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Rocío and Hala #1
Shadow of the City
A delightful fantasy of friendship and mystery in a setting reminiscent of Latin America, by a fresh new talent.
La Bene is a city poised on the edge of change, where automobiles mingle with horse-drawn trolleys and musicians rub shoulders with politicians in trendy cabarets. Every day brings new magical machines, new immigrants … and a new mystery to solve.
Detectives Rocío Díaz Rossi and Hala Haddad Sosa have investigated many crimes together, and Rocío’s intuition and Hala’s logic make them ideal partners. But this time they’re baffled by a newly discovered crypt in the subway, a missing choreographer, and reports of impossible magic.
As the clues pile up, they discover that they’re not working any ordinary kidnapping. Something darker and more sinister is taking root in the city, perhaps the return of a magic so destructive that no one dares to speak of it. If their suspicions are correct, they will have to face an opponent who threatens not only their commitment to justice, but everyone living in their beloved city.
La Bene is a city poised on the edge of change, where automobiles mingle with horse-drawn trolleys and musicians rub shoulders with politicians in trendy cabarets. Every day brings new magical machines, new immigrants … and a new mystery to solve.
Detectives Rocío Díaz Rossi and Hala Haddad Sosa have investigated many crimes together, and Rocío’s intuition and Hala’s logic make them ideal partners. But this time they’re baffled by a newly discovered crypt in the subway, a missing choreographer, and reports of impossible magic.
As the clues pile up, they discover that they’re not working any ordinary kidnapping. Something darker and more sinister is taking root in the city, perhaps the return of a magic so destructive that no one dares to speak of it. If their suspicions are correct, they will have to face an opponent who threatens not only their commitment to justice, but everyone living in their beloved city.
- GenresFantasy
461 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2021
3 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
R. Morgan
3 books7 followersBio
R. Morgan has prepared all her life to be a writer, though she didn’t know it. Like that time she volunteered to protect sea turtles on a beach in Costa Rica and wound up with half her body in the nest at 3 am with a blue plastic bag under the turtle’s butt to catch her eggs to relocate them so poachers couldn’t find them. Or living in Bangkok, Thailand, which is where she is now for her day job. (She’s from the USA, but she has also lived in Mexico, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.)
Mostly she has worked as a technical editor and a Spanish to English translator in the US, Mexico City, Lima, Moscow and Surabaya, but she has also worked as a dog walker (sometimes taking 11 dogs to the park at once, but usually only two or three), on bilingual websites in Bogotá and Montevideo, and in district court (criminal) and family court in the US as an advocate. She has been asked to interpret from Portuguese even though she doesn’t speak Portuguese (it was an emergency) and gotten up at 4 am to edit a meeting report and ended her day at the Bolshoi Theater watching Russian ballet.
Her favorite things are long rambling walks, preferably under trees, but a city will do, the smell of rain and a good book. Her favorite poetry anthology is Americans’ Favorite Poems, edited by Robert Pinsky and Maggie Dietz, and don’t even ask her to pick a favorite book. She has too many.
She writes YA fantasy under the name Raf Morgan.
R. Morgan has prepared all her life to be a writer, though she didn’t know it. Like that time she volunteered to protect sea turtles on a beach in Costa Rica and wound up with half her body in the nest at 3 am with a blue plastic bag under the turtle’s butt to catch her eggs to relocate them so poachers couldn’t find them. Or living in Bangkok, Thailand, which is where she is now for her day job. (She’s from the USA, but she has also lived in Mexico, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.)
Mostly she has worked as a technical editor and a Spanish to English translator in the US, Mexico City, Lima, Moscow and Surabaya, but she has also worked as a dog walker (sometimes taking 11 dogs to the park at once, but usually only two or three), on bilingual websites in Bogotá and Montevideo, and in district court (criminal) and family court in the US as an advocate. She has been asked to interpret from Portuguese even though she doesn’t speak Portuguese (it was an emergency) and gotten up at 4 am to edit a meeting report and ended her day at the Bolshoi Theater watching Russian ballet.
Her favorite things are long rambling walks, preferably under trees, but a city will do, the smell of rain and a good book. Her favorite poetry anthology is Americans’ Favorite Poems, edited by Robert Pinsky and Maggie Dietz, and don’t even ask her to pick a favorite book. She has too many.
She writes YA fantasy under the name Raf Morgan.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 10, 2021
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
What a fantastic book.
This is a fantasy murder mystery police procedural set in this beautiful, vivid alternative South-American setting. I didn't know I needed this in my life till now.
Just after reading the first chapter of this book, I knew I was going to love it.
Rocio and Hala were so likeable and had a great dynamic. I loved how different they were in their approach of investigating and how they balanced each other out all the while still complementing each other as well.
The setting and world was one of my favourite things. It is so unapologetically diverse and I'm here for it. In this world, there is no racism, sexism, homophobia etc. People just....exist and it was super refreshing. Please can there be more of this.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it when books add social commentary and incorporate these things in their books and hopefully also challenge them, but it was great to see a fantasy book with older female detectives who did face challenges but not because of their sex.
