BOOK REVIEW: OUR LADY OF THE STREETS / AUTHOR: TOM POLLOCK / PUBLISHER: JO FLETCHER / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Some trilogies need to be read back to back to be truly enjoyed, as only when everything is fresh in the memory can one appreciate the scale of the work. Often this is a result of addictively paced writing and a clearly thought out world, sometimes the author is just very good at making it all join up at the end. Tom Pollock’s final instalment of the Skyscraper Throne Trilogy, Our Lady of The Streets, somehow manages to do both.
It is very difficult to discuss the finer details of this novel without scattering spoilers all over the place, so much so in fact that the blurb in the back gives away quite a bit of the story that begun in The City’s Son and was continued in The Glass Republic. However, the design of the these stories allows us to talk in sweeping statements which should not spoil the more interesting twists and turns too much.
These books are a tale of a romanticised modern London, turning the filth-soaked capital into a place that is majestic, supernatural and terrifying. Though the urban fantasy genre is over-stuffed with tales of how strange England’s greedy first city is, it’s difficult to fault Pollock for his choice; he treats the ancient metropolis with a mix of reverence and contempt that is both endearing and enthralling.
The narrative of this final instalment focuses yet again on Beth and Pen. Beth is enduring the consequences of her choices in previous instalments, and her suffering in this novel cleverly mirrors events from The City’s Son. Pen is as brilliantly evoked as ever and the result is a glorious finale to what has been a fantastic journey so far. Shattered mirrors and equally shattered reflections rebound across this series and lend a glorious anarchy to the entire affair. If you can, read them one after another. The result is an emotionally charged and powerful roller coaster that will both exhaust and delight you in equal measure.
Our Lady of the Streets is a fine ending to a very fine series, and we can’t wait to see what Tom Pollock produces next.
