actual rating: 2.5

I'm sure this could be a very enjoyable read for the right person, but I was just bored out of my mind. I think I could have given it 3 stars if it was maybe ...2/3rds to half length it is now, but it just felt like it dragged on and on. The setting is decent enough - a Victorian inspired semi-steampunk world with magic - but none of the aspects are really explored in-depth [shocking considering the overall length but I digress] and it seems like the entire point of most of it is 'for the aesthetic' [which I get but ...come on, commit to something].

Most of the characters are either incredibly boring [Sybilla] or downright unlikable [Harrod]. Roger is okay some of the time but I feel like overall he was entirely too whiny for me to really be rooting for him and Mary was fun but wasn't around enough to really make any sort of impact. I think if it had stuck more closely to the resurrectionist plotline and less to all the royal intrigue and marriage drama then it would have been much more enjoyable and probably also closer to what people were expecting based on the cover and summary. There's some cool stuff if you read between the lines but I think it could use more editing overall.

I have extremely mixed feelings about this fantasy novel. I maybe kind of like it. Maybe? But I had issues with it, too.

For one thing, the story is . . . slow . . . to . . . start, and I struggled to get invested in the book. The early chapters really get bogged down in the everyday lives of the two main characters, Princess Sibylla and her childhood friend and sweetheart, former palace servant Roger. Princess Sibylla is in disfavor and leads a boring, isolated existence in the countryside, so there’s not much excitement to be had from her viewpoint. Roger’s life is potentially more interesting; he’s a resurrectionist, exhuming bodies of the recently dead to sell to doctors for anatomical research in order to fund Roger’s own medical studies. However, the first part of the book focuses more on Roger’s attempts to scrape together a living than anything else, including the mystery he stumbles on surrounding the murders of several women. It’s not until Roger is arrested as the murderer and Sibylla is called back to the palace that the pace of the story starts to pick up, and that’s almost halfway through the novel.

Even though there’s a mystery to be solved here, don’t expect much in the way of actual detection. Not that Sibylla and Roger don’t manage to find some clues, but in the end this is one of those books where it feels more like the characters stumble over the answers rather than ferret them out. That said, at least the solution wasn’t completely obvious to me. I had some of the “who’s” right, but the “why’s” turned out to be a surprise.

Although it could have been more detailed, I did find the world the authors conjured up interesting. It seems sort of analogous to the early Victorian era. Soldiers have both guns and swords, for example; Roger uses a version of a microscope at one point, but travel is still done by carriage. Science is making headway at replacing superstition and faith as a source of knowledge. However, magic still holds sway, partially due to the fact that members of the nobility possess hereditary powers and the royal family are revered as saints. Interestingly, most of the magic doesn’t seem particularly impressive; among other things, Sibylla can make herself luminescent, which isn’t much above a parlor trick, really.

The characters, though . . . eh. I found both Sibylla and Roger likeable enough, although they could be annoyingly obstinate and even dumb at times. (Seriously, Sibylla gets mad and blurts out a closely guarded potentially life-or-death secret where anyone can hear, and I’m just like . . . really? Come on!) However, the secondary characters were almost universally either flawed or horrible, barring a poor girl Roger becomes fond of and tries to help. Roger’s half-brother Harrod in particular frustrated me. For someone who claims to care for his brother, Harrod sure has a peculiar way of showing it. (In fact, a lot of his behavior made little sense to me, which suggests that it was driven more by the necessities of the plot than any consistent conception of his character by the authors.)

So, this book was a real mix of things that annoyed and interested me. A second book is clearly planned, and I’ll probably give it a try, if only because I was somewhat intrigued by the ending. Roger is left in a fairly horrible and unjust position, and I want to see if he can find a way around it.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

I find hard to describe this book because it somehow reminded me of Gail Carriger, I think the simil Victorian setting, the witty dialogues and how Sybil is written reminded me of the Parasol Protectorate (I adore it).
At the same time there're some gothic part and I also love them.
It was like eating a big cake, one of those case full of colourful decorations and with the right taste. A cake you cannot stop eating and enjoying.
This book is excellent, entertaining, enjoyable and wasn't able to put it down.
It was not love at first page but the kind of love you develop reading and that will last.
The world buidling is incredible, the humour, the well written cast of characters. I can say I loved it all and I hope this is the first in a series because I want more cakes like this.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Resurrectionist of Caligo is a mystery, a book of court intrigue, and even possesses a bit of romance. This is one I enjoyed and would recommend with some reservations…

