{ARC} Review: Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok || I’d make a GREAT Sherlock… maybe

Spectacle

Spectacle #1

Jodie Lynn Zdrok

A YA murder mystery in which a young reporter must use her supernatural visions to help track down a killer targeting the young women of Paris.

Paris, 1887.

Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day’s new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered–from the perspective of the murderer himself.

When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie’s search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie’s strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer’s identity–and she’ll have to do it before she becomes a target herself.

Publisher: Tor Teen

Publication Date: February 12th 2019

Blood, Gore, Graphic/Attempted Murder, Death

I don’t remember the last time a book had me clamoring to become the next Sherlock, but here we are.

It’s 1887 Paris where the murders are high and the lines at the morgue to see the victims are higher. And when Nathalie goes to visit for her article in the newsletter, she doesn’t expect to have a vision of said crime… from the perspective of the killer.

The writing was strangely alluring in a poetic, Gothic prose. Graphic descriptions of murder and gore aren’t obscured and at times it was a bit much on said illustrations. I mean, I appreciated the lack of a veil on the events happening, but I was surprised on how graphic things were.

Though I wasn’t really scared. I mean, on a superficial level, I was scared for the characters because I cared for them, but being genuinely scared of the presented villain? No, not really. I was more intrigued and wanted to figure out whodunit, so me not being scared wasn’t too big of an issue.

And the mystery aspect in itself kept me on my toes. I guessed some ~~it wasn’t many, don’t get your hopes up~~ of the plot twist, but there were many and they did shock me. It also didn’t help that I didn’t trust anyone… which also kept me on edge.

Though I did like many of said side characters. The female friendships were great, Simone and Agnes were both notable support systems, yet I did feel like Agnes was… underdeveloped? We didn’t really get to know her so I didn’t feel much for her.

And the very present parental figures were a surprise. You’d think they’d be blissfully invisible in a story like this— murder mystery and the main character’s going on a mission to unveil these fiends… except no.

Nathalie and her mother had such a nice relationship and even her father who makes an appearance in the latter half of the book— it was a constant, it wasn’t brought up sporadically just to remind you hey, by the way, this character exist.

But Nathalie as our main character was a formidable one; she did feel older than her 16 years of age and throughout the story, I kept forgetting it. Yet, she was likable. She was smart and sometimes made decisions based on her emotions, but they didn’t feel unrealistic— she’s in a scary situation and is making some selfish decisions… she has her priorities… admirable.

I especially appreciated her determination to make it in the journalist world. Dressing up in male clothes aren’t too big of a sacrifice, if it means she gets to do the thing she loves. Yet the subtle discussion of gender roles and her wearing the clothes being both fine and not fine at the same time added more to her as a person and I loved it.

There is a mixture of science and magic which was an interesting take. It was a bit confusing; the line between the two blurred, but I think that was the point, right? I do wish things were expanded on, but I’m assuming there’s a sequel, so I’m not too mad.

And based on that cliffhanger, I’m seriously anticipating said sequel. Yes, threads are wrapped up in this one, but there’s are still things that need to be answered.