A tense, engaging read.

There's been recent interest in historical fantasies with American settings, and this was a nice addition to that elite group.

Jackson creates an off-beat character with an intriguing, mysterious past--I felt a bit as if I were supposed to know about that past, either because it was based on a real event (possible--this book is set just prior to the Revolution, and thus a few centuries after my purview) or because it was the second book in a series, which is not the case. Ethan Kaille is a middle-aged man with a limp and a lost love, both of which impact his moods and motivations. I'm interested in reading more about this character (there's also a prequel short story available from Tor.com)

The structure of the magic felt familiar--it's historical, with spoken word magic, so it can be hard to escape the use of Latin--but most of the spells cast are fun and different, very well applied. I'm a little concerned going forward that there aren't enough limitations on the magic--but this is an author concern, and likely not one that will bother most readers.

My other complaint is with the on-going antagonist, Sephira Pryce. Sephira is a sexy female thieftaker who both runs many of the illegal operations in this version of historical Boston, and catches thieves--primarily her rivals. To some extent this keeps the peace, and she's powerful in the way of Mob bosses everywhere. But I found her to be less three-dimensional than I'd like for a series character, especially one with this much influence both in the milieu, and in the life of the protagonist.

All in all, well worth reading. This book does a beautiful job of conjuring the atmosphere of Boston and the tension of pre-Revolutionary America. It's a rich, taut read with many interesting twists, and I'll be looking forward to the next!