genre: young adult historical fiction
Sally Lockhart has just lost her father and instead of being able to grieve, she must begin to solve the mystery of both his death and the bizarre note she receives in the post right afterwards. In Victorian England, Sally stands out as a young girl with a unique skill set and an against-the-grain attitude. When it is clear that there is more to her father's story than what she has been told, when the story involves Far East trade, opium dens, shipping agents and creepy old ladies with no teeth, instead of falling into despair, Sally plans. She watches and finds allies wherever she can. Sally Lockhart does not mess around.
The copy of this book I read is the same one that I read and LOVED as a teen. I didn't remember how important opium is to the plot of the story but I find that really interesting. The mystery is actually pretty nuanced and convoluted and I appreciated the family-you-choose aspect of it. It felt like there were several anachronisms, especially in the dialogue, which wouldn't have bothered me as a kid but does now. I probably didn't enjoy it as much this time around but I can see why I liked it.
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