Book Review: Right Hand Magic by Nancy Collins
Right Hand Magic (Golgotham, #1) by Nancy Collins. © 2010 Roc (Penguin). ISBN 9780451463661. Mass Market Paperback. Urban Fantasy. 304 pages. Source: review copy furnished by the publishers.
Synopsis: Like most Manhattanites, aspiring artist Tate can’t resist a good rental deal–even if it’s in the city’s strangest neighborhood, Golgotham, where for centuries werewolves, centaurs, and countless other creatures have roamed the streets. Her new landlord is a sorcerer name Hexe, who is determined to build his reputation without using dark, left-hand magic. As Tate is drawn into Hexe’s fascinating world, they both find that the right hand does not always know what the left hand is doing-and avoiding darkness is no easy trick.
Review: Golgotham, a neighborhood in New York City, is residence to all creatures magical. Having never been modernized like the rest of NYC, Golgotham has an old world flair: cobblestone streets, Victorian architecture, gaslights, et cetera. What is also has is witches, centaurs, shifters and a whole lot more. Tate moves there due to the cheap rent and space it gives for her passion, creating sculptures out of pieces of metal.
I enjoyed Collins’s world-building but I have to say … the plot did nothing for me and I struggled to finish the book. It wasn’t horrible (though it was moving at a glacial pace 99% of the time), but it just didn’t catch my interest and pull me in despite Golgotham itself being quite interesting (I think because of the old world flair I would have much rather be interested in the book being sent in Victorian times or something).
Tate, our heroine, was someone I just couldn’t connect with (and I didn’t buy the so-called chemistry between her and her landlord, Hexe, for one moment) and I think that’s why I had such trouble. I never felt like Tate had much depth to her. We read mention a couple of times of troubles with her parents (they don’t agree with her leaving the rich New York socialite life behind to tinker with metal sculpturing) and she recently broke up with her boyfriend, Roger, who cheated on her but neither of this issues are explored much, leaving Tate seemingly one-dimensional.
I give this book an “eh” verdict.
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Thanks to Roc, I have one copy of Right Hand Magic up for grabs. Contest ends January 28, 2011. Open to followers who are US residents only. To enter, comment below with your name (or alias), how you follow RAO Reviews, your email and country of residence.
