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Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Port Moody Public Library.
Oct 12, 2017Valhallentine rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Unsure how to feel about this book altogether. If you enjoy watching Steven Moffat's writing in Sherlock or Doctor Who, you will probably enjoy this book. If you dislike Steven Moffat, you likely won't. Like in Moffat's writing, the overarching story itself commits no offense. Thematically, it gives a tidy wrap to Quentin's adventures in maturity because we finally get to see him as a functional adult cleaning up the problems he made in the last two books. The execution on the major details underpinning this story are where things go awry a little. Rather than treating his supporting cast like people, Grossman expends them like resources to prop up the front line of his story. For example, Poppy is robbed of all her multidimentionality and is used as a caricature for pregnancy to demonstrate that Josh is grown up too. (Not to mention that Grossman feels the need to remind us that she's pregnant *every single time* she appears, as if we may have forgotten.) Alice gets similar treatment. She has more dimension, but Grossman treats her like a piece of meat to reward QC for growing up. The whole ordeal feels rather contrived. Every action QC takes along his road to redemption feels showered in congratulatory fanfare. "Look at QC! He's a real adult now! Look at him acting mature." All in all, the narrative just feels a bit mechanical -- the supporting cast is just the infrastructure propping up the main character. Since that supporting cast is often women in romantic roles, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you can look past these kinds of things, the story is definitely fun and fluffy, and regardless of all of it, I would recommend the series.