There is a gender neutral way of addressing people, poly relationships are a thing, same sex relationships etc.
There were also a lot of food descriptions and if there's one thing I love in books, it's that.
The plot was super interesting to me as well and I truly was never bored. Definitely did not see certain things coming at all.
The ending was definitely open and I can't wait for more in this world with these characters
What a fantastic book.
This is a fantasy murder mystery police procedural set in this beautiful, vivid alternative South-American setting. I didn't know I needed this in my life till now.
Just after reading the first chapter of this book, I knew I was going to love it.
Rocio and Hala were so likeable and had a great dynamic. I loved how different they were in their approach of investigating and how they balanced each other out all the while still complementing each other as well.
The setting and world was one of my favourite things. It is so unapologetically diverse and I'm here for it. In this world, there is no racism, sexism, homophobia etc. People just....exist and it was super refreshing. Please can there be more of this.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it when books add social commentary and incorporate these things in their books and hopefully also challenge them, but it was great to see a fantasy book with older female detectives who did face challenges but not because of their sex.
There is a gender neutral way of addressing people, poly relationships are a thing, same sex relationships etc.
There were also a lot of food descriptions and if there's one thing I love in books, it's that.
The plot was super interesting to me as well and I truly was never bored. Definitely did not see certain things coming at all.
The ending was definitely open and I can't wait for more in this world with these characters
Did not finish
April 28, 2021DNF at 22%. I REALLY wanted to like this. I thought it sounds a little like a South American version of A Master of Djinn and I was keen.
Unfortunately, although the ideas are there and the world is interesting, I found the writing so hard to read I gave up at 22%. Sentences go on and on in a jumble, scenes begin but then lead no where, and, whilst Morgan gets points for diversity, it comes across as almost a tick-box exercise. I also didn't really care for any of the characters (though that might have changed had I given it more time).
A shame. Given revisions and a good edit, I'd be tempted to come back to this because it has potential.
Unfortunately, although the ideas are there and the world is interesting, I found the writing so hard to read I gave up at 22%. Sentences go on and on in a jumble, scenes begin but then lead no where, and, whilst Morgan gets points for diversity, it comes across as almost a tick-box exercise. I also didn't really care for any of the characters (though that might have changed had I given it more time).
A shame. Given revisions and a good edit, I'd be tempted to come back to this because it has potential.
April 26, 2021
This book strikes different. From the very first page I realized it wasn’t going to be like any other detective novel I’ve read. For a start, the two lead protagonist detectives are both women. I hadn’t realized that that was a weird concept until I read it here, and then I thought....why IS this unusual? Straight away I was challenging my own preconceptions of a detective novel and for that i was actually grateful. R. Morgan says about her story:
“I love friendship stories and I wanted to write a buddy cop story, but where the buddies are two middle-aged women, something we rarely get in this genre, and who are not objectified sexually and are not vessels of female pain for consumption.”
In fact, all the way through this book, the author is challenging stereotypes. There are queer characters, polygamy and gender equality. The characters are of obvious mixed heritages, which we would know as Latin American and Asian (their names alone give this away) and culture plays a huge theme within this book. However, Morgan is adamant this book is not set in South America, sating :
“I want to be clear that my book does not take place in Latin America. The world I built is inspired by the languages, cultures, geographies and histories of Latin America but it is not meant to be a one-to-one representation of a real place.” however, you can definitely feel the culture seeping through in the everyday life of the protagonists, from the food and drink, to their family traditions, and even religion to an extant (ancestor worship).
All individuals are referred to in non-gender bound titles...such as ‘Senorx’, and people in this world can have one, two or even three ‘spouses’ (of any gender). At first this was strange but after a while it became natural whilst reading. I really like that Morgan has chosen to rock the boundaries of existing fiction like this, and break the inequalities I hadn’t even realized where present in the books I love to read down.
Mixed into the detective novel is a fantasy world, with magic and an underground government system. Despite the use of magic and gadgets, this world is very much not in the future and horses and carts still abound, and an automobile is considered new tangled and untrustworthy!
I enjoyed being taken into this world, and the ideas were refreshing. The book did feel a little on the long side, and I did get confused with a lot of the characters and trying to follow what was going on, I feel like some introduction to the ‘world’ at the beginning would have been useful rather than being submersed straight in with no explanations.
4 magic dampener, chicha drinking stars.
Thanks to Booksirens and the publisher, who allowed me an arc for an honest review. All views are my own.
“I love friendship stories and I wanted to write a buddy cop story, but where the buddies are two middle-aged women, something we rarely get in this genre, and who are not objectified sexually and are not vessels of female pain for consumption.”
In fact, all the way through this book, the author is challenging stereotypes. There are queer characters, polygamy and gender equality. The characters are of obvious mixed heritages, which we would know as Latin American and Asian (their names alone give this away) and culture plays a huge theme within this book. However, Morgan is adamant this book is not set in South America, sating :
“I want to be clear that my book does not take place in Latin America. The world I built is inspired by the languages, cultures, geographies and histories of Latin America but it is not meant to be a one-to-one representation of a real place.” however, you can definitely feel the culture seeping through in the everyday life of the protagonists, from the food and drink, to their family traditions, and even religion to an extant (ancestor worship).
