Our Lady of the Streets

Please note that this review may contain spoilers for earlier instalments of this series. You can read my reviews of these novels by clicking the links below:

The City’s Son | The Glass Republic

Our Lady of the Streets was written by Tom Pollock and first published in 2014. It forms the final instalment of The Skyscraper Throne Trilogy and is preceded by The City’s Son (2012) and The Glass Republic (2013). As the novel picks up on the cliff-hanger ending of the previous instalment, I would definitely recommend reading the novels in sequence if you want to have any idea of what is going on.

Everything went to Hell on the day that Mater Viae’s double dragged herself from London-Under-Glass. As she reclaimed her throne on top of Canary Wharf, the very streets began to sicken. Pavements seared, incinerating anyone unlucky enough to stand on them, and London was sealed off from the outside world. Those unlucky enough to be trapped there are easy prey for the cruel goddess’s masonry men.

Tied to the city, Beth soon realises that she is dying. Every time that she feeds, she absorbs more of Mater Viae’s corruption. Now, her body burns with fever and she struggles to perform even the simplest of tasks. She knows that if she can’t find a way to defeat Mater Viae soon, she will certainly die. However, she only has a fraction of the army that she had when she defeated Lord Reach and the enemy this time is so much more powerful.

Pen knows that she needs to do everything that she can to save her friend, even if it means facing the demons of her past. However, when she finally learns the true horror of Mater Viae’s plan, she realises that even this will not be enough. In order to stand a chance to defeat the Goddess of London, they will need the help of their oldest and most powerful of enemies. And such forces cannot be easily controlled…

The Glass Republic

Please note that this review may contain spoilers for The City’s Son. You can read my review of this novel [here].

The Glass Republic was written by Tom Pollock and first published in 2013. It is an urban fantasy story that focuses on a teenage girl’s adventure into a dystopian mirror world. The novel forms the second part of the The Skyscraper Throne series and carries on from where The City’s Son (2012) left off, so you need to read the books in sequence to fully appreciate what’s going on. The final instalment of the series – Our Lady of the Streets – was published in 2014.

Parva Khan, known as Pen to her friends, has returned to school a changed person. Her torture at the coils of the Wire Mistress has left her physically and mentally scarred and, without Beth for company, she no longer has anyone to hang around with. Her only friend is Parva – the girl in the mirror. Parva was created when Pen’s reflection was caught between two mirrors and has made a life for herself in the world behind the mirror, London-Under-Glass.

However, Parva’s life is shrouded in mystery. She hints to Pen that she has gotten a job somewhere but then disappears without a trace, leaving behind unmistakable signs of a struggle. Pen knows that she has to find some way to get to London-Under-Glass to save her sister but no one has ever travelled through the mirrors before. The only creatures that know how are the Chemical Synod and Pen knows from experience that their price could be more than she can pay.

Meanwhile, Beth is undergoing some strange changes. When her teeth start to turn into church spires, she realises that the transformation that Fil bought for her has not completed itself. However, some of Beth’s allies are concerned about what she is becoming. The similarities between her and Mater Viae are unmistakable, and there are those who do not wish for Our Lady of the Streets to return…

The City’s Son

The City’s Son was written by Tom Pollock and first published in 2012. It is an urban fantasy story that explores a world of fantastical creatures hidden within the streets of London. The novel forms the first part of The Skyscraper Throne series and is followed by The Glass Republic (2013) and Our Lady of the Streets (2014).

Beth Bradley is no stranger to being in trouble but this time she has taken things a little too far. Her best friend, Pen, has betrayed her and she’s found herself expelled from school. Not that her father especially cares. He retreated into himself after her mother’s death and no longer pays any attention to anything that his daughter does.

Escaping to her private place, Beth tries to think of what she can do next. However, the answer soon comes to her in the form of a spectral train. Beth doesn’t understand why the Railwraith appears before her but she decides to accept its invitation to ride. Unfortunately her adventure doesn’t last long. When her Railwraith is attacked by a larger train, she is rescued by a mysterious boy with skin the colour of the pavement.

Filius Viae is the Crown Prince of London. He’s the only child of the Lady of the Streets – the Goddess who created London – and has been trying his hardest to rule over it in the years since her disappearance. His mother’s greatest enemy – Reach, the Crane King – has been growing in strength and now Fil needs that he needs to rally and army and take him down. Although he is close to giving up, Beth’s confidence and bravery rekindle his own. Working together, perhaps there is a chance to destroy Reach before he rebuilds London in his own image.