A grave robber framed for multiple killings… and a princess caught up in her kingdom’s political affairs. All set in a world loosely connected to a Victorian port city. A magic system designates the royals and keeps the line so tight that marrying cousins is not out of the question…

Roger Weathersby is a resurrectionist, a man who procures bodies for science. He provides them for the local medical schools in an effort to become a doctor himself. He’s been caught before and has one strike against him, but for the most part, he’s good at his ‘job’ and sorta gets by.

Sibylla has been on restriction for several years. Put away in an old castle a couple days ride from the capital. The queen is punishing her until she agrees to marry her eejit of a cousin. Yet, on the eve of a visit from the Emperor of a neighboring kingdom, she is called home and thrown back in the royal mess.

Minor Spoilers:

I liked much of this book, especially the characters. They are both sympathetic individuals who are making the best of their situations. There are several minor characters like the visiting Emperor and Roger’s brother who don’t exactly reveal their true intentions for much of the book. This made for a fun ride to see who was going to be the fulcrum for the final ramp up at the end.

My problems with the book lie in the magic system and the pacing for the middle third of the novel. Each of the royal family has several magical skills, many which have passed down for generations. Sibylla, for example, is able to produce ink through her finger nails and draw on paper or in the air. She can also click her tongue and create a strong sound that can break things. The problem is that I didn’t see this magic system as pivotal enough in the overall plot of the book. They seemed like parlor tricks and not deadly enough to really be effective for the characters.

More Minor Spoilers:

My second issue is the pacing. After Roger is framed for a murder, he is arrested but is released. I won’t say how or why to not give up spoilers, but I thought the book was going to transition into one where Roger finds the true killer. It sort of happens, but not. There’s not enough tension in this part of the book to really get the story going.

Overall, I liked much about The Resurrectionist of Caligo, but walked away wanting a bit more out of it.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

I enjoyed this book, though the reasons for this are not the ones I expected after reading the blurb. I expected more of an action-packed, reluctant detective, unlikely duo adventure; instead, The Resurrectionist of Caligo is a story of a man born into a low class of society struggling to do good and better himself, all while fighting against institutionalised obstacles and well-meaning but controlling loved ones from his past. Like I said, it’s still something I enjoyed, but not what I expected when I began reading.
The world building in this novel could be stronger, very few of the differences that set The Resurrectionist if Caligo apart from any other vaguely Victorian novel were explored in any true depth. I’d love to see a greater explanation of the religious structure within the world, and the way the ruling classes use, train and discover their magic. That being said, the medical and penal systems of the world were quite interesting, the Straybound in particular were an interesting touch.
This book was full of interesting characters, though Ada may be among my favourites. Her scrappy determination and refusal to back down in the face of danger are admirable, and I was glad that she seems likely to remain significant in any future books. Sibylla was also a refreshing character, it was great to see a female character who is unashamedly sensual, and isn’t punished for it. She’s quick on her feet and independent, while remaining flawed and believable as a young, sheltered woman. Her relationship with her family is truly interesting, and I hope to see more interplay between Sibylla, Dorinda and Sibylla’s extended family.
Roger was less likeable than I would have preferred, and at times he seemed insufficiently motivated for the actions he took. I was at times confused by his character, and I feel he could have been given more of a backstory or even more friends or associates that would have revealed his interests and personality traits. By the end of the novel, though, Roger is certainly more clearly drawn; so perhaps this book was just somewhat of a coming of age novel for Roger, and his personality was left purposely vague at the beginning of the novel.
Roger’s relationship with Harrod was entertaining and one of the most believable relationships in the book (at least for me). Their constant bickering, Harrod’s domineering concern and Roger’s surly anger were well-written and effective. Though with the focus on Roger as the book’s protagonist, I do feel Harrod was left a little underdeveloped. Perhaps an exploration of Harrod’s history in the Navy could be a way to deepen his character, as I feel he remained somewhat two dimensional in this novel.
The plot of The Resurrectionist of Caligo is involved and interesting, but unravels unevenly, with chapters dedicated to vague hints and few developments, and others where a new revelation is discovered every paragraph. Everything is tied up quite neatly at the end of the novel, but almost too neatly. I found myself wondering why certain characters were brought into the novel, as they appeared infrequently and their importance in the storyline now seems to have ended (most notably, the Lieutenant who replaced Harrod in the countryside).
The book dragged a little in the middle section, and I feel Sibylla should have made her way to the capital a little sooner. The book picks up towards the end however, with plenty of fodder for a future series. In particular, the subplot involving the ruler of a neighbouring empire in the latter half of the book promises to be very interesting.
All in all, this book was a solid enjoyable read; and promises to be the start of an engrossing series. While the overall feel was significantly darker than Gail Carriger’s Custard Protocol series, Ada was definitely reminiscent of Spoo. Readers wanting more mature plot lines but who enjoy the plucky characters of Gail Carriger’s work would most likely enjoy The Resurrectionist of Caligo. In terms of plot and overall feel, the series would probably be a better fit for readers who enjoyed AJ Hartley’s Steeplejack series, Diana Pharaoh Francis’s Crosspointe novels, Kate Locke’s The Immortal Empire series, or Charlie N Homberg’s ongoing Numina Trilogy.

