The Masquerades of Spring

Rivers of London #0.2

by Ben Aaronovitch

New York City, New York.

Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young - flaneur extraordinaire and Englishman abroad - as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps.

'Gussie' is not one to shun shut-eye himself, however. But his peaceful luxuriation is about to be rudely awakened by the arrival of an unexpected guest.

Enter his old friend Thomas Nightingale, who has braved the Atlantic passage pursuing the matter of a rather intriguing saxophone said to possess a strange power over those who play it.

This deeply inconvenient affair will rouse Gussie from his warm bed for the cold shores of Long Island - and down to the jazz clubs of Harlem where music, magic, and madness haunt the shadows...

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Novella

165 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2024

About the author

Ben Aaronovitch's career started with a bang writing for Doctor Who, subsided in the middle and then, as is traditional, a third act resurgence with the bestselling Rivers of London series.

Born and raised in London he says that he'll leave his home when they prise his city out of his cold dead fingers.

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Masquerades of Spring is another entertaining addition to the Rivers of London series. As with the other novellas in the series, Peter Grant is nowhere to be found in this one … and is, in fact, still several decades from having been born considering the 1920s setting. Instead, we're introduced to Augustus (Gussie) Berrycloth-Young, an English wizard who finds himself living in New York City after running afoul of The Folly back home. When his old friend Thomas Nightingale arrives on his doorstep seeking help uncovering the origins of one very unique saxophone, a delightfully fun investigation into the magical underbelly of Harlem's jazz scene ensues.

Gussie is a fantastic character and I liked him immediately. He's a bit of a dandy, incredibly witty, and very, very British. He's honestly probably one of my favorite characters in the entire series, and his lively narration of events really makes this book. Nightingale is very much still himself, although quite a bit younger than when we met him last. Together they make a rather odd couple, but it absolutely works.

This novella is probably a bit light on magic and denizens of the demi-monde as compared to the full-length books, but never fear – there are still enchanted instruments and fae and even a werelight or two. The mystery is an entertaining one and is resolved satisfactorily. I really wish it had been longer – I would have happily read another 150 pages of Gussie and Nightingale's adventures in New York.

My only minor complaint is the same complaint that I have about all of the Rivers of London novels – I can never keep all of the side characters straight. This is likely just a me thing, but there's always one character who leads to another character who points to another character, and by the time I'm a few characters in I've completely forgotten who is who. It didn't take away much from my enjoyment of the story, but I did find myself having to backtrack a few times to put the names to the “faces.”

My overall rating: 4.25 stars, rounded down. I so hope that we'll be seeing more of Augustus Berrycloth-Young in future Rivers of London novels – he's absolutely delightful.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 30, 2024.

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore the naysayers. This novella is wonderful. We leave Book 9 behind and travel back in time to the Jazz Age in Harlem. We go Wodehouse-esque with the Bertie Wooster style Gussie Berrycloth-Young and his Jeeves - Beauregard. But Gussie has magic at his fingers and Beauregard doesn't really have much to do when you have the Nightingale around.

Gussie is minding his own business with boyfriend, Lucien, when Nightingale arrives to find the original owner of a cursed saxophone. They must put right the wrongs, lift the curse, and save a damsel (with two many teeth) in distress.

Not bad work for a novella but what also brings this sojourn from the Folly alive are the characters. A mix of real life and fey Ben Aaronovitch makes this story all too human and thus, yes, I blubbed several times.

You won't have the foggiest what I'm talking about if you've not read the other Rivers of London books so while I'd say you can read this without the background I'd much prefer to recommend reading them from 1 to 9 with the novellas in between. It's a marvellous series. Actually it's a stunning piece of history mixed with music and magic.

For those people who gave up after a long running part of Rivers ended ' what's wrong with you? Books 8 and 9 are wonderful. And in this novella - yes Gussie is a bit of a twit and he procrastinates terribly but he's fun and the longer I listened the more I fell for him.

Bravo Ben Aaronovitch- you made my day - again.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aaronovitch’s usual characters are not front and center in this newer Rivers of London novella. Instead we have Augustus Berrycloth-Young, a jazz-loving, “wizard” whose lack of profundity rivals the legendary Bertie Wooster.

