I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I have read it three times, and I still give it a 3 star rating. I want to rate it higher, but it always ends up at 3. Maybe 3 1/2 if I could do half stars, but alas I cannot.

Things I love: The Bodleian. Oxford. Matthew's home (England and France). Ysabeau and Marthe. Hamish. Marcus. The Knights.
Things I don't love: The ridiculousness of the villains and how everything is drawn out--overly so. The Congregation. Diana.

It's a testament to the series that I enjoy it while not loving the main character. She makes questionable decisions left and right and seems determined to make her life harder while being a general pain in the ass. But the plot is good and it is a great mix of genres rolled up into an intriguing plot line around an enchanted manuscript that has the entire paranormal world of creatures and humans up in arms. Most of the other characters make up for it. Also, I like my book boyfriends to be bossy and overbearing, apparently, because I don't hate Matthew. In real life I would have told him to go away and leave me alone, but it works in the book.

Good start to the trilogy. Read it if you haven't already.