Wow. I thought I knew where this was going, and then I didn’t. I had some doubts over some decisions that were made at the beginning, but then it turns out I was wrong! Looking back, of course those things were different! I’m going to try my best to avoid spoilers, but that’s going to be very difficult.
The story starts off paralleling the Sherlock Holmes story of “A Study in Scarlet,” but with some slight twists. All right, you think, this is an AU, so that’s to be expected. Then things get super twisty, and it’s kind of awesome. The differences in royalty is pure delight! Well, from a reader’s perspective. I guess it goes to show that the lives of the regular people will go one regardless of who is on the throne.
Although now that I think of it, what really was the motive behind the murder? I mean, the individual murder, sure, the victim was not a pillar of society, but the overall goal seems a bit beyond what the murderers could accomplish. And what then, when or if they’ve achieved their goals? Would it make life better for society as a whole? I suppose there are aspects of this world that we don’t see, and maybe it is truly horrible. We’re not privy to the governing style in this world. People may judge based on prejudice and preconceived notions instead of actual facts. Maybe it’s great, but we’ll never know.
I do like the advertisements that accompany each different section. The first one comes into play during the story, but the others are just there for ambiance, I suppose. For example, there’s an advertisement for “Jekyll’s Powders” that will help the “constipation of the soul.” (Available in vanilla and mint flavors!) The others involve Vlad the Impaler offering exsanguination and Victor Frankenstein toting a “vitae” potion, and the last is Spring-heeled Jack, who I had never heard of before.
This fulfills the CBR12 Bingo square of “Friendship,” for what greater friendship is there between a consulting detective and his companion?
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