide's next adventure.For those who enjoy urban fantasy such as Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London or Mike Shevdon's Sixty-one Nails this will be a welcome addition to their library.