The Carnelian Crow (Stoker & Holmes #4) by Colleen Gleason
Published: July 11th 2017 by Chronicle Books
Review:
Book four in Colleen Gleason’s YA series about Evaline Stoker & Mina Holmes is a delight. Evaline is the sister of Bram Stoker and descendant of the Gardella family (see Gleason’s series, The Gardella Vampire Hunters), Mina is the niece of Sherlock Holmes, what better combination for a steampunk mystery series.
Myth: 4/5
The use of the names Stoker & Holmes do not go to waste. Gleason blends the young ladies’ stories seamlessly with their fictional family member’s traits. She does this while inventing a new world and characters that surround the ladies as they weave their way through each mystery that they encounter. In this recent installment Evaline is hit with an unbearable dose of reality when it comes to her future while Mina (and her Holmesian sense) stumbles onto another mystery to solve, though she continues to fail to understand the handsome Inspector.
Magic: 3/5
A little too heavy of a dose of reality for Ms. Stoker. While certainly her evening activities add to the complexity of her situation, the situation itself is all too real. I thought that it was an interesting way to focus in a bit more on the girls’ love lives, it did dampen the overall mood of the jaunt through steampunk London.
Overall: 4/5
The book did not disappoint. As the fourth installment in the series, this book moved both of the characters’ development forward, each becoming a little more self aware. It also brought back so conflict through past characters (not just the arch villain)! Definitely looking forward to the series conclusion.
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