An Arthurian heist novel featuring a tea shop by day and a blood bar by night? I’m in, I’m hooked, let’s gooooo!
Arthie Casimir owns Spindrift, the aforementioned tea shop, collecting secrets from the aristocracy while serving tea while also providing a safe haven for vampires and her ragtag band of orphans. She is infamous for literally pulling her pistol from a stone. Jin Casimir is her adopted brother and right hand man. All is going well for the dynamic duo until Spindrift is threatened by a higher authority. In order to save everything they hold dear Arthie must assemble a crew for their most daring heist yet.
I very much enjoyed this enchanting young adult fantasy. Its set in an alternate, historical London- it’s not very difficult to puzzle out the other settings mentioned. The Arthurian legend aspect just felt like a light overlay basically having to do with Arthie and how she acquired her weapon. I have the feeling more “chosen one” themes might show up in the next book in this planned duology. I was pleasantly surprised at how colonialism and living in the country that colonized your homeland was addressed in the story. This being considered young adult I wouldn’t have been surprised if the author glossed right over how the tea is getting to the teashop and Arthie’s justified anger just to focus on the fun crime bits but she does not. The fun crime bits are super fun though, it reminded me of Six of Crows but more vampires and how can you argue with that?
