Gotcha. I think if it was just Bourne with spells (badass amnesiac kick-punches eldritch horrors into oblivion, etc.) it wouldn't have resonated with me quite as much as it did. The MC is actually a bureaucrat, not a field agent, and at points it's a flat-out comedy of manners. It's actually kind of hard to properly…

Absolutely. Dark and sad but also uniquely dry and funny in a very British way (even though the author is, I think, Australian). I've been impatient for a second book from the author ever since I finished it.

I'm actually kind of curious what you mean by "that sort of thing" - fantasy novels in general, or specifically ones with a romantic aspect?

She works at a spy agency and has to convince everyone that she's still the person she doesn't remember being.

Also, it's hilarious and easily one of my all-time favorite books. I think if you enjoy Stross when he's in humor-mode, this will totally scratch that itch for you.

Funny story: there's absolutely no romance in the book. No, really!

Oh, also, pretty sure this is where I read about the semi-autobiographical stuff: http://levgrossman.com/2011…

Yeah, I mean, I do know that all the self-loathing and depression is pretty autobiographical.

I totally read this as a hint Alice might be back. Julia's story in book two was part of why I liked that better than the first one, so I'd love it if 1) Alice is somehow back and 2) we get some of the story from her perspective.

Although this is an interesting interpretation, Grossman has talked pretty publicly about his love of YA fiction - if I remember correctly, he's part of a "YA for adults" book club - so I doubt that's actually his intent.