Review Detail
Middle Grade Fiction
108
Swashbuckling adventure in alternate history
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
What I Loved:
While I was initially intrigued by the premise for A Riddle in Ruby, I did not expect to it to be so completely fascinating and cool. Alternate histories are an interesting concept, and I love the focus on colonial Philadelphia for this one. There are mixtures of the Royal Navy, pirates, magical chemistry (or chemical magic, depending on how you look at it), and societal struggles. Kent Davis does a masterful job at world building in this first book while still leaving more to be discovered in the next. The writing in general is so smooth and fast paced that I had a hard time putting this down.
The action is nonstop. It seems that Ruby can never find a fully safe place, one with answers and comfort, so her, Lord Athen, and Cram are continuously moving around, and none of them really have a solid idea of what everyone wants with Ruby. The mystery and suspense makes the plot go even quicker, and though this is a longer novel, it is easy to get lost in the pages, holding your breath until you find out if the characters are safe.
What Left Me Wanting More:
For the most part, I absolutely love this story. I love the fierce and questioning characters, the mixture of magic and science, and the unending adventure. However, there are one or two plot twists that feel a bit random (especially Lord Athen’s identity). Sometimes, the story would seem to hint at an issue or topic, but then it never resurfaced. Of course, this may be explained or examined further in the series, so this certainly didn’t stop my high praises.
Final Verdict:
Fast action, complex characters, and a dazzling and dangerous world make A Riddle in Ruby one of my favorite reads of 2015. Kent Davis writes remarkably, and I can’t wait to read more from this incredible author and discover the further riddles of Ruby Teach.
While I was initially intrigued by the premise for A Riddle in Ruby, I did not expect to it to be so completely fascinating and cool. Alternate histories are an interesting concept, and I love the focus on colonial Philadelphia for this one. There are mixtures of the Royal Navy, pirates, magical chemistry (or chemical magic, depending on how you look at it), and societal struggles. Kent Davis does a masterful job at world building in this first book while still leaving more to be discovered in the next. The writing in general is so smooth and fast paced that I had a hard time putting this down.
The action is nonstop. It seems that Ruby can never find a fully safe place, one with answers and comfort, so her, Lord Athen, and Cram are continuously moving around, and none of them really have a solid idea of what everyone wants with Ruby. The mystery and suspense makes the plot go even quicker, and though this is a longer novel, it is easy to get lost in the pages, holding your breath until you find out if the characters are safe.
What Left Me Wanting More:
For the most part, I absolutely love this story. I love the fierce and questioning characters, the mixture of magic and science, and the unending adventure. However, there are one or two plot twists that feel a bit random (especially Lord Athen’s identity). Sometimes, the story would seem to hint at an issue or topic, but then it never resurfaced. Of course, this may be explained or examined further in the series, so this certainly didn’t stop my high praises.
Final Verdict:
Fast action, complex characters, and a dazzling and dangerous world make A Riddle in Ruby one of my favorite reads of 2015. Kent Davis writes remarkably, and I can’t wait to read more from this incredible author and discover the further riddles of Ruby Teach.
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