Review: The Last Necromancer (The Ministry of Curiosities #1) by C. J. Archer

Flora Reviews… The Last Necromancer (The Ministry of Curiosities #1) by C.J. Archer

So what’s The Last Necromancer about?

The Last Necromancer is the first book in C.J. Archer’s 10 book series – The Ministry of Curiosities – which is set in Victorian London and would sit happily on the paranormal fantasy or steampunk shelf as well as on the YA shelf, indeed, Ms Archer states that the series is also “appropriate for teens”.

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Read: 3^rd – 6^th November 2018

So, what did I like about The Last Necromancer?

I have come across Ms Archer’s work before in a box set I read a few years ago and although I don’t usually choose YA or books in historical genres – this book is both – I really loved this story.

I felt that the plot was well balanced; there was some grittiness, horror and lots of tension but we also had some heart-warming scenes and humour as well as the mystery leading us on many unexpected twists and turns.

I found myself engaging with all of the characters because Ms Archer wrote them with depth of personality; they were complex, multifaceted people and like us, they live in the grey area between evil and goodness being capable of both.

But what I liked the most about this Victorian tale, was that Charlie Holloway has amazing strength of character, is intelligent, very resourceful, has a wonderful sense of humour, doesn’t look to anyone else to “save her” and has plenty of gumption, which, as my regular followers will know, is exactly what I need from my fictional heroines.

Ms Archer has again won me over with her intelligent but easy to read writing style, gripping plotline and engaging characters. I was hooked from the first page to the last and will be adding all of the books in The Ministry Of Curiosities to my Amazon wish list.

So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?

No, I gave this book 5 stars because there wasn’t anything in the story that niggled, bothered or frustrated me and there is no life or death cliffhanger ending – woohoo! – you know how I hate those!

Having said that, as the first book in a series, I was prepared for the story to have some cliffhangers. Especially regarding where Charlie’s power of necromancy comes from and the details about who is involved with the Ministry of Curiosities and its history. However, hand on heart I can say that I am satisfied with how this book ended.

So, basically what I’m saying is…

I really loved this book. It has everything that I look for in a 5-star story. I was on the edge of my seat and was actually scared at times. Some scenes made me cry while others made me chuck. In short, The Last Necromancer kept me gripped!

Some of the scenes and historical references get a bit gritty in this story. However, I’d recommend The Last Necromancer to anyone who reads steampunk or paranormal fantasy stories. Including readers of teen or Young Adult fiction, especially those who enjoy 1800s settings.

So, has my review of THE LAST NECROMANCER (THE MINISTRY OF CURIOSITIES #1) encouraged you to find out more? Just click on any of the links to check out the book yourself. Keep reading to find out more about the author.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my review for The Last Necromancer. This book lead me to add C. J. Archer to my Amazing Authors list. Have you read it yet?

Flora x