Freedom of the Mask

I usually balk at endings like this, endings that ring of, "To be continued in our next episode." And, this would be the second Corbett book in a row to do this. However, there is enough of a resolution and a change to the conflict at the end of this chapter of the Corbett series, that I'm going to let it go. I feel satisfied.

Unlike with The Providence Rider, I'm not ready to put Corbett down for a few weeks, but alas, I've committed to alternate between fiction and non-fiction this year. I chose about the shortest non-fiction book in my queue, so I can get to Cardinal Black as quickly as possible. :)

I like how the title of this book and the motif it creates are woven throughout this story. It doesn't just show up as a single passing quote from a character. The mask is important here because the anonymity is empowering, and we see several characters lose their masks in this novel.

There were times when I thought, "Oh for crying out loud. Do we really need this detour? Can't he just...?" But, I found the detours and the characters integrated well into the overarching Professor Fell storyline, and I like the new characters. One other review I've read mentioned that this book has a "slow burn" until the end, and I agree.

In the end, we see significant changes to Fell's empire and to Matthew's key relationships. I particularly liked Pie Puddin and Rory Keen but I doubt we'll see them in future novels. Both characters had more depth than one might expect for small players, and they, along with others, highlight that the world is grey. We often want to think of people as good and evil, but we all have some of both in us. Even Matthew is not completely clean.