Weaver's Lament by Emma Newman (Industrial Magic #2)

7/10

I received an advanced copy of Weaver's Lament via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Emma Newman and Tor for the opportunity.

Following on from Brother's Ruin, Ben is now in Manchester fulfilling his studies and duties for the Royal Society (of magic). He is now an apprentice Mage and the lifestyle is treating him well. There's an issue though. He's running one of the mills where peculiar and unexplainable events have been happening. He seeks the aid of his sister Charlotte, a Mage herself but currently under the radar of the establishment. What should have been a nice holiday to Manchester doesn't quite transpire that way as Charlotte goes undercover in the mill to find out what on Earth is going on.

I read this book in a single afternoon. Occasionally a quality shortish tale is what I require in my bookish diet so this was perfect at approximately 160 pages. Newman fits a quality story, interesting characters, and magical complications within those limited pages. I'd say the world seems almost like a Dickensian alternative history with certain characters hiding/flaunting magical powers. 3 of the main characters return from the first book and a large number of new additions are introduced at the mill. I cared about a lot of the newly introduced individuals living in the squalor of their working environment. The story is written in the first person perspective and Charlotte is a very cool character. I'm unaware of how many stories Newman proposes to write in this series but she'll definitely always have a reader in me. It's difficult to say too much about this book without giving away the action, surprises, or revelations. I slightly preferred the first book but both have an interesting and intriguing mystery element. The Industrial Magic series is a treat to read. The world is gothic yet poetic. The characters are engaging. The story is weaved admirably. Perhaps my rating is too harsh - either way, this book's pretty awesome.