“Did you know most anything that matters in this city was built by magic before it was built by men? Of course you didn’t. This city is different from other cities. The true history of it is unpublished. Lucky for you, I know it all by heart.” ~ Francesca Finnegan In Chicago, a secret L train runs through the mythical East Side of the city. On that train, you’ll find a house-cat conductor, an alcoholic elf, a queen of the last city farm, the most curious wind, and an exceptional girl by the name of Francesca Finnegan. When we first encounter Richard K. Lyons, he is a man who has long forgotten the one night, when he was still a boy called Rich, when Francesca invited him aboard the secret L for an adventure through the East Side. The night was a mad epic, complete with gravity-defying first kisses, mermaid overdoses, and princess rescues. Unfortunately for Rich, the night ended like one of those elusive dreams forgotten the moment you wake. Now, Rich is all grown up and out of childish adventures, an adult whose life is on the verge of ruin. It will take the rediscovery of his exploits with Francesca, and a reacquaintance with the boy he once was, to save him.
Assessment:
Plot: This promising novel moves along at a good clip and is entertaining and engaging. However, a sturdier overall plot backbone and an ending that feels more earned would make it even stronger.
Prose: The book's writing is top notch, elevating it from a clever story of Chicago to a must read. The Vonnegut-esque prose is brisk and humorous, just critical enough of its characters to peel back a layer without undermining their likability. Very few of the book's jokes fall flat, an impressive feat, and the descriptions of the oddities present in this world are utterly charming.
Originality: The book blends the oddity and charm of Spirited Away with the dry, cutting humor of Kurt Vonnegut's narrator in Breakfast of Champions. Much like the London of Harry Potter, but with more of an edge, the novel's reimagined Chicago is wonderful, twisting real life locations and stories into darker fantastical versions.
Character Development: Due to the structure of the book, Chicago is presented almost like a character: a complicated and fantastical place with all manners of oddity and mystery lurking beneath its surfaces. However, Rich's character suffers as a result. For much of the book he is merely an observer, sidelined with the reader. This makes his transformation at the end of the book feel a little unearned, which is particularly disappointing since he was so skillfully portrayed in the first section of the novel.
Blurb: Move over magicians, a new Harry Potter for adults is on the scene, and this time it's actually funny.
Date Submitted: July 11, 2017
