slow

Nazi eugenics, anarchists, and an epileptic detective with PTSD. Shockingly, not as strange or thrilling as it sounds, especially based on the blurb, but still a satisfying listen.
First, a note on the narration. The narrator was very good, but often fell into some intense vocal fry. Which isn't my favorite sound ever, but you do kind of get used to it.
The story was slow, but solid. The plot was interesting enough (I'm not a huge fan of stuff set in this time period, but it was so atmospheric and the setting so well drawn that I was sucked in, anyway), and the main character was bland but relatable, and quite likable, even. The secondary characters were hit or miss in terms of development, and I feel like the other hero of the story, the female anarchist (and her brother, who served as little more than a plot device, which was not cool) got short changed a bit.
The ending was satisfying. A little anticlimactic, maybe, but that actually suited the tone of the book. There was this underlying theme of fighting against the inevitable, and knowing that bad things are coming, but still not giving up. It was less inspirational and more of a bit of sad realism. I appreciated that.
This is a case where you can judge a book by its cover, at least a little. The grey, dreary, fog covering the city also permeates the story.
It was good, but I think the reader has to be in a certain mindframe to get the most out of it. I listened at work, which probably was not the best choice, but I still enjoyed it.
Oh, also, I love that Gaudí made an appearance :)

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