Book Log 2009 #12: The Somnambuilst by Jonathan Barnes

I liked this book more than I expected, but still felt that there was some unrecognized potential in its story of a magician who, with his mute assistant, investigate a murder in Victorian London that turns out to be much more than a simple killing.

My expectations were set on the low side fearing something derivative from The Prestige or The Illusionist, and while there are some similarities, the book travels in very different circles than either of those movies. The book is much less about magic or the magician (heck, the book is named for the assistant), and uses the supernatural in a very different way. The narrative structure also took a little getting used to, but in the end I found it enhanced the story quite a bit.

But I think there was some added potential to give background on several characters, and perhaps on the event that is responsible for the killing that kicks off the book, as I think it would have clarified some of what takes place in the conclusion, which was a little muddled for me. On the other hand, Barnes has apparently written a sequel, albeit set in modern times, which may help to clarify things (akin to how Stephen Carter's Palace Council helped to explain things about his previous books). At least I hope so, as I enjoyed this book well enough to want to read the sequel.