The sequel to The Shambling Guide to New York is equally fun, as Editorix extraordinare Zoe Norris leads her team to New Orleans to expand Underground Publishing’s guidebooks for the magical. While she’s there, she has to deal with a boyfriend who’s trying not to succumb to zombieism, a newish vampire staff writer with a hell of an attitude problem, a secret society and learn more about her own new found power and her heritage.
This book takes the time to expand much more on coterie society, especially human coterie such as the zoetists, and the city talkers, Zoe’s own speciality. We find out more about recent history and why there are so few city talkers. I liked this, but can’t help thinking that the secret society/cabal thing is possibly laying it on a little thick.
I did enjoy the many pop culture references (I squeed a bit at Zoe’s goldfish being called Lister and Kochanski) and the nod to recent(ish) events in New Orleans, with an alternative explanation for the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.
Now, when can we get the next book?
