How to Survive Camping: The Lady in Chains by Bonnie Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Goat Valley Campground still stands after the near catastrophic events of the previous book, but things aren’t getting easier for Kate. New creatures are arriving, and some of the old ones are starting to act strange. Territory disputes place campers, employees, and Kate’s family in danger. And things seem to be spreading outside the campground. Can Kate figure out what is going on, why the Lady in Chains has returned (and wants her dead), how to keep her campers alive, and not allow her campground to go into the red all the while?
If you’ve been around a while, you will know why I adore books like this. I love when there are supernatural, inhuman creatures living in our world, uneasily alongside humanity. I love when there are rules that needed to be followed, traditional tales to be heeded. And How to Survive Camping provides that in spades. Add in some fun human characters, a creepy yet cozy setting, and a book within a book, and you’ve got a winning combination for making Rebecka very happy. So much so that I read this in two sittings, while I should have been, I don’t know, sleeping, for example.
Kate is our main character again, with a first person point of view. She remains determined, brave (or perhaps foolhardy), and angry. Angry that this is her lot in life, angry her family has to pay such a high price, angry that things just won’t calm down around Goat Valley, no matter how hard she works. This anger can make her difficult sometimes, but it also makes her determined, keeps her alive. Despite the anger, she shows compassion, and genuinely and perhaps cursedly (is that a word? If not, I’m making it up) loves her land and wants to keep everyone and everything on it at peace.
The creatures were fascinating and fun to learn about. There are returning players, like the Man With the Skull Cup and the Lady With Extra Eyes. And there were some new players introduced as well. The Harvesters were really cool, visually and in regards to how they operate (pun intended). The Lady in Chains was a sinister and imposing presence. I love that this series doesn’t limit itself to one culture to pull its creatures from, rather allowing us to experience a global collection drawn to the land that Kate manages. And some wholly original creations too, of course.
Ah, the land. Goat Valley Campground. I love this setting. It is clearly dangerous, especially when the rules aren’t followed, and there are some places that could be charitably described as foreboding. And yet, I always feel so cozy visiting there in my imagination. Maybe because it is a campground and many find camping cozy (I’ve never been, and I don’t really ever want to if I’m honest, so my love of the camping here is purely from a distance). Perhaps because it is described so lovingly. It is as unpredictable as its inhabitants, and I love how everchanging it seems to be. The setting is taken full advantage of in the story, and it really feels as if the inhabitants actually live there. It isn’t just static in the background.
As for the story, it was really good. I think I’d still give the first one the gold in this regard, but this was a fantastic follow up. It added more to the story that we have been and will be following. More lore and history was cleared up, both for us as readers and for Kate as the protagonist. It is definitely leading to more. It felt fast paced, perhaps more so than the first, and there were a lot of threads to follow, but they all contributed to the story overall, weaving together an engaging web (again, pun intended). If you liked the first one, I think you’ll like this one too.
Overall, I gave this four stars. It felt like there was just a little something missing, keeping it from the five, but I honestly couldn’t say what it was. Just a preference for me perhaps. It was more of the same, but in the best way possible, and I cannot wait for the third book to release. I never read these when they were Reddit stories, so I am completely, brilliantly, along for the ride with no prior knowledge. If you enjoyed the first one, I think you will enjoy this, and if you’ve not read the first one, but this all sounds interesting to you, give the first (The Man With No Shadow) a go. You can thank me later.
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Rebecka O'Malley 