All individuals are referred to in non-gender bound titles...such as ‘Senorx’, and people in this world can have one, two or even three ‘spouses’ (of any gender). At first this was strange but after a while it became natural whilst reading. I really like that Morgan has chosen to rock the boundaries of existing fiction like this, and break the inequalities I hadn’t even realized where present in the books I love to read down.
Mixed into the detective novel is a fantasy world, with magic and an underground government system. Despite the use of magic and gadgets, this world is very much not in the future and horses and carts still abound, and an automobile is considered new tangled and untrustworthy!
I enjoyed being taken into this world, and the ideas were refreshing. The book did feel a little on the long side, and I did get confused with a lot of the characters and trying to follow what was going on, I feel like some introduction to the ‘world’ at the beginning would have been useful rather than being submersed straight in with no explanations.
4 magic dampener, chicha drinking stars.
Thanks to Booksirens and the publisher, who allowed me an arc for an honest review. All views are my own.
May 15, 2021
trigger warning
At first, it's about a break in and possible theft in a forgotten room. Then, there's a kidnapping - and then, corpses start to turn up, missing some body parts. Is it possible that these cases are connected?
Our setting is kinda Latin America, but with magic. Every region has their own magic, but it's localized. If you happen to move to another area, your magic won't work, but you have the possibility to learn the regional variant, if you chose to. Most people don't, because they're far too busy.
La Bene is a seaport city, which means it's home to many immigrants, who add a bit of their own culture to the landscape.
What I really liked was that homosexuality, being trans and polyamory seem to be widely accepted. There's a police person who's at the reception desk since they're recuperating from a gender reaffirment surgery, and it's no big deal. People are called senorx, or in case of ministers, ministrx. I can work with that.
A huge topic are class differences. One of the two protagonists came from an upperclass family but fell in love with the theatre, only to wind up with the police and despite having worked herself to the rank of Detective, her parents are constantly telling her she could do "better" if she only followed their advice.
She thought it would not impact her work, but then a new recruit is placed under her care. A recruit who comes from the upper class herself.
Another level of conflict comes from the fact that there is another kind of police force, kinda like the regular police and the FBI in the USA, though it was not made very clear which of them is responsible for what.
The plot centers around the possibilities of magic, and I am always here for magical crime and the people who try to find out who, what, when and why.
I liked it. I would read on. I would recommend it. It had some plaws, especially in the area of pacing and sometimes it felt like not even the author knew what's going on, but that felt like something more experience would fix.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
At first, it's about a break in and possible theft in a forgotten room. Then, there's a kidnapping - and then, corpses start to turn up, missing some body parts. Is it possible that these cases are connected?
Our setting is kinda Latin America, but with magic. Every region has their own magic, but it's localized. If you happen to move to another area, your magic won't work, but you have the possibility to learn the regional variant, if you chose to. Most people don't, because they're far too busy.
La Bene is a seaport city, which means it's home to many immigrants, who add a bit of their own culture to the landscape.
What I really liked was that homosexuality, being trans and polyamory seem to be widely accepted. There's a police person who's at the reception desk since they're recuperating from a gender reaffirment surgery, and it's no big deal. People are called senorx, or in case of ministers, ministrx. I can work with that.
A huge topic are class differences. One of the two protagonists came from an upperclass family but fell in love with the theatre, only to wind up with the police and despite having worked herself to the rank of Detective, her parents are constantly telling her she could do "better" if she only followed their advice.
She thought it would not impact her work, but then a new recruit is placed under her care. A recruit who comes from the upper class herself.
Another level of conflict comes from the fact that there is another kind of police force, kinda like the regular police and the FBI in the USA, though it was not made very clear which of them is responsible for what.
The plot centers around the possibilities of magic, and I am always here for magical crime and the people who try to find out who, what, when and why.
I liked it. I would read on. I would recommend it. It had some plaws, especially in the area of pacing and sometimes it felt like not even the author knew what's going on, but that felt like something more experience would fix.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
Read
April 3, 2021Hi everyone! You may have noticed a bit of a glitch here--the cover and the title no longer match! That's because there was a last minute title change from "The Adventures of Rocío Díaz Rossi and Hala Haddad Sosa" to "Shadow of the City". Goodreads updated the cover and title really quickly!
Other than that I'm excited for you all to read about these two buddy cops who are women and they're in their 40s, they're never anyone's victims and they're best friends, plus restorative justice and a world that kind of looks a little like Latin America but isn't and a little bit of magic.
Other than that I'm excited for you all to read about these two buddy cops who are women and they're in their 40s, they're never anyone's victims and they're best friends, plus restorative justice and a world that kind of looks a little like Latin America but isn't and a little bit of magic.
April 27, 2021
A word about the worldbuilding first, since that's what I had the most trouble with.
