Review: The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by G.W. Dahlquist

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked up a print copy of this book in a local charity shop and the title instantly intrigued me. I mean – The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters – how is that not intriguing?? On the back: A Spy. A Killer. An Imposter. Three extraordinary heroes. Yes, indeed, I was hooked! And to add to the pleasure of buying it, was the size. Huge. Here was a book I could vanish into for quite some while.

I was not disappointed. This book lived up to its title, its blurb and its size! The three main characters – Miss Temple, Cardinal Chang and Doctor Svenson – are utterly believable and their adventures overlap and intertwine so masterly, I was left amazed. Add to that some truly dastardly villains and an intricate and incredibly genius plot, and I was lost for hours.

Then there is the language. Set in a city that reminds of Victorian era London, the English used for the narrative feels as if it from that time, and I loved it. The mannerisms and foibles of the time are put to excellent use, as is the prudish nature of society. Well, prudish until we stumbled into quite the behind the scenes scheming of some powerful folk.

This is definitely a worthy read! Readers of historical novels with steampunk tendencies will lap it up. It well deserves its 5 stars!


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