B Squared Book Blog

Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant

Tony Cliff

Delilah Dirk is a woman of many talents. She has a flying boat, can open any lock, is proficient in many forms of combat, and there is no place she can not escape from. Along with Mr. Selim, the Turkish Lieutenant from the title, they break out of the palace in Constantinople, steal from a very angry pirate captain by stealing some of his loot, and end up being chased by his thugs across most of Italy.

I thought this was a super cool book. I loved Delilah, and her sense of invincibility, daring, and just overall bad-assery. I love it when books create a female character who is feminine and yet doesn't have to play a certain role, and I really found Delilah to fit that bill. This reminds me a bit of a female Sherlock Holmes and Mr. Selim is playing Dr. Watson. Mr. Selim is a character I really liked, dragged between two worlds... the world of adventure with Delilah, and the world of all he's ever known. His growth through the book really made me happy, and I enjoyed his naivete and his ability to adapt. 

The art was great, and it really helped sell the story for me. The colors were awesome, and it really made the story flow. The characters are very distinct and you can really get a feel for their personalities through their facial expressions. 

I would highly recommend this book to adventure buffs and people who are not afraid of strong female characters who kick butt!