Manisha's Reviews > The Dire King

Actual review: 3.75

“Those things aren't magical."

"Of course they're magical! You infuriating man! If a unicorn came and sat in the corner of your office every day, then by the end of the year you'd be hanging your coat on its horn. There is magic in your life! Not appreciating it does not make it any less magical. Yes, some of that magic is dangerous, but so are scissors and electricity and politics- and plenty of other completely human inventions!”

This was quite the adventure, ladies and gentlemen.


♥ THE WORLD

I loved the historical world with a sprinkle of magic. The world building was something that was quirky and fun, but surprisingly with depth which makes the story serious at times. The world is not completely new or creative per se, but Ritter wrote it in a way that made it his own, which I could appreciate.


♥ THE CHARACTERS

I will miss the characters greatly. These are the type of fun-loving characters you won’t mind reading about once every few months. Their interactions are funny, and the connections they have towards one another is heart-warming. I love Jackaby, I love Jenny, I love Abigail and I love the duck. They are easy to love and easier to read about.


♦ THE STORY AND THE KING

As far as the story and the villain goes, I was unimpressed with the progression of it. I was happy with the mystery, which was decent, and I was substantially satisfied with the ending, but honestly, it didn’t blow me away, the way I was hoping that it would. It was almost subpar for my liking.


♣ SERIES REVIEW – 7/10

This was a delightful series. It was easy to read and it was easy to have fun while reading. It’s the sort of book one could read to be entertained, to make you laugh and love the characters. The quirkiness of the concept and the characters really sold me on this series. I would consider it mainstream, as long as you go into not expecting anything more than a good time.


Goodbye, Jackaby, my old friend. It has been a treat knowing you. This ending has been bittersweet, and I know that I will remember you and miss you fondly.



"I have never found a book that did not have at least a little magic in it," said Jackaby. "They can't help it. They're made out of words and sometimes even pictures."