"Now, I have often said that the principal difference between the musical offerings of Sissle and Blake, Gershwin and Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, and those of the likes of Verdi, Tosca and some other bally Italian I have forgotten the name of, is that one might take one’s seat for the former with no fear that one will leave the theatre none the wiser with regards to the story. Whereas on those occasions when I have been dragged bodily to the opera, I have spent the entire show trying to work out why Man A is singing angrily at Man B while Woman C trills sadly in the corner. And to rub salt into the wound, as it were, I have the strongest feeling that everybody else in the theatre but me knows exactly what is going on."

And: "I didn’t care, because my blood was up. And when the blood of the Berrycloth-Youngs is up, it’s… Well, it’s jolly well up is all I am saying."

Because Augustus has joined the secret covey of wizards (“The Folly”), he has some responsibilities. "…we wizards have a code and never let it be said that Augustus Berrycloth-Young shirked his duty as a keeper of the secret flame. Not that I have the faintest idea where the secret flame might possibly be, although I assume that’s because it is a secret." Yet, his lack of proportion has made it necessary to take temporary residence on the other side of the pond.

For a short while, he has New York City to himself. But then the illustrious wizard, Thomas Nightingale, comes calling and they begin a search for a magical saxophone. This allows Aaronovitch more comic license and use of both British and American slang.

"“I’m willing to make it worth your while,” said Nightingale. This caught the man’s immediate attention, and he indicated that he was desirous to see the colour of our money. It was at this point that Nightingale revealed that he was indeed fatally short of American currency, and asked me to step in and shoulder the financial burden. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little put out at having my ear bitten in so cavalier a fashion. But I could hardly say this in front of the moustache, and so I rustled up the rhino."

Aside from keeping The Folly a secret, Augustus also must keep his sexual orientation on “the down low” as he puts it. The object of his affection is a jazz chronicler, Lucien. And, of course, Aaronovitch brings them together.

"Lucy and Thomas shook hands. Both, to my mind, eyeing each other with equal amounts of suspicion. I was reminded, after my months in New York, away from the Folly, just why one does not mix one’s social circles. Especially when both walk in the shadows, albeit different shadows. Possibly on two completely different streets."

Plenty of action and more than a bushel full of cultural references. Great songs are referenced as well as a tip of the hat to great authors. "Now, chaps who know me will know that I am partial to a good mystery novel. Lucy often loudly laments my choice of reading material. He is forever thrusting the likes of Edith Wharton or Jean Toomer into my hands. So far the only one I’ve really enjoyed was This Side of Paradise by that Fitzgerald chap, although the ending was a touch depressing."

Some might find this novella too short. And others may not like Aaronovitch having so much fun away from London. I am delighted that he is back to entertaining us as he did early on.

[Hirondelle (not getting notifications) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Aaraonovitch does Wodehouse but in New York, and with lots of jazz and with a gay love story (not Nightingale...) And it's perfect. It is fluff basically but it is so perfect, Aaronovitch gets right Wodehouse's style and sense of humor and also the hard part, to portray a dim character (Gussie's cultural references are a complete hoot...) but getting the decency and loyalty so right.

I got stuck reading the main series, I am bored with Peter and his love life now and the way plot and worldbuilding zig zags whenever convenient, but I had a feeling I would like this and I loved it. Feels fresher, tighter, more joyful.

There is a lot here about african-americans in 1920s NY and it is one of those books which is full of place (and music...). It also ties a bit, but subtly to the main series, mainly we find out a little bit more about Molly and her relationship to Nightingale. I am trying to figure out if there are any other references to Gussie somewhere.

I did the audiobook, because Kobna Holdbrook Smith reading Aaaronovitch, that is the way to go. But while he is fantastic very often, I quibbled a bit with some choices. His voice sounds like he had a cold often, not sure if by choice, and the sample at the beginning seems frankly artificial though it starts to sound more natural as it goes on. And his french accent is really not good.

[Chloe Frizzle · Rating 2 out of 5]

The protagonist of the book is annoying, frustratingly stupid, and passive. I love the vibe of the setting, exploring the Harlem Renaissance in 1920s New York, especially the jazz and queer communities. However, my love for the vibrant setting could not overpower the dull narrator. I hated this book.

