Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥'s Reviews > The Empty Grave

”This is what the Problem means,” he went on. “This is the effect it has. Lives lost, loved ones taken before their time. And then we hide our dead behind iron walls and leave them to the thorns and ivy. We lose them twice over, Lucy. Death’s not the worst of it. We turn our faces away.”

I’m so sad this series is over and that I finished the last book. I really would have loved to read a sixth or seventh installment and if you ask me Stroud definitely should have written more books. XD I would have read them all and I’m convinced that the quality and the plot would have been amazing until the end. Well, as a matter of fact “Lockwood and Co.” actually was amazing until the end. T_T

I just loved this series and the way Stroud wrote it. He managed to create a unique world and characters that will stay with me forever and for that I’m very thankful. =) Of course this book was once again a little darker than its predecessor but as I already pointed out in my review of “The Creeping Shadow” this is only to be expected because the characters grow and the plot thickens. Still, despite all that, Stroud somehow managed to stay true to his writing style and the book was at least as funny as it was serious.

”You’ve heard of racism. You’ve heard of sexism. Well, this is skullism, pure and simple. You’re judging me by my outward appearance. You doubt my word solely because I’m a skull lurking in a jar of slime-green plasm. Admit it!”

Can we acknowledge how awesome the skull was? I’ll miss him and his antics so badly! I always knew that deep down within him he had a soft heart and I wasn’t disappointed when I reached the ending of the book. XD And if we’re already talking about the characters I want to point out that Lockwood and Lucy grew on me. They fit together so perfectly and even though their romance is just hinted at, I still loved that it turned out that way. I mean when you read YA books (like I do) there is always some big romance involved. In Stroud’s books it takes a backseat and lets the plot shine. You might say the light romance is used to emphasize certain situations, but it’s never in the spotlight and I can’t say how much I appreciated this approach. It’s refreshing and with Stroud it works so well! XD

”So my heart sang and my heart despaired, which was pretty much the usual combination for me whenever Lockwood was around.”
He brushed hair from his eyes. “That makes two of us, then. What’s your daft plan?”
“The usual. I was hoping to talk to it and calm it down. Yours?”
“Thought I’d slow it up by cutting off its legs.”
I grinned at him. “We’re so similar.”

And because this wouldn’t be one of my “Lockwood & Co” reviews if I wouldn’t gush about George I have to mention how much I love that boy! The way he rebuked Sir Rupert Gale?! Just amazing!! I was like “Go, George! You got this!!” and I was so very proud of him. Aside from the skull he’s still my favourite character of this series and I loved how contradictory he was. *lol* On the one hand he’s so shy and buries himself in books and on the other hand he has no problem to stand up for others and to put Sir Rupert in his place. Of all the characters in “Lockwood & Co.” he was certainly the most intriguing and I wish I could have seen more of him.

”Oh, and I know the DEPRAC rules as well as you, and if you pick fights with accredited agents off about their appointed tasks, Barnes will have your tweedy backside hauled over hot cobblestones to Scotland Yard. So why not go off and hassle someone else?” He held his glasses up towards the sun and tilted them, checking that any conceivable smudge had been removed. “Good. Sometimes I see so clearly, it almost frightens me.” He put them back on and ben to his bag. “Lead on, Holly. Stratford, here we come.”

As for the plot: I really liked the case of “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” and I was happy how the main plot with “The Problem” was solved. Our heroes had quite a tough time in “The Empty Grave” and I was really glad that everything dissolved in pleasure in the end. I mean, hell, even Kipps grew on me and the sticky situations they got themselves in made me fear for all of them. >_< Oh and can I mention how surprised I was about Holly!!! OMG!!! (view spoiler)[Leave it to Stroud to mention an LGBTQ+ character in passing! XD Holly laughed again; her eyes sparkled as she glanced at me sidelong. “You must know there are other possibilities in this world.” I’m not sure whether Holly is lesbian, pan or bi, but WOW this was quite a surprise! *lol* (hide spoiler)] This was such an amazing little plot twist so kudos to Stroud for adding even more depth to his characters and books!

”We’re there to help each other. If we do that, we’ll get through.”

And with this my review eventually ends! I really wish there would have been more books! I still have so many questions and there were so many things I would have loved to read about. XD I guess Stroud decided that if it can’t get any better, he should stop and no matter how heartbroken I am, I can still understand this sentiment.

All told, Stroud wrote an amazing and unique series and after finishing it, it will be more than just hard to find a worthy successor! <3

_________________________________

I don’t want this series to end but I’m already at the fifth book and I know this ending is going to hurt! I don’t even know why, but I have a feeling that I’m probably going to cry an ocean while I read this.

I DON’T WANT MY BABIES TO LEAVE ME!!! *sniff*

But my library won’t extend my loan period so I have no other choice. >_<
It’s time to stop procrastinating and to face my inner “ghosts”! (See what I did there? ;-P)

Wish me luck, guys!
I’ll need it for that, no doubt, grande finale! *lol*
One last case with my crew! T_T