Lockwood & Co

by Jonathan Stroud

[pamela]

Jonathan Stroud has done it again, following up the brilliant debut in the Lockwood and Co. series 'The Screaming Staircase' with an equally brilliant offering in 'The Whispering Skull.' Stroud has written a book entirely appropriate for younger readers while still full of enough intrigue, action and detail to keep adult readers entertained throughout.

The plot moves fast and the characterisation is developed from the previous making it fine as a stand alone book, but also helps us to know the characters better and better. Anthony Lockwood, George Cubbins and Lucy Carlyle, the trio that make up the small agency of Lockwood and Co. really come in to their own in this novel, and I felt like I was getting to know them and even that I was part of, and invested in, their little unit.

The alternate reality that Stroud has built is in equal measures simple and detailed. It is clear that there will be an overarching narrative as the series progresses, and each book so far has given us tantalising glimpses in to 'The Problem' as the people in this reality refer to the fact that the dead walk freely at night. The society in which the characters live has a sense of familiarity, which makes the freedom of the dead just that little bit more poignant and spooky, but it still holds fantastical elements which makes the novel seem magical and otherworldly.

I've devoured all Jonathan Stroud's books so far. He is an intelligent writer who doesn't 'write down' to his younger audience. I've found that so many writers try a little too hard to write appealingly for a younger audience, using juvenile humour and easily dated pop culture references. Stroud avoids all these tropes to great effect. His language is simple, but his themes are deep. His humour is sarcastic without being immature. His characters each have their own sense of humour which attests to Stroud's talent as a writer, and I can't recommend the Lockwood and Co. books enough. Readers of all ages can enjoy them, and indeed will enjoy them, and given the cliff-hanger 'The Whispering Skull' ended on I can hardly wait for the next book in the series!