Rook by William Rittner

Rook by William Rittner. Algonquin Young Readers, 2023. 9781643752402






Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4.5



Format : ARC (publication date date 8/22/23)



Genre : Supernatural historical mystery 



What did you like about the book? Abigail Rook wasn’t ready to be a Seer. After the power of Sight passed from her mentor Jackaby to her, the world transformed into a dizzying array of colors, tastes, and sensations, giving her a headache on the best days. The ability to see auras of objects, of cities, and of people, as well as every magic creature from fairy to werewolf to ghost, is the most overwhelming experience Abigail has ever dealt with. But New Fiddleham won’t wait around for her to get acclimated. Witches, goblins, and other magical beings are going missing, tensions from non-magical humans are on the rise, and a brutal murder of a prominent political figure is sending the city into chaos. With the police desperate for aid, Abigail steps into the new detective role to solve the crimes plaguing the city. The problem, though, is that Abigail is not ready. At all. Her fiance, Charlie, helps to solve her cases, but is under constant harassment as the intermediary between the magical and non-magical communities, especially as a shapeshifter himself. Just as things are escalating, Abigail’s parents drop on her doorstep, wanting to whisk her back to England and marry her off to someone more “suitable.” Her ability leaves her a mess, her city is on the verge of collapse, and someone is kidnapping people. If Abigail can’t handle the Sight and solve this latest mystery, the perpetrator could ruin the life she has learned to love. 



Rook is a stand alone novel set in the same world of the Jackaby series, with the titular character taking the lead of supernatural investigation. You don’t need to read all the books to appreciate Rook. Like the rest of the series, all the characters are interesting, three-dimensional, and charming in their own ways, even the ones you aren’t supposed to like. Most characters are White, unless stated otherwise. Abigail’s struggle with her powers and determination to solve cases and help the city is inspiring, making her a good lead. The new mystery of New Fiddleham is simple and paced well, if not a bit obvious toward the end. Personally, I liked how light-hearted the story was. Many YA fantasy, supernatural, or mystery novels are filled with such teen angst or downtrodden sorrow recently that it’s nice to read something that does not make readers sad for a third of the book. Overall, if you want a fun, supernatural and historical mystery novel, Rook is a great option. 



Anything you didn’t like about it? No



To whom would you recommend this book? Read the Jackaby series by the same author. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco, The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud, Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley, and The Diviners by Libba Bray are all great read-alikes.  



Who should buy this book? High schools and public libraries



Where would you shelve it? YA Fiction or YA Mystery



Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No



Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Laila Carter, Cheltenham Township Library System, Glenside, PA



Date of review: August 9, 2023