The setting is an alternate-world South (or maybe Central) America. Several analogs of European countries are mentioned (with names that struck me as linguistically unlikely in some cases - Enkladt for England?), and while the Spain analog did not colonize South America as such, it did have a cultural influence at least on La Bene, the city where the story is set. Some names and words are Spanish, there are theatres and various other European-style cultural features, and so forth. However, nobody is Catholic (and the character with the Arabic-sounding name isn't Muslim); everyone - except for a recent immigrant - practices a form of ancestor-worship which allows them to speak to their departed ancestors, and at least some also practice what seems to be some kind of paganism.
At the same time, the cultural norms and mores of the city's inhabitants are a remarkably close match for US progressive politics as at right this moment. I managed to be more amused than annoyed by that, though it means the book will date very quickly.
The author's note at the end makes it clear that the reason sexism, racism, homophobia, European colonialism, and organized religion don't exist in this setting is that the author was sick of them and wanted to write a setting that just didn't contain them. Which is not an illegitimate wish, but if you edit out so much of what has shaped our world, you're going to end up with a world that is difficult to account for.
Magic plays a key role, and part of the setup is that magic works differently in different places. It's never explained why this is, or what the underlying mechanism might be. It's clear that magic works differently based on where you are geographically, because immigrants' magic only continues working as it usually does for a short time before shifting to work like the local magic, but the divisions coincide with political, not physical, geography. La Bene has previously been part of both of the neighboring empires (which appear to be uninterrupted local empires; one of them uses the Mayan calendar). I had the impression that it had swapped between the empires several times, before being settled by refugees and allowed to become its own entity as a buffer between the empires (which itself felt somewhat unlikely to me). Yet the magic in La Bene is distinctly different from the magic in both of the empires.
So I had some significant questions and hesitations about the worldbuilding. Apart from that, it's a decent mystery novel in which good-hearted detectives face their own issues while tracking down the criminal. I felt that the pacing of the mystery plot did suffer from the amount of time devoted to the protagonist's personal conflicts, which, while well portrayed, were not as interesting (or important) to me as the resolution of the crime. What that did provide, though, was more depth to the characters; there was more of that than I usually see.
A competent editor has done a good (but, inevitably, not completely perfect) job with the manuscript; in the pre-release review copy I received via Netgalley for review, the errors were few.
Overall, then, a sound plot (if with some pacing issues for me), characters with depth, and capable prose. If the worldbuilding had been less of a problem for me, it would have landed easily on my Best of the Year list. As it was, it still gets four stars.
The setting is an alternate-world South (or maybe Central) America. Several analogs of European countries are mentioned (with names that struck me as linguistically unlikely in some cases - Enkladt for England?), and while the Spain analog did not colonize South America as such, it did have a cultural influence at least on La Bene, the city where the story is set. Some names and words are Spanish, there are theatres and various other European-style cultural features, and so forth. However, nobody is Catholic (and the character with the Arabic-sounding name isn't Muslim); everyone - except for a recent immigrant - practices a form of ancestor-worship which allows them to speak to their departed ancestors, and at least some also practice what seems to be some kind of paganism.
At the same time, the cultural norms and mores of the city's inhabitants are a remarkably close match for US progressive politics as at right this moment. I managed to be more amused than annoyed by that, though it means the book will date very quickly.
The author's note at the end makes it clear that the reason sexism, racism, homophobia, European colonialism, and organized religion don't exist in this setting is that the author was sick of them and wanted to write a setting that just didn't contain them. Which is not an illegitimate wish, but if you edit out so much of what has shaped our world, you're going to end up with a world that is difficult to account for.
Magic plays a key role, and part of the setup is that magic works differently in different places. It's never explained why this is, or what the underlying mechanism might be. It's clear that magic works differently based on where you are geographically, because immigrants' magic only continues working as it usually does for a short time before shifting to work like the local magic, but the divisions coincide with political, not physical, geography. La Bene has previously been part of both of the neighboring empires (which appear to be uninterrupted local empires; one of them uses the Mayan calendar). I had the impression that it had swapped between the empires several times, before being settled by refugees and allowed to become its own entity as a buffer between the empires (which itself felt somewhat unlikely to me). Yet the magic in La Bene is distinctly different from the magic in both of the empires.
So I had some significant questions and hesitations about the worldbuilding. Apart from that, it's a decent mystery novel in which good-hearted detectives face their own issues while tracking down the criminal. I felt that the pacing of the mystery plot did suffer from the amount of time devoted to the protagonist's personal conflicts, which, while well portrayed, were not as interesting (or important) to me as the resolution of the crime. What that did provide, though, was more depth to the characters; there was more of that than I usually see.
A competent editor has done a good (but, inevitably, not completely perfect) job with the manuscript; in the pre-release review copy I received via Netgalley for review, the errors were few.
Overall, then, a sound plot (if with some pacing issues for me), characters with depth, and capable prose. If the worldbuilding had been less of a problem for me, it would have landed easily on my Best of the Year list. As it was, it still gets four stars.
