Nix's complex system of angelic magic, and the toll it takes, is fascinating, and he weaves an exciting adventure full of intrigue and action while portraying women in power in a refreshingly casual way.

I feel like the blurb is great at explaining what it's about and illustrates the general vibe quite well, so if it sounds interesting to you, I'd say go for it, 'cause it delivers! All that potential just feels a bit untapped in favor of narrow focus on Susan and her “outsider” perspective. This book uses one of my favorite Urban Fantasy tropes, where a normal person gets sucked into a secret world hidden within our own.The worldbuilding is exquisite--the broad, immersive world and the specific rules for types of booksellers maintain a sense of discovery, and Susan and Merlin, the heroic protagonists, have vibrant, entertaining personalities (and a realistic romantic storyline).

I hadn't read anything by Garth Nix, and was excited to read this, but perhaps I'm just not the target audience for this book. I received a physical ARC of THE LEFT-HANDED BOOKSELLERS OF LONDON through a giveaway hosted by BookCon. Art student Susan Arkshaw, a punkish eighteen-year-old from rural western England, takes leave of her loving, vague mother and heads to London to try to find the father she’s never met. Meine Begeisterung für das Buch ist gegen Ende etwas abgeflacht, aber ansonsten hat es mir gut gefallen. He’s a bit like Howl from Diana Wynn Jones’ Howl's Moving Castle— a bit vain, clothes-obsessed, high maintenance eccentric fashionista who’s at first hard to take seriously, but who underneath the annoyingly glitzy vanity hides tons of heart and confident competence and irresistible charisma.I suppose I wasn't the intended audience for the story, but I believe a great book entertains all ages. Strong world building is clearly informed by a deep knowledge of local mythologies, and the allusions, literary shoutouts, and pseudo-historical references become a game for the clued-in reader.