I am a long-time fan of her prose and have been known to gush a bit...
Reading her books in the order they were published, you will see a writer growing and honing her craft. From her very first books (Fly by Night, Verdigris Deep), it seems as if Hardinge has always had a way with words and 'too much imagination' as Patrick Ness once said in his review of her wonderful third novel, Gullstruck Island (read the review here): 'There's more,' writes Ness. 'There's a lot more. There is, in fact, probably too much more, not in terms of page length but in that Hardinge lets herself get bogged down too often in necessary explanations.'
So, it is fascinating to see her nail down plot, gradually, book after book. Certainly, no-one can complain, from Twilight Robbery onwards, that there is 'too much.' Having dealt with backstory and all 'necessary explanations' in Fly By Night, Hardinge hits the ground running with this sequel to Mosca's adventures. And what a delight it is to allow the terrific rhythm of action and the equally awesome efficiency of the style to carry you away in this brilliant romp.
Before moving on to my all-time favourites, why not have a read of my interview of Frances Hardinge for Inis magazine from a couple of years ago?
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