July 12, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Shadow of the City is the first book in a new fantasy alt-earth mystery (crossing my fingers) series by R. Morgan. Released 27th April 2021, it's 420 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
I've been reading a lot more fantasy and speculative fiction lately, but I will always love well crafted murder mysteries. This is the best of both worlds. It's an alternate Earth South (or possibly Central) America and the main protagonists are two 40-something cops who are friends and colleagues. They're intelligent, diverse, with different strengths and very different backgrounds. They work well together and support one another. There's an ensemble cast and again, the author has done a very good job with the characterizations and dialogue.
There were some slight pacing issues for me. It took me a lot longer to finish the book than it should have because I found the plot wasn't keeping me engaged and I kept being distracted by other reading tasks. I believe it's because of the background and world building necessary to the beginnings of an immersive series on a grand scale and that the setup takes time. The author is quite adept technically and I felt that the last half of the book moved a lot more smoothly and kept me interested. I am very much looking forward to future books featuring these two engaging smart detectives. Reading about the interplay between the different official governmental agencies and how they helped (or mostly hindered) one another was fun and I'm looking forward to the next volume.
I also liked the inclusiveness and non-binary-friendly setup and world building. It wasn't splashily written in the book, but pronouns are often of the non-gender-specific "-x" suffix such as "ministrix" and "senorx". Polyamory seems to be unexceptional and accepted. It was a breath of fresh air that it wasn't an issue. The author isn't strident or preachy, it's just written into the social structure and generally allowed to remain in the background.
The language is fairly clean; there's cursing, but it's mostly in Benerex idiom. There is some possibly triggering content, psychological abuse, dismemberment (but contextually important to the plot development), and kidnapping for example.
Four and a half stars. I enjoyed this one very much and would recommend it unreservedly to fans of urban fantasy mysteries.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Shadow of the City is the first book in a new fantasy alt-earth mystery (crossing my fingers) series by R. Morgan. Released 27th April 2021, it's 420 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
I've been reading a lot more fantasy and speculative fiction lately, but I will always love well crafted murder mysteries. This is the best of both worlds. It's an alternate Earth South (or possibly Central) America and the main protagonists are two 40-something cops who are friends and colleagues. They're intelligent, diverse, with different strengths and very different backgrounds. They work well together and support one another. There's an ensemble cast and again, the author has done a very good job with the characterizations and dialogue.
There were some slight pacing issues for me. It took me a lot longer to finish the book than it should have because I found the plot wasn't keeping me engaged and I kept being distracted by other reading tasks. I believe it's because of the background and world building necessary to the beginnings of an immersive series on a grand scale and that the setup takes time. The author is quite adept technically and I felt that the last half of the book moved a lot more smoothly and kept me interested. I am very much looking forward to future books featuring these two engaging smart detectives. Reading about the interplay between the different official governmental agencies and how they helped (or mostly hindered) one another was fun and I'm looking forward to the next volume.
I also liked the inclusiveness and non-binary-friendly setup and world building. It wasn't splashily written in the book, but pronouns are often of the non-gender-specific "-x" suffix such as "ministrix" and "senorx". Polyamory seems to be unexceptional and accepted. It was a breath of fresh air that it wasn't an issue. The author isn't strident or preachy, it's just written into the social structure and generally allowed to remain in the background.
The language is fairly clean; there's cursing, but it's mostly in Benerex idiom. There is some possibly triggering content, psychological abuse, dismemberment (but contextually important to the plot development), and kidnapping for example.
Four and a half stars. I enjoyed this one very much and would recommend it unreservedly to fans of urban fantasy mysteries.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 14, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Shadow of the City by R. Morgan is a stunning blend of fantasy and police procedural. When I was reading this book, I was instantly reminded of two similar books that I've read recently: Goddess of the North by Georgina Kamsika and A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark, both of which I read on NetGalley. It seems like this genre has either been hiding from me, or 2021 is the year of fantasy mysteries! If it is, I am totally here for it. This is a genre combination that I didn't know that I needed.
Shadow the City takes place in a Latin-American-inspired city where magic is real, and people use magic as part of their everyday jobs. One highlight of the book is how inclusive and diverse it is. For example, all people are referred to as Senorx, which is a gender-inclusive term I believe that author created for this book, and at least one of the main characters is queer. In addition, although the main character Rocio is coded as Hispanic, I believe her partner Hala is coded as Arab. There are other minor characters who are coded as Rus/Russian and Chinese.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter Three, when Rocio and Hala arrive at a crime scene:
"Rocio put a restraining hand on Pepe's shoulder. "We're not in anyone's pockets, senorx ...?"
"Piotr Arkadyevich Prokofiev," he said, drawing himself up, his nostril flaring. He had a sharp nose, high cheekbones and pale eyes. "How do I know?"
"Senorx Prokofiev, we do community justice here in the Miraflores district of La Bene, which means we know the people who live and work here well. It looks strange to outsiders, but we serve everyone equally, including new arrivals."
