Book Review: A Study in Darkness by Emma Jane Holloway

What: A Study in Darkness (The Baskerville Affair #2) by Emma Jane Holloway

Who: Del Rey

When: October 29th 2013

How: A copy of this novel was provided by Random House Publishing Group – Del Rey Spectra via Net Galley.

When a bomb goes off at 221B Baker Street, Evelina Cooper is thrown into her Uncle Sherlock’s world of mystery and murder. But just when she thought it was safe to return to the ballroom, old, new, and even dead enemies are clamoring for a place on her dance card.

Before Evelina’s even unpacked her gowns for a country house party, an indiscretion puts her in the power of the ruthless Gold King, who recruits her as his spy. He knows her disreputable past and exiles her to the rank alleyways of Whitechapel with orders to unmask his foe.

As danger mounts, Evelina struggles between hiding her illegal magic and succumbing to the darker aspects of her power. One path keeps her secure; the other keeps her alive. For rebellion is brewing, a sorcerer wants her soul, and no one can protect her in the hunting ground of Jack the Ripper.

Oh, boy. I don’t know if you remember my review of A Study in Silks, but I was a bit disappointed, thought it was slow, and left much to be desired. A Study in Darkness was no different.

The story is fantastic. I love it, I really do. Sherlock Holmes’ niece. Ye olde English times. Pretty outfits. Sexy gypsy boy. Forbidden romance. It has all the ingredients for a novel that I could well and truly fall in love with. But the execution is just not, well, one that I can fall in love with.

The pacing is laboriously slow, and I found myself having to force my hands to pick up my Kobo and read the novel. No book should make me feel like that. I don’t want to be bored by any book, whether I like it or not. And the weird thing is, I DO like this series. It’s interesting, and compelling. But for some reason, my brain just refuses to enjoy it as much as it could be. And I think the pacing is the main reason.

The plot is highly intricate, and leaves you guessing up until the second that things are revealed. But perhaps it keeps you guessing for too long, because by the time you do find out, your awe and amazement are not as lively as they could be. Or at least they weren’t for me.

Nick, and his relationship with Evelina, was again the saving grace of this novel. I love how protective Nick is, but it isn’t creepy, or overbearing. He lets Evelina live her life, but is always watching out for her. He’s a pirate in this book. And not just any pirate. An AIR pirate. Could he get any more swoon-worthy? I think the answer is ‘no’. He’s pretty much the only thing that keeps me coming back for more of this story.

The love triangle was still present in the beginning of this book, but Evelina SEEMS to have made her choice between her two suitors. And a choice I highly approve of.

I did, however, enjoy the more intense inclusion of magic in this book. Those scenes were amongst the best in the novel. The dark magic, and its repercussions are creepy, and downright spine-tingling. I am really looking forward to reading more about it in the third and final novel in the series.

There’s not much more I can say, as my feelings for this book are much the same as for the first one. I still want to read the last book in the series, A Study in Ashes, because I need to know how the story ends. I just hope that I will enjoy it a bit more than this one.

© 2013, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.