Midnight Riot

Del Rey

Midnight Riot
Ben Aaronovitch
2011

The Summary
"Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London's Metropolitan Police.  Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he'll face is a paper cut.  But Peter's prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost.  Peter's ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny.  Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic."

The Good
Midnight Riot is a very interesting novel--and I mean that in the very best way.  Ben Aaronovitch's novel is dark, gory and spectacularly spooky; however, he manages to create a light, yet funny glimpse into the supernatural underworld existing beneath the very surface of London.  I especially liked the dynamic between Peter Grant and his partner, Leslie.

Peter and Leslie are hilarious together.  Their entire exchange at the beginning of the novel had me cracking up (I suppose because I understood their references).  They have an easy relationship, a way of joking and teasing one another that's fun and amusing.

Plus, I couldn't help but enjoy Peter's sense of humor most of the time.  He's not a very serious fellow and he almost always has some sort of quip to deliver that will leave you chuckling.  He's also incredibly capable.  He's smart, he's observant, and he's careful to put his talents and training to good use.

The Bad
I didn't always understand what was happening.  I know part of it was a language barrier, since I didn't always grasp the meaning of certain slang terms and I have zero familiarity with London's Metropolitan Police force, but I don't think all of it was a lack of understanding on my part.

Personally, I felt like I was always missing something.  The pace of the novel seemed so quick, and I always felt like I was missing some clue, something that should have been obvious but wasn't for me.  I don't know if it was the pace, the slang, or simply my own reading comprehension; whatever the case, I always seemed to be just a little behind with the story.

The Ugly
Gore.

When I say gore, I mean gore.  Despite its sense of humor and its endearing characters, Midnight Riot can be downright brutal when it wants.  It's a very interesting novel, yes; however, it also pushed at my personal boundaries when it comes to violence.  I liked it, don't get me wrong, but I didn't like imagining someone's face falling off or their head exploding.

Truthfully, it was a bit more than I could stomach.