The world-building in this diverse and inclusive society is great, but I never felt lost or confused. The personal aspect of the story focuses on the two titular characters as Rocio receives a new apprentice/rookie, who she doesn't necessarily like. Meanwhile, the police procedural aspect focuses on a missing person (possible murder victim). Overall, I highly enjoyed this mash-up of fantasy and police procedural. If that sounds interesting to you, check out Shadow the City when it comes out at the end of this month!
Shadow of the City by R. Morgan is a stunning blend of fantasy and police procedural. When I was reading this book, I was instantly reminded of two similar books that I've read recently: Goddess of the North by Georgina Kamsika and A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark, both of which I read on NetGalley. It seems like this genre has either been hiding from me, or 2021 is the year of fantasy mysteries! If it is, I am totally here for it. This is a genre combination that I didn't know that I needed.
Shadow the City takes place in a Latin-American-inspired city where magic is real, and people use magic as part of their everyday jobs. One highlight of the book is how inclusive and diverse it is. For example, all people are referred to as Senorx, which is a gender-inclusive term I believe that author created for this book, and at least one of the main characters is queer. In addition, although the main character Rocio is coded as Hispanic, I believe her partner Hala is coded as Arab. There are other minor characters who are coded as Rus/Russian and Chinese.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter Three, when Rocio and Hala arrive at a crime scene:
"Rocio put a restraining hand on Pepe's shoulder. "We're not in anyone's pockets, senorx ...?"
"Piotr Arkadyevich Prokofiev," he said, drawing himself up, his nostril flaring. He had a sharp nose, high cheekbones and pale eyes. "How do I know?"
"Senorx Prokofiev, we do community justice here in the Miraflores district of La Bene, which means we know the people who live and work here well. It looks strange to outsiders, but we serve everyone equally, including new arrivals."
The world-building in this diverse and inclusive society is great, but I never felt lost or confused. The personal aspect of the story focuses on the two titular characters as Rocio receives a new apprentice/rookie, who she doesn't necessarily like. Meanwhile, the police procedural aspect focuses on a missing person (possible murder victim). Overall, I highly enjoyed this mash-up of fantasy and police procedural. If that sounds interesting to you, check out Shadow the City when it comes out at the end of this month!
March 22, 2021
Okay...I am going to "age" myself a bit, but I could not help but think about an old tv show from the early 80's, Cagney and Lacey, while I was reading this delightful police procedural with Hala and Rocio. As two female detectives with personalities that balance the strengths and weaknesses of one another, Hala and Rocio are tasked to solve several murders. The society of Rocio and Hala embodies many of the societal limitations faced by Cagney and Lacey in terms of the haves and the have nots, lawlessness, and expectations/limitations based on heritage. While Hala and Rocio are focused on a macabre number of deaths that they believe are linked to a long forbidden magical practice of necromancy, they are hesitant to share their beliefs with their superiors until it is almost too late. The author does an amazing hob of painting pictures with the description of the sites, sounds, smells, etc. of the city. There is a definite South American/Hispanic flair with the foods, characters, and sights - portraying the richness of the culture. The book also details a complex historical perspective of the society embraced by Hala and Rocio. There is little I did not like about this book. The vivid descriptions, likable characters, and magical storyline all come together in an entertaining and fast paced crime drama. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 8, 2021
I received an eARC of this title from The Forth Gorgon Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated other than receiving the book and all opinions are my own.
This book is centered around two women Detectives, Rocio Dias Rossi and Hala Haddad Sosa. They both work for the Miraflores Community Justice Center. The story follows their investigations throughout the city of La Bene that include missing persons, animal mutilations and magic all leading to murder. The are great partners and their friendship is shown throughout.. I love how this story integrates their personal lives with their work lives and includes family and friends. Some parts of the books seem wordy and almost to descriptive. I will say that the author also describes everything to the nth degree and you are never confused as to what is going on.
The world building is superb and I love the magic within this novel. I would say the book is recommend for people over 18 due to some graphic descriptions and violence. If you love crime and fantasy this book is for you. This book ends with a few questions but it is not considered a hangover and will lead nicely into the next book.
This book is centered around two women Detectives, Rocio Dias Rossi and Hala Haddad Sosa. They both work for the Miraflores Community Justice Center. The story follows their investigations throughout the city of La Bene that include missing persons, animal mutilations and magic all leading to murder. The are great partners and their friendship is shown throughout.. I love how this story integrates their personal lives with their work lives and includes family and friends. Some parts of the books seem wordy and almost to descriptive. I will say that the author also describes everything to the nth degree and you are never confused as to what is going on.
The world building is superb and I love the magic within this novel. I would say the book is recommend for people over 18 due to some graphic descriptions and violence. If you love crime and fantasy this book is for you. This book ends with a few questions but it is not considered a hangover and will lead nicely into the next book.
April 29, 2021
Thank you BookSirens and R. Morgan for the ARC of Shadow of the City in return for an honest review.
