The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch
Publication Date: September 3, 2024
Summary from Goodreads:
New York City, New York.
Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young – fop, flaneur, and Englishman abroad – as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps.
That is, until his old friend Thomas Nightingale arrives, pursuing a rather mysterious affair concerning an old saxophone – which will take Gussie from his warm bed, to the cold shores of Long Island, and down to the jazz clubs where music, magic, and madness haunt the shadows…
Confession:
This was such a fun read. I just loved the main character and the story was a lot of fun too. It is a novella, but there was a lot going on here. The setting was top notch and I really enjoyed seeing the jazz age in Harlem come to life.
“Never let it be said that Augustus Berrycloth-Young shirked his duty as a keeper of the secret flame. Not that I have the faintest idea where the secret flame might possibly be, although I assume that’s because it is a secret.”
Agustus Berrycloth-Young, aka Gussie, was so much fun to hang out with. I really enjoyed seeing 1920s Harlem through his eyes. He enjoys music and dancing and just having a good old time. But of course when he is needed to help solve a magical mystery he jumps right in, albeit a bit reluctantly, and helps save the day. I also loved his relationship with Lucius, aka Lucy. They were just so sweet together, and I enjoyed hearing Lucy’s explanations of how Harlem society worked.
“But no sybaritic pleasure, no drink, no food, no wide magnificent vista can top seeing yourself reflected the way you want to be reflected in your lover’s eyes.”
For those of you familiar with the Rivers of London series, you are no stranger to Thomas Nightingale. Here is a much younger version than the one in the main series, but he is still the same. He wants to solve the mystery of the charmed musical instruments and to help the creature that created it. I loved seeing this version of a much beloved character.
“But everybody’s genuinely pleased to see you. And for a rich, white Englishman, that’s a remarkable feat—don’t you think?”
The story and the setting were very well done. The depiction of Harlem in the 20’s when jazz was coming into its own is excellent. The author also doesn’t shy away from the social issues and injustices of the time period either. Like the whites only jazz clubs where blacks were only allowed in as servers and musicians. The author also does a marvelous job including the rise of queer culture during that time. The writing is what I always expect from this author. It is funny, quirky and well paced. It is also amazing how much he can cram into novella.
“Can I help you, gentlemen?” she asked in a tone that suggested that she doubted both clauses in the sentence.”
This is a great addition to the series. I would love to see more of Gussie, possibly a series of his own would be marvelous. If you are a fan of the Rivers of London series, this is one that you want to have on your radar. If you haven’t read the series, this is maybe not the story to start with. It does lack a little bit of the world building and therefore you might be confused by how the magical system works. But it does still work as a standalone if you want to give the author a try. But start at the beginning of the series if you can.
Confessions of a Serial Reader 