The Resurrectionist of Caligo by Wendy Trimboli and Alicia Zaloga is a macabre fantasy set in a Victorian-esque secondary world. It’s a fun read. Trimboli and Zaloga give us quirky characters that keep you engaged. They also drop us into a fascinating Victorian tinged world and set a murder mystery within it. There are typical mystery elements, political intrigue, and a good bit of action.

The Victorian-esque setting helps to make the characters shine, particularly in their quirkiness. We meet Roger Weathersby, a self-styled man of science who spends many of his nights digging up corpses to sell to the local university for study. His humor and much of his plot arc is certainly macabre, but the authors manage this in a way that it never quite feels oppressive. It’s morbid humor, but it is funny. His chapters were fun to read, if macabre. Our other main character, Sibylla, is an exiled Princess. Her plotline lets us see the opposite end of the socio-economic spectrum in this world. The juxtaposition of Roger’s poverty with Sibylla’s royalty is at times stark and drives home just how unequal the entire society is. I enjoyed both characters, though it took quite a while for Sibylla to grow on me. Well past the halfway mark. In addition to the characters, I thought the world building was peppered with interesting elements. The way in which the royal family is worshipped was fascinating. This provided an interesting twist on the magic and an uncommon take on royalty. If anything, I would have liked to have seen that bit of world building developed even more.

Which brings me to my major criticism of Caligo. Much of the world building didn’t feel like it hung together to me. The legal system of this world plays an important role in the plot. But the legal system is different enough from modern systems that it isn’t explained very well, leaving the reader guessing. To make matters worse, it feels like the system is open to rank abuse to the point where I’m not certain how it is that the world even begins to function with it. It felt a bit like the legal system as a convenient way to accomplish a plot point. On a separate note, Roger has a half-brother who plays a role in the story and his characterization felt split to me. People tend to perceive him as noble, kind even, but towards Roger he is universally a jerk. This difference was never satisfactorily explained and left me unsure of how I was meant to understand his character. This is doubly disappointing because he had the potential to be an interesting counterpoint to both Roger and Sibylla. The pacing was also a little uneven in the novel, action-packed at points and yet seeming to drag at others.

While uneven in several elements, The Resurrectionist of Caligo was a fun read. It will be of interest to those who love Victorian settings and quirky characters while also forgiving of uneven pacing or world building with some holes.

6.5/10

3.25/5 stars.

5 – I loved this, couldn’t put it down, move it to the top of your TBR pile
4 – I really enjoyed this, add it to the TBR pile
3 – It was ok, depending on your preferences it may be worth your time
2 – I didn’t like this book, it has significant flaws and I can’t recommend it
1 – I loathe this book with a most loathsome loathing

When I saw the cover for The Resurrectionist of Caligo, it instantly picked my interest, along with the blurb. It definitely sounded like something up my alley, a gothic-noir tale I could lose myself in. And so, I had really high expectations. Maybe too high, because The Resurrectionist of Caligo sadly did not deliver what it promised to me. I tried, I really tried to love it, but 19% in I just had to give up. As I didn't read it fully, I will only leave a mini review here, summing up my thoughts and trying to give an idea why it didn't work for me.

