The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth NixMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I generally enjoy Garth Nix's writing, even though he tends darker than I prefer, and this is no exception (though it's not especially dark for the most part).
A determined and competent young female protagonist is always going to get a good rating from me, all else being equal, and in Susan we definitely have one of those. The hidden world of the Booksellers is delightful and full of wonders, reminiscent not only of Rowling's Wizarding World but also Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. The authentic 1980s setting (the author lived in London in the 80s) reminded me of Jo Walton's Among Others. But despite those comparisons, this is very much an original, and I hope it becomes a series.
It strikes a good balance of setting, character, and plot, there's both action and contemplation, and overall it deservedly became the final entry in my 2020 Best Of list when I finished it on New Year's Eve.
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