Daretana canton is at the borders of the Empire. Contagions are plenty, and the Leviathans can be a little too close for comfort. Dinios Kol is an engraver, a magically altered person who “engraves” situations into their memories and has been called to a prominent mansion where someone has been killed. The manner of death: a tree spontaneously combusted from the body. Kol’s superior officer Ana Dolabra doesn’t leave her residency so Kol must be her eyes and ears. As the case unfolds, it becomes clear that there is more going on behind the scenes than the host family wants Dolabra to know about.
When catastrophe strikes at the sea walls in Talagray during a Leviathan attack, Ana and Kol are called to save the Empire. Ana and Kol must determine the who’s, what’s, and why’s of eleven deaths before the next Leviathan attack or be prepared for more tragedy.
I really enjoyed this novel. It’s being compared to Holmes and Watson, and I agree. Ana is the perfect adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, especially because she has similar eccentricities. I loved the mind leaps that are so obvious once explained, but I also loved seeing Kol develop under Ana. I enjoyed the combination of mystery with fantasy. I really want to own a giant mushroom air purifier.
The mystery and plot were perfection. Robert Jackson Bennett wrote in his acknowledgment about “how America is now terrified of building stuff.” I understand this fear, because there are too many ways for things to go horribly wrong. The villain(s) and the motives are entirely too realistic. However, that’s what kept me going. I wanted to know how Ana would solve it, but also how Kol and others would react.
My only wish was that it was an audiobook, because I know I butchered some of the names, even in my own head.
Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
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