A Review of "Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments" (audiobook) by T.L. Huchu

Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by T.L. Huchu is the second book in a series. Ropa Moyo, our protagonist, is a ghost talker and takes on odd jobs helping the deceased finish their unfinished business. She lives in a caravan in the slums with her grandmother and little sister. She wants nothing more than a better future for her family. In this installment, she is hired by a hospital to help figure out why some schoolboys are falling sick. She also comes across a fortune hunter who wants her to help prove an inheritance. In an alternate reality, after a worldwide catastrophe, magic and cell phones coexist on the streets of Edinburgh, and Ropa repeatedly finds herself in altercations with gangs, magicians, and bureaucrats.

I don’t usually read sequels without having read the first book in a series. I don’t like risking that I might get lost in some of the details, nor do I particularly like going back to read the first book when I know a lot of the exposition or backstory. However, I made an exception here, and I am pleased I did. I enjoyed this story. The author struck a good balance in bringing the new reader up to speed on what happened in the first book without overburdening with exposition. It’s gritty, has a good voice as told in first person from Ropa, and feels real despite the magic and the alternate reality setting. I love that we have a strong female lead and no romance subplot. That can be hard to find in books meant for this age group. I appreciated the representation, and it was handled well. I also enjoyed the narrator who did a great job bringing Ropa to life, as well as the other characters. I will look forward to the next installment of T.L. Huchu’s series and would recommend this to urban fantasy and paranormal fans.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley.

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