#honestly at multiple points i was hoping it would be revealed that Eli was transgender

[wiltking]

finished Pack of Lies (spinoff sequel for Big Bad Wolf) and i thought it was okay, but just that. would not recommend it over the main story, even though it was a real treat to read more about Eli. he's a delight and it was worth it for him alone but i could not muster any interest in the love interest, Julien, which is shocking considering he's a 40's something double divorced man supposedly on a mission blinded by all consuming grief. i say supposedly because he didn't really give much... of anything. even when it was his POV he was just kind of... there. i wasn't convinced of his grief and felt that his personality was kind of non existent. and not even in the 'too consumed by loss and sadness to be a person' kind of way. it is also very hard for me to care about movie star type characters, but even then, there just wasn't much to work with.

the mystery itself was also just okay. i liked the setting and seeing the clues navigated by civilians, and bringing cryptids into the mix was a fun touch, but the whole thing about Julien's brother felt clunky. i can't say i was ever bored though, really, aside from the lore recap stuff in the beginning (but to be fair i don't think most people read all 5 main books in less than 2 weeks before jumping straight to this one) and i think overall my main disappointment remains with Julien himself. i'm still interested in seeing where else this spinoff goes though, despite book 2 apparently being very delayed. or anything else this author writes in the future, really.