This book also has disappointingly little Nightingale content. Heartbreaking for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augustus Berrycloth-Young has headed to Manhattan after some unpleasantness with the Folly in England. He’s happy to have left magic behind and to spend time with his new friend Lucy. So he is somewhat putout when Thomas Nightingale arrives at his apartment where he plans to stay while searching for the backstory of an enchanted, talking saxophone.

This setting is far from the Rivers of London fantasy/mystery series. I have not always enjoyed the books that have strayed too far. I think that one of the reasons that I liked this one is the presence of Nightingale. He is sometimes not in the series books enough for my taste, and we get a lot of him here. I also liked Augustus, his valet Maximillian Beauregard and Lucy. The book also gives a taste of of the music scene and queer culture during the Harlem Renaissance. While the setting is different, the wry humor is still there. The audiobook is narrated by Kobna Holbrook-Smith. As usual, he does an excellent job with all the characters he has to work with here. This book can work as a standalone. But I recommend reading at least the first book in the series to get a feel for the magic system, Nightingale and the Folly.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was delightful. I’d kind of stopped paying attention to this series after book 7 finally tied off a long running storyline. Book 8 sounded incredibly unappealing, and I didn’t even bother reading the blurb when 9 came out. I had however enjoyed the side stories, in no small part due to the complete absence of Peter and his incredibly uninteresting love life, and the fact that the novella is the perfect form. What instantly sold me on this one, however, was seeing “Aaronovitch goes full P.G. Wodehouse” in the promo email.

Now, it’s an act of hubris for any author to presume they can imitate the style of another who is much removed from them in time or place of origin, much less Wodehouse, who as far as I’m concerned is one of the best stylists to put words on paper in the last century, and that group would be an order of magnitude above the tier below. Those who try generally come off as failing to even perceive some major aspect of the other’s style. I go into every Wodehouse pastiche hoping to be surprised and expecting to be disappointed.

Does Aaronovitch manage to match Wodehouse’s cadences and diction? Of course not.

But what he does do, is let Gussie be his own character, perhaps an as yet unmentioned member of the Drones Club, rather than a third rate imitation of a well known character. And makes him gay. Squee! There are plenty of references and echos that give a Wodehouse vibe without attempting to impersonate a Wodehouse voice so closely that it only draws attention to the differences.

I would absolutely be on board for further adventures of Gussie and Lucien. Hell, just drop Peter, and make this the mainline from here on out.

[Brok3n · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was fun!

When you begin Ben Aaronovitch's The Masquerades of Spring, you will immediately recognize the tone as Wodehouseian. (Unless, that is, you have not read Wodehouse's Bertie and Jeeves books or seen the TV shows based on them. If that's you, do yourself a favor and correct this oversight immediately. I particularly recommend the series starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie free on Youtube.) Our narrator Augustus Berrycloth-Young is unmistakably based on Bertie Wooster. A graduate of the magic school at Casterbrook, Gussy is fond of using magic to remove policemen's helmets from policemen's heads, etc.

The action takes place shortly after Gussy's arrival in New York City around 1925. (We know from Aaronovitch's Moment 14 that Gussy traveled to New York in fall, 1925.) The story begins when he is visited by his old schoolmate and our old friend Thomas Nightingale. Nightingale has come to New York to track down the source of certain enchanted musical instruments.

Aside from the historical interest of a story set in New York during the Harlem Renaissance, I was most interested in seeing a young Nightingale. The Nightingale we know as Peter Grant's mentor is a very old man -- well over a hundred years old. He is young and vigorous in body because he's been aging backward for years, but he's a serious man who's been scarred by many tragedies, particularly the fiasco at Ettersberg in World War II.

The Nightingale of Masquerades is unmistakably the man who can single-handedly destroy a main battle tank. But although he is more serious than Gussy, he shows a sense of fun that the older Nightingale represses. We also get a bit more insight into his relationship with Molly.

It's quite a short novella (4 and a half hours in audio), read as usual by the estimable Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who, I am pleased to say, does well with the various New York accents. Highly recommended.

Blog review.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic novella in the series!