The thing is, this book failed to draw me in right at the beginning. Which is not necessarily a problem, if I can ease into the story as we go, but that didn't happen. I was waiting for something to awe me, to make me feel like I wanted to know what is going on. I felt like it lacked world building, and had more telling than showing. I didn't feel like wanting to walk along one of our main characters, Roger as he invaded the graveyard, or strolled in the city. I got the vague sense of Victorian-like setting, but didn't really saw the city before my eyes. I'm also not sure where the story was going, but as I bounced back really early on, this might have been established. There was just too many plot holes and things unexplained for me to continue. As I said, I wasn't drawn in, and couldn't make sense of things. Like why Roger starts an investigation when its clearly not his business, what is up with that pin and generally why are those murders have any insignificance.

I still could get over my issues regarding the plot and lack of world building, if I could connect with any of the characters. I just couldn't stand any of them, and that was the main reason that made me stop reading. I couldn't make myself feel any sympathy towards them or root for them. Sybilla is an entitled, selfish, bored princess acting like a brat, Roger is just plain weird with his fascination for the dead and though I think he might have the best interest at heart, he just comes across creepy, and Harrod is just plain annoying with his rules and stuck-up-ness, He tries to control everyone and everything, starting with Roger. Why did he decide to play postman between Sybilla and Roger is beyond me because he clearly not really fond of his brother. Again, this might have been resolved later in the book, but at the point where I was, just didn't make sense at all.

All things said, I'm really sorry that The Resurrectionist of Caligo didn't work for me at all. I hope others will like it, but maybe because of the timing, or because I just didn't connect with anything I had to make the decision to walk away. When the only thing I like about a book is a little girl - Ada - then that's a sign that I might not be the right audience after all.

It was a nice story but I felt it was let down by the world building and it really seemed to shut down at the middle of the book, by that I mean full stop slow down , found it hard to get past the middle.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Resurrectionist of Caligo is the debut novel of Wendy Trimboli and Alicia Zaloga, and it was pretty good.

Our boy Roger is a “Man of Science” – or pretends to be one at least. At night, he digs up recently diseased people to sell to doctors to do science on. Sibylla is our local magic princess that glows in the dark and can make your skirt dirty. They loved each other once and still kinda do, but can’t be together. There’s a mysterious royal bastard and someone’s walking around murdering prostitutes.
Sounds great, right?

It was.
The characters are very memorable, even though, while I write this review, I have forgotten all of their names already. Aside of Ada. Ada is my daughter and I love her.
But, even if I don’t remember their names anymore, be assured they’re interesting.
The Resurrectionist of Caligo wasn’t about the kind of resurrection I thought it would be, but I’ll take it. It wasn’t bad, I just, for some reason, assumed there’d be some kind of zombie creatures or undead people in this and there weren’t.
But it had another one of my favourite tropes: The Resurrectionist of Caligo combined magic with science. It was dope. I love scientific approaches to “unexplainable” fantasy elements. If it’s done well, it can give your world so much more depth, and Trimboli and Zaloga have done an excellent job in this. It wasn’t filled with made-up scientific vocab or too in-depth, but it gave the world just this extra twist of reality (even though we’re talking about people spouting bubbles) that I appreciated.

Plot wise, it wasn’t the strongest I’ve ever read, but as a debut, it was pretty good. It felt stretched out too long for some parts (especially in the beginning) and some scenes didn’t make sense to me. But overall, it was not bad.
I have to say, I was very confused by how the emperor man just went along with everything. It gave me the feeling Trimboli and Zaloga pushed him along the adventures and regularly forgot he was even on scene.


All in all, this was a solid debut. I liked it a lot while reading it.
Had I written this review right after finishing it two weeks ago, this would have been a five-star review. But now that I thought about it a bit longer, I’ve started to question a lot of plot points.
Still, very enjoyable.

A fantastic tale of science and magic. Set in a Victorianesc world, the two points of view of Sybilla and Roger twist together in numerous ways with both of them fighting back against the position that society has put them in. Roger in particular was relatable with his desperate desire to become a surgeon through any means. I really liked the way that in this world, science and magic really do combine. The book as a whole was compelling and well written. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys their fantasies with a splash of humour and a dash of history.

