I've mentioned before that I have discovered an affinity for fantasy stories with performance magic style settings, so when I saw 'Midnight at the Houdini' by Delilah S. Dawson show up in the tour offerings for the month, I jumped at the chance to give it a read.
The concept is clever and I enjoy the ticking time clock on the course of events. It certainly keeps things interesting knowing that there's a finite point not far ahead and a lot for the main character, Anna, to deal with.. if there's hope of resolution.
While the story is good and the characters are likeable, I find for me personally.. the prose to be just a bit simple. I believe the author is just trying to set the tone to match Anna's age, but her voice doesn't change much between the opening pages when she's a mere 10 year old girl, to the core of the story.. six years later. Despite her whirlwind organizational skills, she seems the same in the way she communicates and processes thoughts.
Ironically, this is a young adult story with definitive young adult themes, some of which are relatively dark. But the style of writing just makes it feel younger. I'd still recommend it as a read, but I'd also suggest adjusting your expectations of the way it's told and how things unfold.
Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it. Anna is a sweet, if needy girl and Max is quite disarmingly charming. The dynamic between the others who run the hotel is filled with tension and the place has a lovely old eerie quality to it.
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)
Reviewed by Inkslinger on
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 3 September, 2023: Finished reading
- 17 October, 2023: Reviewed