Told thru the narrator's illustrations and journal, Notes from the Shadowed City tells his journey through a surreal realm of floating cities and giants. With no memory of who he is prior to the start of the book, we follow the narrator as he researches magical swords in this strange land, and eventually falls in love with a mysterious woman.

I was surprised by how much I was pulled into this story; with only the most sparse descriptions of his illustrations I didn't see how this book would actually tell a complete tale. There is a lot of room left for the reader to fill in the blanks of the story as they see fit, but somehow it worked for me. I'm hoping that there will be future stories detailing the narrator's continuing saga. ( )

Wow! What a hauntingly gorgeous book. I'll be honest, I bought this strictly for the deliciously glossy pages full of Love's art, not caring a whit about the story. But it surprised me! It's a journal of a man who can remember his past, so he takes notes on the strange city (cities, I suppose, as one hovers over the other) he finds himself in.

My only complaint is that I want more of this world! I'd love to read a novel set in land. I want to know more about the lady warrior he's crushing on. And the swordsmen! And the masks!

My favorite line was: "To appease the castle, the queen was forced to marry it. Their son ruled for many happy years."

If you're a fan of Love's work, I think this book is worth it for that alone, but the story is not one to be overlooked! ( )