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Reviewed by: Julianne Westrich, Elementary School Librarian Title: The Sinister Booksellers of Bath Author: Garth Nix Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 10-Adult Genre/Type of Book: Fantasy
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Intimate relationship between main characters is implied, but not described Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: I accidentally grabbed the first book in the series to meet a reading challenge of "books set in the 1980's" not realizing it was YA or Fantasy - 2 genres I don't usually gravitate towards - and was immediately swept into the story. I just had to read the 2nd in the series!! If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: Harry Potter turned up to 11! A mature mythical journey of self-discovery in London, 1983.
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Review:
In this second book of the series Susan, Merlin, and Vivian are recovering from their first adventures and hoping to settle into as "ordinary" a life as possible. This doesn't last long as winter solstice brings to light some very unsavory characters and Susan is targeted by an entity with ill intent. Added to the mix is the pull Susan feels toward her father, and the conflicted feelings about coming into her magical powers - something she can avoid for only so long, especially now as those powers are her way to stop the current mythical chaos.
Do you have a reader that loved Harry Potter and needs a more mature version of self-discovery and battling the magical world with a great cast of characters? This is for them! Set in 1983, Susan turns 18 and heads to London to find her father in the first book of the series, The Lefthanded Booksellers of London. She makes some great friends, discovers a mythical world, and finds out who she is and who she wants to be. In this second book Susan is grappling with the issue of separating from her parents, wanting to be her own person before taking on roles and responsibilities prescribed to her by her heritage. It is filled with magic, intrigue, and action.
I enjoyed this title, but honestly not as much as the first in the series. However, I can see upper HS students gravitating towards the doc marten wearing, shaved headed, alternative heroine and her discovery of her own power that has been dormant most of her life. It is also set in 1983, which makes for a low-tech world which is a reprieve for many digital natives.
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Find more about The Sinister Booksellers of Bath at Teachingbooks.net
For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website