threemonkeys | Seventy Eight miles to another universe (Reply)

Christopher Fowler and urban fantasy set in London. They just go together. Except that Calabash is set in a small seaside resort town which has a gateway to another universe. It is almost like Fowler wants to write a Charles De Lint novel. The "almost" is that this is one of those stories where the reality of the other world is in question. Is it real or is it a creation in the mind of the map obsessed* main character. It is a pretty good book. I enjoyed it. I just didn't enjoy it as much as other Christopher Fowler novels. The missing element is London. The city has always been a presence in his books. The seaside town is evoked nicely but does not have the impact that London brings.

*The main character is withdrawn and obsessed by ancient civilisation as well as maps but I thought that "map obsessed" might draw