Review of book one in this series- Serpents of Chaos
I'm so excited to get back to Theodosia's world, with her witty humor and demure black cat, Isis. The Serpents of Chaos are wreaking havoc again- and it's up to Theodosia and Lord Wigmere (leader of the Brotherhood of the Chosen Keepers) to eradicate them once and for all. Another secret society becomes involved in the mysterious mummy case for good measure. Theo is also aided once again by her friend Sticky Will- the pickpocket from book one.
The side story of Grandmother Throckton's search for a proper governess for Theodosia was super entertaining, especially with there being a slew of applicants before a match was found. As with many adult characters in this story, the ones who don't outright ignore her are hateful and she's forced into a battle of wits to move forward with anything. That part of the book started to get me a bit down. It's handled in a semi-comical way, but like the first installment, she's a total latchkey child as her parents go off gallivanting. Very little thought goes into leaving her food or a chaperone. Most of the other adult figures are openly hostile or form thinly-veiled insults about her being a bother or too smart for her own good. Poor Theo! Good grief. I wanted to grip all the adults by the ears and scream at them, or do worse to others (like her parents, they could have an unfortunate accident and she'd probably be better off in the care of ANYONE else).
I love the simple fact that Theodosia knows her way around a library. She is a bit like Matilda in her forced underage self-sufficiency and solitary quest for knowledge. Theo also seems like she could be the daughter of Alexia Terrabotti from Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. Theo and Alexia are head strong and resourceful, and have a similar sense of humor and manners. They also have very vocal opinions on unnecessary nonsense. I would preorder a mashup novel of those two characters immediately!
This book was just as strong as the first, even though I missed Isis a bit. However, as I saw a fellow Booktuber (Allyson) mention on her channel, the cat makes appropriate entrances throughout, making the book feel realistic. To throw her in at other random points would feel forced and contrived. This reader is just a little odd in her feline obsession. I could read any story where cats randomly jump in with no bearing on the narrative- and I'd be just peachy. I highly recommend this book to any middle grade readers or adults who love museums, Egyptology, Archeology, CATS, cheeky young heroines, and mysteries on the lighter side.
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