I read this book because it was suggested to me
through my Overdrive app and was available “now” at the time that I was looking
for something to download. I had never read any other Jonathan Stroud books but
had already heard great things about The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus
Sequence #1), which I own. That series is also available on
Overdrive and it’s likely I will listen to it super soon.
Ok, so Lockwood and Co. is a series about a
supernatural detective agency. The world is London following an unknown event
that has led to the infestation of the dead. The dead here are ghosts,
phantasms, spirits and the like, not zombies. Children and teens, being those
with the most sensitively to see other worldly being are recruited and trained
to be Watchmen or hunters.
The
series starts with The Screaming Staircase and we are introduced to the primary
characters of the story: Lucy, a powerful psychic who is honing her rare gift
of Listening; George, a slovenly, bookish fellow who’s psychic skills are
mediocre but whose gift of research often saves the day; and Anthony Lockwood,
the fearless leader. Lockwood’s background is mostly a mystery, even though the
trio lives in his childhood home. The boys have been working together for some
time when Lucy joins them. And over the course of the books their relationships
develop. The stories are mostly told by Lucy and from her POV though there are
some chapters that allow us to see from others’ perspectives. There are also a
number of recurring characters, such as the adult leader of Lockwood's rival
team.
Lockwood
and Co. are an efficient agency who rarely turns down a case, no matter how
small. Both in the cases that are central to the stories and in those that
occur “off screen” we know that these teens are among the best of their talents
but are often overworked, under-supplied, and, at times, a bit brash. The other
local agencies are better equipped and better manned, but Lockwood and his
associates would prefer to do things their own way rather than be governed by
one of the adult- led groups they are often up against for contracts.
Each
book features a primary case that the team is working on as well as some smaller
cases. There's a pretty consistent story and the continuity is good across the
books. There are hints that Lucy is starting to have the feels for our main boy
in charge, which is totally fine until she, to date a strong female and awesome
lead, starts to act like a pratt when the group gets a new assistant who is a
pretty girl. If it weren't for that Girls Hate Pretty Girls for no reason
trope, book 3 would be my favorite, but that bad taste in my mouth leave Book 2
as the clear winner.
The
first three audiobooks are read by different narrators. I didn’t notice the
change until Book 3, when Emily Bevan takes over and Lucy becomes Scottish or
Irish or something and the males become more nasally. A few chapters in, after
I stopped cursing Listening Library, I settled the change and it was fine. Ms.
Bevin also reads book 4, supposedly. It’s not available on Overdrive, which
obviously is just more evidence of the conspiracy trying to get my to purchase
an Audible subscription, but I’M TOO SMART FOR THAT, SUCKAHS!! The Goodreads description of
Book 4 says that it ends with a "shocking cliffhanger." So, I'm
already pissed off in anticipation of that happening.
Lockwood and Co is listed as a YA series and
might be fine for older children who aren’t easily scared by the supernatural.
And people die. Not prettily. It’s kind of like Scooby Doo and Ghostbusters
sorta rolled up into one. If you like these, you might also like: Jackoby
by William Ritter, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake, and Texas Gothic by
Rosemary Clement- Moore.
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