I thoroughly enjoyed the world building and the characters, especially Roger, Ada and Princess Sibet. It was so good I read it in one sitting. If you like Victorian gothic mysteries you'll enjoy this one. I hope that this becomes a series because I would love to revisit this world again.

The resurrectionist of caligo is a murder mystery with fantasy elements combining magic & science.
Roger Weathersby a body snatcher who is a man of science and refuses to believe in magic or magic beings at the start but seems awfully superstitious anyway carrying garlic and other charms to ward the creatures off. I loved him as a character he was hilarious “That belongs to my stiff, you imp.” Saying to a young girl who tried to steal something whilst in the process of robbing a dead body 😂😂

Princess Sibylla has magical powers she’s inherited through her bloodline and has had dealings with roger in the past (they don’t get along).
Sibylla was a brilliant character rebellious, sharp witted and clever. The magic system using the ink was fascinating.
We see from both POVs life for Roger on the streets and Sibylla in the palace, there’s also a gruesome series of murders that have taken place.

The writing is sharp, quick and full of suspense that keeps you engaged. Dark humour I’m not sure if I was supposed to be laughing but I did. Out loud on more than one occasion.

Mystery, magic, murder, romance, betrayal, humour, science, action and some politics thrown in for good measure - everything and more I look for in a story, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to angry robot publishing and netgalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. .

The Resurrectionist of Caligo is a gothic fantasy with Victorian England overtones, Jack-the-Ripper type murders, political intrigue, a bit of romance, and some magic tossed into the mix. It’s a delight to read with an original plot, inventive vocabulary, unique world-building, and compelling characters. I was immediately drawn into this world.

Roger Weathersby scrapes out a living by robbing graves to give to medical schools while he dreams of becoming a doctor. (As a physician who’s dissected cadavers, this was quite appealing. There’s his junior side-kick, Ada, who he calls Ghostofmary. Then there’s the headstrong Princess Sibylla, a distant-heir to the throne of Myrcnia. The royal family rules by divine right and the aid of their magical skills.

I loved the magic, the struggle between science and magic., and the political intrigue that develops when the Emperor of Kalishka pays a state visit to Myrncnia. The descriptions of the capital city of Myrcnia, Caligo, are excellent.

Roger Weathersby barely scrapes by making a living out of stealing corpses for medical schools, dreaming that one day, he’ll be a reputable doctor that saves lives. But when he’s framed for a murder of one of his steals, he is forced to reunite with an old friend to save the city and, hopefully, clear his name. The old friend in question is none of than Princess Sibylla, who returns to her childhood city on request of her Queen grandmother, who is keen to see she is married off to her cousin to further their magical bloodline. But when her own suspicions tie in with Roger’s situation, it’s up to them to save the country before it’s torn apart.

I’m not going to lie, this was quite a surprising read. The Resurrectionist of Caligo is quite intriguing. The royal family of Myrcnia rule by divine right due to their magical skills that comes from their bloodline. Everyone has a different ability, and due to it only being manifested in a person’s biology, the reigning Queen is quite hellbent on making sure it stays in the family. And that means killing off any illegitimate children and only allowing marriages within the family. And this has Sibylla on edge because her half-brother is hidden within the city and she is sure Queen is close to discovering his identity. Roger is in a strange position where in the town, the people are restless, and science is growing and questioning the supremacy of the magical users. A Resurrectionist is simply a cooler term for grave snatcher in the name of science. And Roger begins to notice a pattern in the corpses he has been collecting and the victims of a well-known strangler who has been terrorising the women of Caligo.

I loved the magical features and the development of the political intrigue of this universe. But, the world-building is a hit or miss situations where within Myrcnia, and its capital Caligo, it is quite packed with a lot of detail. I was quite impressed with the quasi-Victorian design that is set up. Trimboli and Zaloga draw on the challenges of the Victorian-era lifestyle, echoing a steampunk design, which creates the Myrcnia’s landscape. A pivot part of Sibylla’s arc is her interaction with the neighbouring country, but I was disappointed how bland they were in comparison. You get a lot of rich detail within the city, but they’ve resorted to merely being the outsiders, and it just didn’t sit well with me.

