Moriarty,
Chris. The
Watcher in the Shadows. (series:
Inquisitor’s Apprentice) Houghton Mifflin/Harcourt Brace
2013
326p
$16.99
ISBN 978-0-547-46632-3 ms/hs Fantasy E-BN
At last Sacha Kessler returns to the
Lower East Side of New York City. His world, at the turn
of the twentieth century, is an alternate universe where magic is part of
ordinary living and everyone uses it to some extent. Sacha continues his internship with the great
Inquisitor Wolf and Sacha’s partner Lily Astral. The three become entangled in a web of
intrigue that revolves around their attempts to solve the magical murder of the
Klezmer King while trying to prevent
violence that may arise from the imminent IWW
strike at the Pentacle Shirtwaist Factory, and saving Sacha’s family
from the dybbuk he has freed. Sacha’s
world is an imaginative one, filled with all of the ethnic groups living in New York at
the time, each one with a special kind of supernatural ability. Among
these various groups there are some important
historical names, as well. The rich atmosphere of the
city is fully realized and adds much to the story line. As in all good tales, however, there are
questions of morality and philosophy to discuss, and instances of evil and greed to overcome. As the plot unfolds, Sacha makes use of his
Jewish heritage to serve and protect his community from the attempts of
businessman J. P. Morgaunt to totally take over the city. This exciting fantasy will appeal greatly to
its readers. The Yiddish words are
explained in context and the twists in the names of the important personages
are easily deciphered. It is very much
in the style of “Harry Potter meets the Lower East Side”, and it leaves the reader
ready for the next sequel.
Summary: At last Sacha Kessler returns to the Lower East Side of New York
City to help save the city from the machinations of the evil J.P. Morgaunt and
the troubles he has let loose there.
New York
City-Fiction, Fantasy, Historical fiction --Susan Ogintz
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