The House of Mountfathom by Nigel McDowell

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 384

Publisher: Hot Key Books 

Released: 9th of March 2017 

Luke Mountfathom knows he is special and odd. He is told so by everyone he knows. His parents are special and odd too - they are the keepers of the House of Mountfathom, a magnificent stately home where the wrong door could take you to a far away land, and strange animals appear to stalk the grounds at midnight. The house is his home - but it is also the headquarters of the Driochta, a magic-weaving group of poets, artists, politicians and activists charged with keeping the peace in Ireland. They have many powers - have mastered Mirror-Predicting and Smoke-Summoning and Storm-Breaching - and a final ability: that of Mogrifying; taking on a unique animal form.

But Luke's idyllic existence at Mountfathom cannot last. Word reaches the House of protests across Ireland. There is a wish for independence, a rising discontent and scenes of violence that even the Driochta cannot control. In Dublin, death and disease is running rife in the tenements; a darkness is clogging the air, and is intent on staying. And when things quickly spin out of control for the Driochta, it is up to Luke, his cat Morrigan and his best friend Killian to worm out the heart of the evil in their land.

What I Have to Say 

This was another book that I just couldn't get into. I liked the opening, with the magic of the house and the way it was written, but after that, not much seemed to happen for most of the book. It was just Luke growing up and learning magic with a couple of adventures scattered in. I have to admit that I was completely bored. 

It's a real shame because I really liked the way that the magic system worked. I love the house and the way that it was all blended in with Irish history. 

It was a story that I could have really enjoyed if more had just happened in it. But as it was all the action was left until the last bit of the book and by that time I just wanted to finish with it and move onto something else. 

I really wish I could have liked this book, but I just didn't. 

My thanks go to Netgalley and Hot Key Books for providing me with this copy for review.