Review: The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal

 

A little bit of romance, a little bit of politics, a little bit of magic, and some flamboyant queer poets – this book has a whole lot going for it. Despite the title, the book is told primarily from the perspective of Maeve, a death nun who gets caught up in working to solve the mystery of Imogen’s death and subsequent resurrection. Along the way she must confront assassination attempts, decadent parties, and her own doubts about her spirituality. The story features a vibrant array of side characters, many of whom I would have loved to see more of.

Speaking of wanting to see more, I would also have liked to see more worldbuilding. What is there certainly isn’t bad, but I want to know more about the sisterhood and religion in this world, the political system on the island, and what the world looks like off the island. I suppose that’s the mark of interesting worldbuilding – I want to see more of the world, instead of feeling overwhelmed by details.

My only serious complaint with the book is Imogen’s dialogue. She communicates via writing since she can’t talk, which makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is the way her dialogue is translated into something that someone would actually type. For instance, there would be sentences started, paused, and then changed into something else, or ellipses used in a way that didn’t feel natural for what’s essentially texting. Also italics – am I meant to assume the miniature telegraph she uses has italics? So that didn’t always make a ton of sense, though I understand its importance for readability and flow. Otherwise, I found it an engaging, compelling story.