Loose ends all tied up after the first book. Could have been just one book really but still a fun read

I really like the ending to this book but the beginning was really slow and kinda listless. I feel that instead of a second book, it should have been worked into the first for a better overall experience. This book just didn't really feel substantial enough on it's own, especially since The Book of Dead Days works rather well as a standalone.

It's not really my cup of tea... I did think it wasn't when I started it and was contemplating whether to finish it or not. I had to since I don't like leaving a book unfinished.

It's an interesting tale, a bit gloomy and dark and mysterious. But too stretching, though I did like how the chapters were short which made reading it easier for me. I found out that this was the second book and not having read the first I think it's still ok to read it without having read the first. Don't think I'm missing out on anything.

It personally really ain't my type of book. But there is a lesson to be learned: be happy of who you are and don't dwell on the past. :)

Very similar to the first one. A bit more frustrating as the children continued to acquiese to every adult they came across, whether that adult had authority over them or not. I could understand it in the first book, as the adult was a mean, physically abusive man but not in this second book. A couple of mild profanities.

at first this seems to be another version of "powerful male victorian genius misanthrope domineers young street urchin for his own nefarious ends". and it is for a bit, but deviates from that motif more as the story continues. lovely descriptions, you can almost feel the snow settling over the city (despite the fact that it's summer in my worlod right now). And Boy's character develops even more in this book.

It only took me 6 years to pick up this sequel to [b:The Book of Dead Days|208159|The Book of Dead Days (Book of Dead Days, #1)|Marcus Sedgwick|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389499473s/208159.jpg|2919250]. I'm glad I did though because it's a decent addition to its predecessor and it made me realize that Boy's story was not yet complete. The story is pretty straight-forward but the writing and the audiobook narration are beautiful and turned this into a magical little story.

When a book is a mere, oh, 250 pages -- and little pages at that -- it is unfortunate that such a significant portion of the limited space and time of the book is consumed with the "stage business" of this as a sequel. For the first 60 to 80 pages, it felt as if any one step forward required five steps backwards and sideways to connect the action in this book with the events of the previous book.

Once again, the description and atmosphere are the best parts. But here the connections between Boy and Willow are very sweet and compelling.

The author does a better job -- and feels more "at home" -- writing about the dark maze of streets in the town or the vast network of underground rivers and tunnels. When he has to describe scenes of great opulence, the originality in his voice fades and the passages read like generic gushing about gilt and marble and polished wood and etc.

Agreed, I am, oh, "a little" outside the target demographic for this book, but I take the approach that the perspicacity of readers should never be underestimated. To that end, it was pretty obvious where the somewhat thin mystery was leading pretty early on.

Would not have stuck with this one if it had been any longer.

I think this book would have been improved for me had I not unwittingly picked up the second book in a series and not realised it. The book is a dark story, suitable for Years 5-7, but it didn’t grip me like the later Sedgwick’s have.

Definitely not as great or exciting as the first book but I enjoyed the ending and how things were wrapped up.