My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have always been honest about my love for Jordan L. Hawk’s writing. She’s delivered fantastical and well crafted stories time and time again. In Necropolis, the fourth in the Whyborne & Griffin series, Hawk once again shows why she is a master of her craft.
Simply put, she uses the RIGHT words, threads them together so the whole is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Or rather to go with the “true” phrasing; The whole is other than the sum of the parts.
I think Hawk’s books are in fact a damned good representation of the concept of “gestalt”. The primary construct of words into phrases bring to rise secondary tangible concepts and reactions for a reader to shift through and experience. The layering of her main characters’ motivations, fears and — even if I dare say it—loves, bring the reader to a world only Hawk could have imagined up. Even seated in the real world with a bare toe-dip into our own history, Hawk reveals a reality hidden in the shadowy folds of what-ifs.
That being said, while her world might be a few steps out of physical sync with our own universe, it is her fully-realized characters that drive home to the reader that we are all human—regardless of what surrounds us at that time.
In Necropolis, Whyborne and Griffin are transported to a time in Egypt when wholescale looting of tombs for the entertainment of the world’s rich was par for the course. It is a time when no one thought anything of burning a mummy in a fireplace because that’s what one did to amuse one’s guests or perhaps even grind up a forgotten Princess’ remains to be mixed into a tincture to cure a cough. The starkness of this time is laid down carefully, a lace of realism sewn over the satiny pleasure of Hawk’s main characters’ existence. To see Whyborne and Griffin embellished in this location only serves to strengthen who they are in the book and cements their bond in ways that would satisfy even the most particular of readers.
I cannot wait to re-read this book. I finished it a few days ago and am even now, craving for the taste of Hawk’s words again. Her stories are an opiate and I for one, am always glad to walk into her Den.
I need to get this one.
I have really enjoyed the first 3! Damn you.
*bows* If you liked Widdershins, you have to get the others in her other series. Dude, sooooo good.
*huggles* Thank you so much! You’re the best. Seriously. The. Best. ❤
smoooooooooches
You’ve convinced me to give this a try….Sigh. The Pile of books grows higher.
She is sooooooooo awesome
Yes Awesome! Ignore Mt. TBR and go straight to this author! Closely watching the date to pick up my copy 🙂
Oh yes, Jordan’s stuff comes first!
Coupon received, book downloaded!
Just promise you two won’t ever release books on the same day…my brain would fry ;(
soooooooooo awesome
I couldn’t agree more Rhys. What a talented author! She’s one of my favourites and I adore her characters and fascinating settings.
She is just so awesome.
Your review was well put. It made me consider things I might not have noticed. Thank you. I’m in the middle of this book and will finish it shortly. I love it already.
I love Jordan’s writing. The layers! unf. Like cake!