This book is a mouthful, that’s the best way I can’t describe it. It’s jammed packed with information, and very wordy but the intriguing plot balanced this very well. I got lost a couple times because there are a lot of names and locations you need to remember but once you get a hang of the world it all starts to make sense, then you really appreciate all the time spent on the storyline and character dynamics.
I ended up being very happy I read this book. I liked the dynamic between Hala and Rocio. It was so fun reading about two mid-forties females friends leading the hunt for a serial killing necromancer. They were quick-witted and often played at their age which was highly entertaining.
The last 3/4’s of this book really was fun but I won’t lie though, it took me to about 30% read to get comfortable enough to understand what was going on and how the magic in Morgan’s world worked. Just keep reading if you find yourself confused, I promise it’s worth it.
This book is a mouthful, that’s the best way I can’t describe it. It’s jammed packed with information, and very wordy but the intriguing plot balanced this very well. I got lost a couple times because there are a lot of names and locations you need to remember but once you get a hang of the world it all starts to make sense, then you really appreciate all the time spent on the storyline and character dynamics.
I ended up being very happy I read this book. I liked the dynamic between Hala and Rocio. It was so fun reading about two mid-forties females friends leading the hunt for a serial killing necromancer. They were quick-witted and often played at their age which was highly entertaining.
The last 3/4’s of this book really was fun but I won’t lie though, it took me to about 30% read to get comfortable enough to understand what was going on and how the magic in Morgan’s world worked. Just keep reading if you find yourself confused, I promise it’s worth it.
Read
July 8, 2021Opening this novel felt like waking up in the middle of a clock tower, surrounded by turning cogs, with no idea how I landed up there. I know that is an incredibly specific and ambiguous description, so let me elaborate.
Set in an alternate urban fantasy environment, Rocio and Hala are Detectives, investigating a series of crimes that seem beyond explanation.
The richness and diversity of the characters in this novel was wonderful to see, and it made the world feel vibrant and lively.
That said, there was just so much going on in this novel. I often felt that the exposition was so detailed and explicit that I lost sight of the larger picture, and that made it difficult to really connect with the characters. As I said earlier, it really did feel like being surrounded by cogs in a machine; there were SO many elements of this story that were phenomenal, and yet, I found it incredibly difficult to piece them all together, and simply enjoy my read.
ARC Provided by the Publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Set in an alternate urban fantasy environment, Rocio and Hala are Detectives, investigating a series of crimes that seem beyond explanation.
The richness and diversity of the characters in this novel was wonderful to see, and it made the world feel vibrant and lively.
That said, there was just so much going on in this novel. I often felt that the exposition was so detailed and explicit that I lost sight of the larger picture, and that made it difficult to really connect with the characters. As I said earlier, it really did feel like being surrounded by cogs in a machine; there were SO many elements of this story that were phenomenal, and yet, I found it incredibly difficult to piece them all together, and simply enjoy my read.
ARC Provided by the Publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 30, 2021
I had a very difficult time with this book. I really never connected with any of the characters, they were very 2 dimensional, except for maybe Hala, who felt warmer, more real. The mystery storyline wasn’t very exciting and dragged considerably. The world building was terrible. It felt like all the real countries and nationalities of the world were just named something a little different but not different enough. The names were completely ethic to the nationality and culture but had an X added to the end of senor or senora. The genders were fluid and somewhat ambiguous for some characters, which is fine if that was what you were going for but this was really not clearly defined. The novel felt “off” and just never held my interest. I kept putting it down. The actual writing skill was good, so I did give it a 2. I think the author has talent. This just wasn’t the right style or fit.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 29, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens thank you
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I know from reading the blurb that this would be something I would like and I was right It is an interesting blend of fantasy and crime I thought it was a bit of a slow start at first but when you get into it properly its hard to stop reading it has an original setting and a good take on a society were magic is integrated into daily life and normalised the crime aspect is also an interesting mystery which has a satisfying conclusion and the dynamic between the characters of different backgrounds is interesting to read about . the villains are introduced in a original way as well within the fantasy theme
It works as both a crime story and a fantasy story and so could appeal to fans of both genres
I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I know from reading the blurb that this would be something I would like and I was right It is an interesting blend of fantasy and crime I thought it was a bit of a slow start at first but when you get into it properly its hard to stop reading it has an original setting and a good take on a society were magic is integrated into daily life and normalised the crime aspect is also an interesting mystery which has a satisfying conclusion and the dynamic between the characters of different backgrounds is interesting to read about . the villains are introduced in a original way as well within the fantasy theme
It works as both a crime story and a fantasy story and so could appeal to fans of both genres
September 16, 2021
REVIEW: 3.5/5
The writing is a little hard to get through but it gets better. I like the protagonists are both women and this one is a diversed book. The book throws you right in the action with no bs. Both of the characters have distinct personalities that others might be able to relate too. The plot was interesting but a little too confusing. Few scenes started randomly and had no meanings. Though the end was pretty satisfying.
The writing is a little hard to get through but it gets better. I like the protagonists are both women and this one is a diversed book. The book throws you right in the action with no bs. Both of the characters have distinct personalities that others might be able to relate too. The plot was interesting but a little too confusing. Few scenes started randomly and had no meanings. Though the end was pretty satisfying.
