The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

By: Garth Nix

Narrated by: Marisa Calin

Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

A girl's quest to find her father leads her to an extended family of magical fighting booksellers who police the mythical Old World of England when it intrudes on the modern world. From the best-selling master of teen fantasy, Garth Nix.

In a slightly alternate London in 1983, Susan Arkshaw is looking for her father, a man she has never met. Crime boss Frank Thringley might be able to help her, but Susan doesn't get time to ask Frank any questions before he is turned to dust by the prick of a silver hatpin in the hands of the outrageously attractive Merlin.

Merlin is a young left-handed bookseller (one of the fighting ones), who with the right-handed booksellers (the intellectual ones) are an extended family of magical beings who police the mythic and legendary Old World when it intrudes on the modern world, in addition to running several bookshops.

Susan's search for her father begins with her mother's possibly misremembered or misspelt surnames, a reading room ticket, and a silver cigarette case engraved with something that might be a coat of arms.

Merlin has a quest of his own, to find the Old World entity who used ordinary criminals to kill his mother. As he and his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, tread in the path of a botched or covered-up police investigation from years past, they find this quest strangely overlaps with Susan's. Who or what was her father? Susan, Merlin, and Vivien must find out, as the Old World erupts dangerously into the New.

©2020 Garth Nix (P)2020 Listening Library

A new amazing fantasy that reads as realism from Garth Nix

A new amazing fantasy that reads as realism from Garth Nix

I was a massive fan of the Old Kingdom series, and was a little let down with Goldenhand. Seeing Nix come into this new setting wish such a great piece with lovable characters really did a lot to revive my love for fantasy.

Delightful

This was a re-read so I could go on to book 2. Since it had been a few years, I'm glad I did bc I had forgotten quite a bit. And I thoroughly enjoyed it!

A clever new take on London

I quite liked this book. It was a clever new take on urban fantasy/alternate history of England. Definitely influenced by Suzanne Cooper and maybe a little bit of The Librarian. It was well written with compelling scenery and descriptions. I hope that this author will do a sequel.

Draws you in

enjoyed the characters close your eyes and join in
must read or listen to. fun

Fun

I enjoyed this one. Narrated well. Written well with uncommon storyline.
Worth a credit for sure.

surprised

honestly looking at the cover and the title I wouldn't have just picked this book up. yeah the synopsis sounds fun but it just didn't seem like something I would enjoy, but I got it in a book box so I figured I'd just get the audio and boy oh boy this book was a surprise. we get a whole 2 short chapters in and boom! so much action and I really enjoyed the lack of romance yeah there is just a sprinkle in it but there's no falling over themselves for each other .

A Fun Caper- if a little too well performed

In the vein of Sabriel, Garth Nix returns to old favorites: a young innocent heroine, thrust into a fantastical otherworld, where she must discover and harness her own inner power— oh and don’t forget the mysterious absent father. If not novel, the story is entertaining and enjoyable. Granted, I tend to be a sucker for magical beings inhabiting old London (Neverwhere being a favorite). With appropriate expectations, this story delivers what it promises. My only real complaint was with one aspect of the narration. Often the characters are described as being quite loud, singing out of key, or otherwise making annoying sounds. The narrator performed these sections a little too well. In particular, I didn’t relish 30 minutes of one character singing his dialogue off key, while another shouted her response, and a third droned on monotonously. If the author had written the book for audible, I think he might have subjected us to a bit less of this. The effect was a little too bracing when performed so accurately. Otherwise, a competent narrator and a fun listen.

Loved it

This was the first Garth Nix that has held a candle to the Abhorsen trilogy. Loved the story; the narrator wasn’t my favorite but she was okay. This on has been sitting on the digital shelf for a while, glad I finally listened.

Fantasy I so Craved

Absolutely amazing book with a wonderful plot. It grasp you right and makes you not want to stop listening.

Loved it!

I really enjoyed this delightful and imaginative story. Can’t wait to read what happens next, beginning book 2 now!