As fans of Aaronovitch's signature series know, it's all about Jazz. In this story here quite literally for in the Jass Age, Thomas Nightingale travelled to New York City to hunt down a mysterious saxophone. He visits and is helped by a former classmate of his from the Folly, Augustus Berrycloth-Young. If you think that name sounds like quite the fmalboyant British fop, you'd be spot on! *lol* He VERY MUCH reminded me of Wooster, in fact, especially after finding the perfect Gentleman's Gentleman in NCY. *chuckles*
But Gussie, while being very laid-back, is no doormat so I enjoyed seeing him helping Nightingale and forging a life of his own in a way (I very much enjoyed seeing him finding happiness with Lucy). Though I have to admit that I enjoyed everyone being so flabberghasted at the "butler" knowing absolutely everything about everything and everyone even more. *chuckles some more*

A very quirky story, once again, with some very nice representatives of the magical society abroad. The magic they worked was also highly enjoyable as was the mystery of the magical object and the people surrounding it. Getting to go to colourful parties that were typical for the age, complete with costumes and all, only added to my enjoyment of it all.

There was a nod to another story and other characters from the series, but it's generally self-contained.

I have to admit that I have a little bit of a crush on good old Nightingale so reading this was quite nice even though or perhaps because it was written from the perspective of a friend who knew him at least a little. This might even be my favorite of the novellas yet, except for the one with / about the foxes (for obvious reasons). :D

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is miles better than Aaronovitch's last novella set in America and he did two things that really helped sell the setting: he set it in the 1920s and made the narrator British, so any errors can be chalked up to changing times and/or a non-American narrator.

And what a narrator! Augustus Berrycloth-Young sounds like he's stepped out of a Wodehouse story and just makes the entire book sparkle. I hope we get to see more of Gussie and his adventures.

Received via NetGalley.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad that my library's only option for this novella was in the form of an audiobook, for otherwise I would have missed a wonderful performance by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Aaronovitch, I have heard, likes to test Kobna's mettle with as many regional accents as possible. Kobna does the British voices with authority and to my Canadian tin-ear seemed to do a creditable Southern voice, as well as several flavours of New York.

Augustus Berrycloth-Young, our narrator, seems to me to owe a great deal to P.G. Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster. His name (and his nickname Gussie) would fit into one of B. Wooster's tales quite smoothly. As would much of Gussie's vocabulary and his tendency to discount his own intelligence. He admits to wanting merely to live quietly and comfortably with his lover, Lucian, while enjoying the jazz of New York. His valet, Beauregard, isn't the absolute fount of wisdom that Jeeves was, but he is a very able assistant.

The spoke in the wheel of Gussie's routine is the appearance of Thomas Nightingale, seeking a place to stay and magical assistance. As happens when we deal with a person from our past, Gussie falls into his former role as the follower, despite needing a low profile both as magical practitioner and as a gay man when his orientation is considered illegal.

Although starting quite gradually, the author picks up speed until the reader/listener is pulled compulsively along, needing to know if Nightingale and Gussie can achieve their mutual goal without ruining Gussie's existence in the Big Apple. Much of the tension in the story results from dealing with prejudice against Lucian as a black man and against both Lucian and Augustus as gay men.

An interesting peek into the life of Nightingale well before Peter appeared on the scene and when practitioners were more numerous.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was delightful. The writing was as playful as the regular series but filtered a wildly different character than Peter, and it was inviting and effective. I never doubted I was in the Rivers of London world even though we were in NYC in the 1920s and following a character we have never met before. The case/mystery is much more straight-forward, and it is more about exploring this character as well as young Thomas Nightingale in various environments and situations than it is about following clues and cracking the case, so to speak. Being a nice quick novella, though, this works perfectly. It is a fun tour of the world, and we get to learn more about Nightingale, which I really enjoyed. This novella also pays homage to music and culture, celebrating diversity, especially in the face of oppression and opposition, in ways that add not just color but also emotional stakes to the world and its characters. I wouldn’t have minded an additional 20 or 30 pages to add some more twists and turns in the case and to let our new main character have a little more of a journey, just to add a little more depth, the chance to dig deeper into some of the ideas presented, but there is also something to be said to get in and out without overstaying your welcome. The story is fast paced, the writing really playful, and the world fully realized. The new characters feel genuine and messy, with complete histories and myriad stories, which are felt even if they aren’t on the page. Although it is a little slight in terms of stakes, this novella does expand the world and the lore and I didn’t want to put it down, finishing it in one sitting.

