Metaphorosis Reviews
Written on Sep 3, 2024
Summary
The Pigsend Harvest Festival is starting, and for Bev, proprietor of the only inn in town, it's a busy time. Especially when someone or something seems intent on ruining every aspect of the festival, including Bev's famous rosemary bread. Somehow, Bev gets roped into leading the investigation into what's happening.
Review
This second entry in the Weary Dragon Inn series is … perfectly serviceable. Like its predecessor, it’s billed as “cozy fantasy”, and that’s what it delivers – uncomplicated minor mystery in a fantasy setting of clear-cut characters and limited risk.
There is a well-established series arc that was set up in the first book and developed here, and that’s frankly much more interesting than the per-volume happenings. The series arc promises drama and serious consequences. The per-volume dramas are very low stakes, and quite a lot of the text is taken up with the protagonist worrying about how long she can stay away from chores at the inn. While that should add some welcome verisimilitude, it also becomes draining over time. Hero Bev is clearly going to be called on to investigate one thing or another, and constantly being reminded that dinner’s in the oven adds a tension that doesn’t help the story.
As in the prior volume, the way people act is generally a strong signal of character. Evans works in some (not very surprising) surprises, but largely it’s clear that there are Good people and Bad people, and which is which. There’s also a new dog added to the mix, which I found a welcome humanizing touch, especially because he’s one of the few whose motivations are less clear cut.
All in all, serviceable, but I’m afraid fairly rapidly forgettable.