The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible. Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home. Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective. As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect. Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale. (Goodreads Blurb)
Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The Tainted Cup will be available on February 6th.
This is a mystery unlike any other. Or is it a fantasy unlike any other? Either description is accurate. Robert Jackson Bennett presents a mind-boggling story full of twists and turns, as well as a rich fantasy setting.
Dinios Kol (Din for short), is the legs for infamous detective Ana Dolabra. He’s also much more than that, being an intelligent assistant who possesses an interesting skill. In a world where people can be magically altered, he has been changed so that he has the gifts of an engraver. Basically, he uses different scents to magically recall everything in perfect and minute detail. It isn’t just sights but sounds and even smells. It makes him an invaluable ally- or else a dangerous enemy.
Ana is asked to investigate an odd and extremely gory murder: that of a man whose chest has suddenly become a planter for a spontaneously sprouted fully-grown tree. This macabre mystery is much bigger than an isolated incident and, that’s not the only problem. There are giant leviathans poised to breach the walls that stand between them and total destruction of the Empire, making time a commodity that is both precious and short. The story is fast paced with a sense of desperation and a ticking clock that makes the book even more compelling.
There are lies, vendettas, political entanglements, and enormous monsters. What else can you ask for in a mystery? And as much as I loved the plot and mystery itself, the characters are even better. The small cast of assistants and suspects are all well-crafted, with each having their own mannerisms and motivations. I’ve read mysteries where the suspects are boiled down to their vocation and nothing more. That is far from the case here, with even the smallest bit player having a richly developed personality.
Ana and Din are both fantastic, although Din stole the show. He had so many layers to his personality that I know there’s even more to him than we are privileged to see in this book. He’s extremely likeable, but there are enough questions about him to make you wonder whether he is exactly what he seems.
I could blather on at length about all the moving parts that combined perfectly to craft this book (holy wow, did I love the magical alterations!), but I’ll save some for you to discover on your own. The Tainted Cup is criminally good!
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