Section 1: Urban Fantasy Books Similar to Rivers of London
Section 2: Most Powerful Themes Represented in Rivers of London
Thomas Nightingale, the wizard in charge of The Folly (a group that handles supernatural crimes in London) was born in 1900. While that gives him 100+ years of experience in magic, he’s still human and resistant to change. Furthermore, he doesn’t keep up with scientific advances, as he sees them as “other” than magic. His newest apprentice and our main character, Peter Grant, loves technology and tinkering. Through his tinkering, Peter provides Thomas the means to adapt to the changes of magic by blending it with technology. Doing so helps Thomas and Peter stay relevant and combat against the supernatural menace plaguing London.
Section 3: What I Did Not Like about Rivers of London
Additionally, the parallel subplots in the book that were magically focused felt convoluted. The information you receive comes across too cryptically. While this may have deliberately reflected Peter’s lack of magical knowledge, I think he and the reader could’ve received more information. In some ways, much of the subplot’s magical elements in this urban fantasy felt a little forced or like an afterthought to tie into the main plot.
Section 4: Who Will Love and Hate Rivers of London
Section 5: L. Rigdon’s Star Rating of Rivers of London
A part of me was hoping to give this book a higher ranking. After all, if you Google “best urban fantasy books” or “leading urban fantasy,” this book is almost always included in those lists. Therefore, the expectation is high, which may put unfair pressure on this story.
While the story is interesting, and the framework offers something enjoyable, I just didn't feel drawn into this world. The competing storylines of magic versus procedural distracted me. Likewise, the supernatural characters had convoluted motivations that made me curious but then frustrated me when I didn't get enough answers to want to continue.
Rivers of London is also noted as a book promoting diversity and inclusion since the main character, Peter Grant, is represented as a mixed-race Londoner, and most of the supporting characters come from underrepresented groups. Non-white representation in urban fantasy is a major issue, so any book that brings a diverse cast to the forefront helps. That said, while there are plenty of strong non-male/non-white supporting characters, and the main character is biracial, the rest of the main characters are fairly white. It’s a good step in the right direction toward better diversity and inclusion, but I think it could have gone further.