Carina Burman

The Streets of Babylon was my first Victorian mystery. I certainly noticed a strong Victorian aura to this novel, and thought it was an extremely well-written introduction to the genre. Carina Burman has done extensive doctoral research in 18th and 19th century literature and that expertise shows through in this, her fifth novel.

Euthanasia Bondeson was an interesting character. An authoress and woman of independent means in an era where both were rare, she was strong-willed and audacious, often saying the wrong thing, or at best, too much and defying the Victorian strictures of the society in which she moved. She sees everything through the writer’s eye, and I felt great affinity for her when she said, '…whenever I have experienced anything, it does not become real for me until I have written it down, or at least spoken of it.'

The plot was interesting and well-paced. I was not sure who had kidnapped Euthanasia’s traveling companion Agnes until the author revealed the perpetrator’s identity. Likewise, I found myself wondering along with Euthanasia if Agnes was dead or alive.

There was also a romance element that kept me guessing. Euthanasia proclaimed, 'Men do not interest me greatly, and I have never regretted remaining single ...' but there were three attractive male characters in the book with whom the adventurous heroine did her fair share of chaste Victorian flirting. I found myself wondering if she would end up falling in love and into a romantic relationship after all.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that Euthanasia, though accepted into London's high society due to her stature as a world-famous author, preferred to explore the slums of the city and displayed a genuine concern for the underprivileged citizens she encountered there. The image of her standing on a dark and dirty street corner in a treacherous neighborhood with the silhouettes of the Tower and London Bridge in the background really stood out to me.

If you’re looking for a rapidly-paced thriller of a mystery, this may not be the book for you. However, if you enjoy genteel mysteries with impeccable period detail and just enough violence and irreverence to keep things interesting, you will likely find The Streets of Babylon a thoroughly entertaining read.… (more)

Euthanasia Bondeson is a Swedish author enticed to visit England by the spectacle known as the 1851 Great Exhibition, at least until her companion, Agnes, goes missing. Euthanasia is by no means a detective, but she teams up with inspector Owain Evans to find her friend before it’s too late.

I found this book highly amusing, which I’m not sure I’m supposed to feel in a mystery. I’m not sure - mysteries aren’t my genre, although historical fiction is. It wasn’t harrowing at all, probably thanks to Euthanasia’s infectious way of shrugging off the worst of things until going off into the thick of them. She does her share of spying and dressing up as a man to get into the seedy London underworld in an attempt to put the pieces together and find her missing friend. There are a lot of pieces, as numerous crimes are going on at the same time! In addition, the London underworld is depicted in some detail, which is definitely something that I enjoyed, and it’s easy to see why its denizens would shrug off the appearance of a woman dressed as a man.

Sometimes the wording in this novel is a bit awkward, but I think that’s due to the translation. The characters are all viewed through Euthanasia’s sometimes rose-colored glasses, particularly her favorite, Professor Devindra (who has a very long last name that I keep thinking is that of one of my professors). I think what this mystery best succeeds at is making a character out of Euthanasia. It’s entirely her tale, and she may not be entirely realistic, but she’s great company. As a minor note, I also love the way the chapter headings start with “In which”. It just helps to give the whole book a quirky feel.

I do have some reservations with the book - the plot is all over the place and hard to keep track of and like I mentioned before, no one ever seems to be in danger, although they’re all supposed to be. There’s very little suspense. I would probably still recommend this book, though, just because it’s a good time and pure escapism. Euthanasia is a great character and the plot is there, if a bit scattered. All in all, an entertaining read.

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