(Rounded from 3.5)

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Masquerades of Spring is a novella in the Rivers Of London series by best-selling British author, Ben Aaronovitch. While Augustus Berrycloth-Young trained at the Folly, he incurred the wrath of the old sticks on the Folly council for what he saw as harmless magical pranks. He fled to New York City to stay under their radar, so Gussie is quite concerned when Beauregard, his very capable butler informs him that his visitor is Thomas Nightingale, the Folly’s chief trouble shooter.

Turns out that Gussie is not the target, but Nightingale does require his assistance in tracking down the provenance of a certain saxophone of unusual characteristics. And to perhaps discover who is bewitching musical instruments? Gussie immediately enlists his black paramour, Lucien Gibbs, who knows all there is to know about the American music scene.

With Lucy’s guidance, the trail takes them to a pawn shop, a preacher, a music publisher, a jazz club owner, a trumpet player, a wealthy Long Island Nordic, and eventually an enchanting frail with a resemblance to a certain fae at the Folly. But it turns out there may be an unforeseen complication…

Corrupt cops, thugs, a chameleon cousin, a midwife, a gossip queen: all feature somewhere in the story that, of course, includes a masquerade ball, but also a police car chase with a difference. Aaronovitch never fails to provide originality, wit and entertainment.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Masquerades of Spring marks a diversion of sorts in the Rivers of London series, away from London, away from England, and away from the 21st century. Here we move to an historical setting, New York City of the 1920s, where one Augustus Berrycloth-Young, Gussie to his friends, has gone on the lam from the Folly hoping they will leave him alone. For now he wants to enjoy the wonders of the world of jazz available to him in Harlem and the love of his guide, Lucien, a reporter who lives in Harlem.

All is going swimmingly until a houseguest arrives from England, his friend, Thomas Nightingale, who has mysterious and magical reasons to be in New York and enlists Gussie’s assistance. This begins a fun outing in a very different setting from what I’m used to in Aaronovitch’s series. The mood is camp and positively Jazz Age, with fabulous clothes, outrageous behavior, hoodlums, and bathtub liquor. Oh, and crime with magic involved.

This is a standalone of sorts within the series and has served to inspire me to get back and pick up those books I have missed. It’s an enjoyable read. You might enjoy this even without knowing the series as all the characters are new except for this young version of Nightingale. But you must accept that there is magic in the world. Recommended.

Thanks to Subterranean Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nightingale and friend, Augustus Berrycloth-Young, running around the night club scene of post-WWI New York trying to solve the mystery of the enchanted musical instruments and from whence they came. Like all the other Rivers of London tales, the beginning and the ending of this one have very little in common, and as usual, I had a difficult time following along as the tale bounced from plot point to plot point, or night club to night club. But I liked it overall. A short, quick read where we get to see a younger version of Nightingale doing his thing.

[Erika Pensaert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaronovitch does Wodehouse with a bit of homosexuality and interracial relationships thrown in. We're in the 21st century after all.
Gussie surely has to be related to, or friends with, Bertie Wooster.

'I think it was Charlotte Brontë who once said that it is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a pair of single men in a club must be in want of feminine company.'

I want to read all the 'further adventures of the remarkable Beauregard', especially the one where he encounters the moose with attitude.
Please write them.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed the latest in the series as nightingale heads to inter war New York city and many twists and turns doesn't disappoint

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to Kobna Holdbrook-Smith tell me this Rivers of London story while I gardened!

New favorite description for a mustache: "bristling lip hedge."

[Anna Katharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will always jump on a new Rivers of London work like a starving women on cheese, and The Masquerades of Spring was as savory and gratifying as the best aged cheddar. Introducing Augustus Berrycloth-Young, former classmate of Nightingale and a fop to challenge even Bertie Wooster (although smarter and with much less aversion to being paired off), Aaronovitch has created a rollicking tale of jazz and drag in 1920's Harlem. As always, he pairs immaculate historic research with charismatic personalities and logical magic. I flew through the audiobook in two days, marveling at Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's ability to convincingly recreate any accent except those from the American South. (His voice is absolutely beautiful, btw.) Excellent for everyone trying to keep it together until the next Rivers of London installment...