May 18, 2021
Although the plot was entertaining, I wasn't a big fan of the author's world building. I found the beginning confusing, with a lot of long names and inane abbreviations i.e , subte for subterranean train.
If you are a fan of police procedurals with some fantasy added in, then you will enjoy this book.
I received a free ARC. I am leaving my honest review.
If you are a fan of police procedurals with some fantasy added in, then you will enjoy this book.
I received a free ARC. I am leaving my honest review.
December 20, 2021
Complex plot, not entirely sure it all made sense, and the characters didn't make that strong an impression. But the setting is wonderful - a complex, lively city of mixed refugee cultures, a roughly early 20th-century tech level (with magic), and messy nepotistic politics.
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June 26, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Emotional abuse & gaslighting
Kidnapping
Emotional abuse & gaslighting
Kidnapping
January 1, 2022
A fantasy mystery set in reminiscent of Latin America , detectives Rocio and Hala rushes to figure out the cause of missing people, new crypt and magic more sinister and darker than they ever imagined. This book deals a lot with unexpected friendships, talka about taking difficult decisions and a character who wants to break out of the conventional shell and risk everything to protect the city.
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My Rating : 🌟🌟🌟
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Thank you Booksirens for the gifted review copy, which lets me give you my unbiased opinion.
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Firat, I really loved the concept of the story. The setting and the mystery together with the characters makes it a very interesting read. Second, the characters were all absolutely flawed, strong and had their own distinct personalities, and that was a major bonus for the story as well. I really liked the relationship between Rocio and Hala. They were partners in crime for everything amd wouldn't hesitate to kill for each other. The budding friendship and relationship between Rocio and Paloma was hilarious sometimes. (Even though they want to murder each other at times)
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Now, coming to the story and character development, I really had a difficult time getting into the story and understanding the concept of the world at first. We are thrust into a crime scene with no background, (which I don't mind) but since the world setting was different, it confused me. Plus the switch in point of view of characters within the chapters without any indication was difficult to keep up with. (Maybe the formatting was off in the book I read, but I struggled at times to understand who was delivering which line). The world building was done after a while and that might be weird for some people. I think I really liked Rocio the best. She had a hardshell personality with a mushy side that came out whenever she was flustered, angry or showed any emotion (Which was super adorable).
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Overall, I really liked the concept of the book and what the author had done with the story and the characters, but I think the story flow and the world building could have been done even better!
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Kindle/ Arc/ May 2021/ Book 142
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My Rating : 🌟🌟🌟
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Thank you Booksirens for the gifted review copy, which lets me give you my unbiased opinion.
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Firat, I really loved the concept of the story. The setting and the mystery together with the characters makes it a very interesting read. Second, the characters were all absolutely flawed, strong and had their own distinct personalities, and that was a major bonus for the story as well. I really liked the relationship between Rocio and Hala. They were partners in crime for everything amd wouldn't hesitate to kill for each other. The budding friendship and relationship between Rocio and Paloma was hilarious sometimes. (Even though they want to murder each other at times)
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Now, coming to the story and character development, I really had a difficult time getting into the story and understanding the concept of the world at first. We are thrust into a crime scene with no background, (which I don't mind) but since the world setting was different, it confused me. Plus the switch in point of view of characters within the chapters without any indication was difficult to keep up with. (Maybe the formatting was off in the book I read, but I struggled at times to understand who was delivering which line). The world building was done after a while and that might be weird for some people. I think I really liked Rocio the best. She had a hardshell personality with a mushy side that came out whenever she was flustered, angry or showed any emotion (Which was super adorable).
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Overall, I really liked the concept of the book and what the author had done with the story and the characters, but I think the story flow and the world building could have been done even better!
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Kindle/ Arc/ May 2021/ Book 142
April 22, 2021
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and the fantasy aspects added to its allure. The setting being in what I picture as a Latinx inspired city and the support the protagonists provide each other were refreshing elements. Not to mention, their justice system employs magickers! If you’re looking for a fantasy read in a somewhat realistic country/city with multicultural influences, magic, supernatural, and crime solving, this is your jam!
Bonus for a buddy cop read where both partners are female and value their friendship with each other. Everyone needs a Hala in their life, that friend that will tell you how things are when you need to hear it!
The story itself follows Hala and Rocio Diaz and Hala Haddad, two female detectives in a different world than we are accustomed to (even for the fantasy realm). In their world, people use gender neutral titles (I.e. minstrix, señorx) and magic and paranormal aspects of exist as a real/accepted/studied skill. The two detectives are faced with the task of uncovering who is behind a kidnapping followed by a series of murders. Along the way, Rocio, is assigned a mentee, Paloma. Rocio and Paloma’s similar upbringing elicits mistrust from Rocio and Rocio must overcome her prejudices to transform into the role mode Paloma needs. In so doing, Rocio learns to use her team’s strengths to uncover the truth.
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