Loved this fever-dream of a book. It's like a weird and dark and surreal Wonderland/never-was version of England, peopled by strange beasts and strange people. Glorious and intricate, and absolutely mesmerizing the deeper I got into the world and into the mind and history of Cady. Cannot wait for the next book!

An immersive and engrossing experience! This book felt like a twisted creation of the classic Jim Henson films mixed with Guillermo Del Toro. Readers are transported into an incredibly strange world where ‘people’ are not people but ‘other’ things. Mythic lore and magic runs rampant throughout and all the while you’re seeing it through the lens of a bitter ‘old lady’ who had journeyed many time and doesn’t take any crap from anyone.

The world is the highlight here. There’s not much to keep you grounded in reality, so if you truly want to escape into a strange universe Gogmagog is the way to go.

I really did enjoy it and the audiobook narration was also exceptional.

Definitely for the fans of Gaiman, VanderMeer, and even a touch of Tolkien for the depth of the lore.

Utterly brilliant! The world is so well thought through and complex and so beautifully brought to life!

Our main character Cady Meade is a foul mouthed, outspoken, retired sailor. She is utterly disgusting but that’s why I loved her!
A robotic humanoid and a young alien girl are looking for Cady. Renowned for her navigation and skill sailing on the River Nysis, they need Cady to sail them safely through the sixty mile long ghost of a dragon. (Yes, you read that correctly. And literally too! Through the brain, through the kidneys, all of it! It’s truly magical)

However this ghost has taken ill, and so the river is perilous, but the young alien girl’s life may depend on this journey.

Most of the novel is set on one day. The journey itself upriver. You will meet a variety of bizarre creatures, some gone mad with the sickness. The characters are so well rounded, thought through and brought to life. You can picture aliens you’ve never heard of before, see the coast of a land you’ve never been and feel the emotions of these characters and they truly become a family during this journey.

The ending is very much up in the air. Cady is conflicted by everything that she has learnt on their journey, and we leave them as they approach the gates to the city. I cannot wait for the next book in the series! I need to know what happens next!!

I loved this first part of the Gogmagog duology
The characters are very real and relatable.
the plot is fantastical and fast moving
A whole new world that had me engrossed.