[Silvana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I just could not concentrate when listening to audiobooks anymore, this seemingly very well reviewed book became just okay. I did enjoy Kobna's narration, hence the extra star.

[Mike Finn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost didn't bother with this novella. Jazz does nothing for me and I associate Jazz fans with pseudo-intellectuals trying to be cool. I see nothing romantic about the demimonde of 1920s Harlem, which I associate with the exploitation of the desperate by the predatory rich and, although Jeeves can sometimes make me smile, I find Bertie Wooster annoying. Still, I've almost always enjoyed the Rivers Of London books, even the unexciting but mildly entertaining 'False Value', so I gave this a try. 

At first, I thought this was going to live down to my worst expectations. The story was told by Augustus Berrycloth Young, an undistinguished recent graduate of Casterbrook, the English Public School where wizards of the right class were trained to use magic and become 'guardians of the secret flame', who has fled from London to New York to life a life of leisure where he can enjoy jazz and avoid other people's expectations of him. Initially, Augustus or Gussie as he styled himself seemed so much an echo of Wooster that he irritated me and I struggled to stay interested in his story. Then, Ben Aarovitch started to work his own magic by turning Gussie into a real person who was, of course, considerably more complex than Wooster, 

For me, it started with the description of how Gussie fell in love with Lucy. I saw Gussie and his world differently after that. I stopped labelling Gussie as an intellectually challenged privileged wastrel and saw him as a homosexual man trying to live a fulfilling life in a world that would imprison him for who he was and who he loved. That Lucy was a black man, well known in the Harlem jazz community, gave Gussie an insider's rather than a predator's view of the demimonde, a demimonde that, while it offered limited freedom and acceptance to its denizens, still exploited them at every opportunity. 

Then Nightingale arrived. A younger, more hands-on, magic-wielding Nightingale. As always, he was a man with a mission and he pulled Gussie into it. 

I won't go into the plot but I think both Nightingale and Gussie came out of things rather well. Their mission was righteous and they were both brave in their very different ways. Nightigale's mission brought him and, rather reluctantly, Gussie into conflict with some dangerous criminals and worse, with the entitled uber-rich. There was tense action, some remarkable scenes at a Drag Queens' Ball, car chases and magically enabled derring-do. All in all, it was good fun but good fun with heart. 

I listened to the audiobook version of 'The Masquerades Of Spring'. I thought Kobna Holbrook-Smith did an exceptional job with the voices of the characters and with the tone of his narration. Click on the YouTube link below to hear a sample. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUXsF...

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A side story set in 1920s Harlem with Augustus Berrycloth-Young, a classmate of Nightingale who has crossed the Atlantic to live in NY.

An amusing story when Nightingale comes calling seeking Augustus' help in tracking down the provenance of a cursed saxophone.

Amusing in its way but not as entertaining as mainline Rivers of London.

[Lorraine Southern · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio and found the super-posh narration far too distracting. I couldn’t focus on the story and found I had no idea what was going on! That said, it hasn’t put me off the series but next time I will read it instead of listening to it!

[Claudia_Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5*

[Promiscuous Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Повесть-приквел про молодого Найтингейла: Нью-Йорк времен сухого закона, джаз и много классных фишечек, которые я не буду спойлерить)) Прямо подарок какой-то.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

After I got over the sheer joy of Bertie Wooster with magic in Jazz Age New York, this fell off a little bit for me. It didn't help that I "saved" it to the point where I had a hard time following the plot. There are some magic instruments? That we don't actually end up hearing more about. And gangsters and corrupt cops and bathtub gin and Harlem. It was fun, all in all, but not really about the plot.

I am again not sure that Aaronovitch does America particularly well, and am again having doubts that he has sensitivity readers. (His novella with the American agent and Native Americans in Wisconsin also gave me doubts about this.)

For example, on page 12 we have the sentence "But where New York has it over London in spades is modern music, and for the best of that one must venture above 110th Street to the neighbourhood they call Harlem." I was like, is that use of the word "spade" a joke? Or just not aware of the history of racist usage? A fair portion of this book takes place in Harlem and several of the main characters are Black, so...

