Dylan's Reviews > The Hexologists

Hexologists is a delightful 'whodunnit' and surprisingly deep read that explores class struggles with such brilliance. It’s a novel that I had the assumption would be a standard “cosy mystery” book with a fantasy twist, yet Bancroft does so much more than just a whimsical mystery. In this review, I will try to give a short yet comprehensive look at this wonderful book.

Josiah Bancroft is known for his evocative prose, even his greatest critics can agree that the man knows how to write. It isn’t dense, but just wonderfully constructed. How he strings certain words together to create a picture that is easy to visualise and conveys the atmosphere of the world brilliantly. The prose is a mix of literary aesthetics, cheeky social commentary, quotable and insightful lines, and just being a clever writer. In general, the writing is definitely more descriptive than in Books of Babel, but seeing certain criticism, I don’t see how it’s that drastic. The first couple chapters might be more descriptive than the Bancroft affair however, that's because he is giving life to the world, and the protagonists fill the role as pseudo-detectives (as hexologists). So, I feel that in that context, having our protagonists be more observant of the world and considering their personalities is only fitting. I should be clear that I'm biased, as I adore his writing, and in general, it complements his witty dialogue that feels akin to PG Wodehouse, Mervyn Peake, and some of the great British writers with some modern sensibilities.

The character work—this is probably the most surprising element—the sheer depth on display. It's a book just above 300 pages and makes perfect use of that time. I do agree with the sentiment that ‘The Hod King’ is Bancroft’s best work in terms of character exploration, yet with the efficiency and concise nature, you have a feeling that the author has stepped up his game. Characters that appear in a single chapter feel genuinely human, and hearing their struggles. One chapter specifically we get outlined a person's entire history in a few pages and their significant moments in life, and it’s just beautiful to read. There are also just characters who have a sense of history about them. You pick up certain relationships that are somewhat ashtray just from how the scene is set. You feel the characters have lives beyond the confines of the narrative. As a whole, the characters reinforce certain themes of social class. This is an element I won’t go into in depth, but I enjoyed the social commentary and how Bancroft communicates his message about aristocracy and the divide between the people. There’s this wonderful quote:

But there is something shameful about it, isn't there? I mean, the purpose of the euphemism is to shield the speaker from the difficulty of the subject. We say passed away instead of died, and put out to pasture instead of just admitting an elder was unceremoniously removed from gainful employment because a younger, cheaper hire applied for their job. You may pretend that these circumlocutions are for the benefit of the victim, but they're not. They are for the comfort of the speaker. We call them 'ascendant class' because it makes their suffering feel less shameful for those of us who refuse to address the role we play in perpetuating poverty to the enrichment of ourselves. I say, let's call them the poor, and help them.

In terms of the real heart of the book, it’s the two protagonists, Warren and Isolde Wilby. The couple is simply adorable, and it’s because of that that I partly understand where the cosy comparisons come from, yet it’s so much more than just being cute. That underlying sense of trust and how they comfort each other when worse comes to worse—their dynamic, flirtatious, and that sense of compassion Individually, they are wonderful characters. Isolde has more time in the spotlight however, Warren is still quite developed. In terms of Iz, I enjoy reading how stubborn and sometimes shortsighted she is. Despite her occupation, she puts herself into the work too deeply, which leads to large consequences as a result. There’s this moment where she becomes very irrational, feeling like a Dresden moment. She is so stubborn, she wants a certain answer, she is aware of the consequences, but she will probably regret certain decisions later down the road. If there’s an element where you can see Bancroft's craft has improved, it would be the female cast. It’s not that they were bad in Books of Babel, it’s more that he’s just a better writer and makes them feel more human. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention there’s a talking dragon? Well, there is, and that dragon is bloody fantastic and very cheeky!

Worldbuilding I will be quite vague in this one because discovering the world is part of the charm. In general, the book feels like it addressed the largest criticism of Books of the Babel, which is the world. In Senlin Ascends, the world feels huge, yet the sequels unfortunately feel narrow in comparison. That will most definitely not be the case here. The world feels quite vast and expansive, like there’s a breathing and magical world outside of where the protagonist lives. It’s a steampunk but leans more into the fantasy elements with magicians, mandrakes, dragons, and all that jazz. When the sci-fi aspect does appear, it’s quite exciting, and in general, I really want to learn more, in particular about the Meridian War and the gods that reside in this world.

The magic system is something I didn’t expect at all. Maybe this was naïve of me, but I just didn’t expect it to be present, and holy damn, it’s pretty good. It’s more of a soft magic system with some clear limitations and dangerous consequences. It’s that uncertainty and that sense of danger that make this world exciting to explore, and I’m interested to see how it develops in the future.

The plot is well a 'whodunnit' and so I believe aligning expectations for that type of experience is pretty important. It’s silly to criticise this book, being a departure from Books of Babel, where that feels more epic fantasy(ish). How it unfolds is extremely well done, with the inevitable twists, the general deductions, and how we reached a certain conclusion. This book serves as a great example of being a brilliant book 1. The mystery surrounding this book is definitely concluded in a fitting manner, but it leaves certain developments open that make you want a sequel to explore it further. I have no qualms about recommending this book because of its closed nature, and I’m excited for the future of this series.

In conclusion, this is an excellent book, a brilliant first entry into a series, and I am excited for the future of Warren and Isolde Wilby adventures.

8.5 or 9/10