Book of Night by Holly Black

"Revenge on everybody. That would fill her time. That would keep her busy."

This is not going to be the greatest review of all time, seeing as I had some personal problems that required me to put the book down for a month and I was too preoccupied to take notes. This is the second book I read this year that involves a criminal main character in a dark fantasy novel. It's also my third dark fantasy this year (I think I read them in a straight row) and I'm not sure what called me to them when I was at the bookstore at the start of the summer.

The main character, Charlie Hall was deeply likeable even though she claims she isn't. She's a criminal and conflicted about it. She's trying to go straight, but if it were that easy there'd be no story. When a friend asks her for a favor and her past starts to catch up to her, she has nothing but her talents as a thief and con-artist to rely on.

I like that the setting takes place in the 'real world'. You don't have to imagine too much with regards to place and time because you've already seen it. Maybe it's just down the street from you, or perhaps the next town over, but it's likely you've been someplace like it.

Conceptually interesting, Charlie Hall lives in a world where your own shadow can come alive, and if you're strong enough, it can even take solid form. And in this world where shadows can grant power, the greedy and power hungry are all searching for a book that contains the recipe to make them more powerful. Charlie must find the book first.

I appreciated that the author gave a good solid ending for a book with a sequel coming out. It was wrapped up tight enough that you don't actually need the sequel to be happy, not that I would necessarily consider the ending a happy one (it wasn't unhappy either). GoodReads says the sequel is out in September and I haven't decided whether or not I want to read it... What if it just isn't that good? Or could it be better?

I didn't like how Charlie is described in this book: "...had fingers made for picking pockets, a tongue for lying, and a shriveled cherry pit for a heart." It's a quote from the book and not an accurate one. Okay, so she's a damn good thief and top quality liar but that thing about having a cherry pit for a heart is way off the mark. As a child she's blackmailed into being a con-artist so you can't really blame her for who she became when she grew up. And if she didn't love the people in her life so damn much she wouldn't be so angry at them.

I also thought the book was a little on the slow side but part of that impression may be due to my inability to read it in a timely manner. I'd have to read it again to determine that but my to-read pile is stacking up so a re-read will have to wait until another time.