Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Rivers of London, Book 1

Synopsis: Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

Review: I had heard some very nice things about this series and it’s been a long time since I had this first volume. So I was happy to get into the story, curious to see what it would be like.

Peter is a boy straight out of the police academy, and one thing’s for sure, he didn’t expect to discover that he could talk with ghosts. This gift will propel him into a world he doesn’t know when he becomes Nightingale’s apprentice, a sorcerer who has been working for the police force for a long time. But there it is, their story, a mix of paranormal and much more, will lead Peter deep into a community that likes to hide their secrets.

I had a little trouble with that novel. I have to say that while I was interested regarding the background of the story, I had a hard time hanging on to it. I think the main part of the problem for me was the pace of the novel which is quite slow and I almost stopped reading several times. Apart from that, I was intrigued by every encounter and discovery of Peter in this world where the author managed to bring a nice touch of originality.

You can understand, an interesting novel, but one that I had trouble hanging on to. However, I will try the sequel with curiosity to get a better idea of the series.

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