There is also a bit on page 90 where we read "But in my book, even "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is as ashes upon the tongue when compared to the way these coloured American choirs can sing. Only the Welsh could give them a run for their money, and only if they cheered up a bit first."

Taken together, these read to me like stereotypes. Positive stereotypes, yes. The intent throughout this book was obviously to highlight and honor the queer and Black communities in New York in this time, and I respect that. But those bits really stuck out to me. Doubtless the narrating character would really have thought this way in that time. (I am reminded of the BBC Jeeves and Wooster, which was made long enough ago that they actually showed Bertie Wooster in blackface as part of a plotline about his love of jazz...) But because the intent of this book was obviously to honor these communities, I felt like the editing should have been a bit more careful.

Lastly, while Aaronovitch gives it a good go, imitating Wodehouse's style is not for the faint of heart. I read once that Wodehouse used to pin up his manuscripts on the walls around him, and then make sure that there was at least one really funny bit per page. He worked hard at it, it was the essence of his style. And Aaronovitch is trying to fit in Nightingale, magic, Harlem, queer subculture, jazz... it's a lot! Especially for a novella, with an essentially meaningless plot that I never got invested in.

So while I honor the attempt, and might read it again on a re-read, (it's quite short)- it didn't quite live up to perfection. (And, as always, MORE NIGHTINGALE!)

[Theo Logos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Across the pond and back to the Jazz Age! That’s the setting for this Rivers of London novella, as Thomas Nightingale comes to New York to take care of some personal magic business. His host in the city that never sleeps, and our charming narrator, is Augustus Gussie Berrycloth-Young, a foppish young English gentleman reminiscent of Bertie Wooster, if only Bertie had been fabulously gay and his school had trained him in the forms of magic. Gussie was a underclass man to Nightingale, and though he has chosen to lead a rather feckless life in America, he is not entirely without grit and resources.

Follow Nightingale, Gussie, and friends as they sleuth out the origins of a magical, talking saxophone, contend with gangsters, crooked cops, and mysterious flappers, and explore the Harlem nightlife through jazz clubs and speakeasies. Their adventures climax at a fabulous masquerade ball for Harlem’s underground queer scene. This novella is a lovely little valentine to the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the latest of the novellas from the world of Rivers of London - this one from the early days of Nightingale (though to find out where you will need to read the story).

The reason I have not give it full stars (in fact I think this may be the first I have not done that for) is that of the style of the narrative, a combination of the date and person telling the storying meant I struggled at times - it didn't help that I was ill at the time as well.

Either way another fun adventure away from the usual world of London, the Folly and all the amazing characters Aaronovitch has created. I think the idea of spreading the net further has opened up all sorts of possibilities and if anything has inadvertently set the bar even higher - either way I suspect that we will not be running our stories any time soon. The next I believe will be the new graphic novel..

[Nadine in California · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first novella in the world of Rivers of London, and proof that you don't need Peter Grant to make this series such fun - or London, for that matter. Augustus Berrycloth-Young is a delightful narrator and I hope he lives on in other episodes. And now I'm sure that Nightingale is the beating heart of the series for me. Nearly perfect narration by Kobna Holdbrook Smith; his New York accent was off, although as I got used to it I enjoyed it. Even if it wasn't authentic to New York, it was its own fun thing.

[Andy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was für ein Absturz!
Das ist die langweiligste und abgeschmackteste Geschichte aus dieser Reihe. Eigentlich mag ich die Serie aber der 10. Band enttäuschte mich unerwarteterweise. Verglichen mit dieser Kurzgeschichte war der Band allerdings richtig gut.
Ben Aaronovitch ist kein  P. G. Wodehouse!!!
Und seine Jeeves and Wooster Adaption ist eine humorlose Katastrophe!
Zugunsten eines öden Protagonisten ging der gesamte Charme der Geschichte flöten.
Wo ist die Magie hin!?
Stattdessen gibt es eine uninteressant Liebesgeschichte mit scheintoten Charakteren.
Falls das der "neue" Aaronovitch ist, hat der mich als Leser verloren.