I personally loved Sibylla and Roger as characters in their own right, but the story really hinges on their childhood connection and, personally, I never really caught on to what drew them together. And a lot of their communication is passed between Roger’s half-brother, who is also Sibylla’s warden. They appear to despise each other, and there’s little given to understand their connection, aside from their forced situation.

Overall, I found The Resurrectionist of Caligo quite entertaining. It was quick, easy to read. The characters are great, I enjoyed the mix of comedy and mystery, and it was quite heart-warming in most scenes. The magic system is by far the most exciting aspect of this novel, but not as utilised as you would expect. But I would definitely be interested in checking out in any future sequels.

This was a hard read for me. I had a hard time with the world-building. There was not many descriptions of the setting. The novel does not pick up till later. The characters seemed very bland. However, the mystery itself was very intriguing. I recommend this for those that love steampunk and political intrigue!

The Resureccectionist of Caligo interested me since I am not usually a reader of fantasy thriller. The wold building of the author was competent and imaginative. I was most interested in the examination of the differences in class structure in the society based on magic. I always like books that delve into the deeper themes of life and human interaction while simultaneously entertaining. Fans of gothic fantasy will not be disappointed..

Science versus magic, and political shenanigans in a Gothic/Victorianesque setting. Roger Weathersby, a man of science, is the son of a palace servant who grew up with Princess Sibylla, magical granddaughter of the current queen. (The royals all have magic of one sort or another.) He wants to be a doctor, but has never been able to afford the tuition fees, so he learns what he can, when he can, and in the meantime ekes out a poor living as a bodysnatcher in the city of Caligo, digging up corpses to sell to medical schools, and also doing the occasional dissection. There's a murderer (a strangler) on the loose in the city and when Roger digs up a disturbing corpse, he realises that not all is as it seems with the victims. Strangulation is not the primary cause of death. Determined to find the killer, he's soon in over his head.

Sibylla fell in love with Roger when she was a girl, but after he took a payoff from her family to get out of her life, they have lost touch. She still remembers him as her first love, but is bitter and the manner of his leaving. She's desperately trying to avoid marrying her wimpy cousin in order to strengthen the magical royal line, so she's been sidelined for a couple of years in the care of a naval officer who is actually Roger's half-brother. She's summoned back to court to impress the Emperor of a powerful neighbouring country. There's court intrigue and magical goings on combined with a murder-mystery

Pros and cons. Pros first. Intriguing story, engaging characters, interesting worldbuilding. Cons, a bit of a slow start, but stick with it. I wish the name of the country, Myrcnia, was pronounceable. There's a family connection which is deliberately withheld by the author (long after the reader has worked it out) even though one of the viewpoint characters knows it all along. I'm not sure the information needs to be kept from the reader.

I enjoyed this, though I'm not sure what the future looks like for our main protagonists. There's no indication that there will be a sequel.

Fun read which was pretty enjoyable. New to me author but I will look for more. The story telling was told alternating between Roger and Sybyl.

Great read and thanks to netfalkey for letting me read!

Initially, I really didn't like Roger as a main character, as he's a bit of an arrogant dick. However, my sympathies for him grew as the story went on, and I really liked Sibet, and Harrold and all the characters at the Palace. There's a lot going on in the novel, but it gives you small morsels of the plot and allows you to put them together, and I found myself drawn in to the hunt for the killer, and how the were related to Sibet and her impending marriage. I also liked how magic was part of this world, but was minimised and seen suspiciously by the scientific-minded. The ending, while I felt was a bit rushed was satisfying, and laid the groundwork for a sequel, which I would definitely read. An enjoyable, yet darkly atmospheric tale of murder and magic.

When I read the synopsis, I thought that Roger and Sybilla would be a detective duo for a big portion of the book. I was surprised to find that this was not the case, and they only actually meet eachother around 75%. The synopsis gave too much away of the book in my opinion.

That aside, this book was very fun to read. Roger is a fun perspective to read from. Some of the twists I saw coming, but most of them I definitely didn't! The magic aspect was fun, and I enjoyed that it played a part in the ending. For sure recommend this one! 3.75 stars.