Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate by Adrienne Kress
This is the sequel to Alex and the Ironic Gentleman and it shows. It has Kress’ charming, chatty language and the real sense of danger and consequences that exists in Alex. The tricky part is Timothy who is a rather unlikable character. And some of you have read my writing and know that I like characters who are questionable, but I do my best to make them likable. Timothy grows on you, but for the first third or so you really just want to roll your eyes and send him to his room. But then Alex and the Ironic Gentleman turn up and things get a whole lot better. There’re lots of exciting things to read about here – a ninja, Shaolin monks, more pirates, a dragon, menacing black cabs, and a very important key.
I am definitely a fan of Kress’ writing – it’s chatty without being cutesy or condescending (a la Lemony Snicket) – and her characters are lively and interesting (even if they’re not always likable). Looking forward to more from her and more from this cast of characters.
My rating: B+
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