Enjoyable and sometimes unwieldy ... Alix...emerges as a compelling heroine ... A highlight of the book is her sometimes awkward, but humorous journey as a new lady-in-waiting to the princess ... It['s] difficult to keep engaged in the mystery at hand. The book gets bogged down in its mythology and is slow to give us plot developments. Further challenging the pacing of the novel are the constant additions to an over-large cast of characters ... All of these elements lead to a clunky conclusion that too easily ties up loose ends and loses the impact of the tragedy that started the story ... A fun, elevated beach read for those who enjoy their mystery novels with supernatural leanings and a dry British sense of humor.
It is extremely difficult to explain just how thrilling, entertaining, witty, and jaw-droppingly original the Checquy novels are ... O’Malley’s world building is astonishing: he’s created a version of our world that is simultaneously wildly different and comfortably familiar, and he’s populated it with characters who, even with unusual powers, are abundantly human. For fans of the series, and indeed for anyone who enjoys a good supernatural fantasy, Royal Gambit is required reading.
Entertaining ... As always, O’Malley imbues his imagined world with realistic details and finds plentiful humor in the clash of the supernatural and the bureaucratic ... Series fans will be delighted.
