Reviews

Tombland by C.J. Sansom

eleni12's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

4.0

didactylos's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

And so thee series ends, triumphantly brought to a close.

tvrandhavane's review against another edition

3.0

This book is too long! Oh, that's not all bad, Sansom definitely has something to say and I can see how it can make a good read. Many people who are interested in the day-to-day life of the Tudor era will like this book and will give it 5 stars. I personally found the details a bit too much and given the length of the book, a bit unnecessary. A more concise version would've been more enjoyable. Another issue that I faced was that Sansom wanted to bind one mystery (fiction) into an actual historical event and for the first time, couldn't manage it quite smoothly. However, that would have been a minor issue if the book was smaller. Given its current length, it's just not worth the time I needed to put in (37 hrs audiobook). I give it three stars for building a convincing picture of the Tudor era.

mirandaaaa's review

emotional informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Not so subtle flex but I managed to read this wedge without breaking the spine at all. Also petition for ‘churl’ to become popular as an insult again please. 

I love the characterisation of everyone in this series. Despite it being 800+ pages long, which made me a little apprehensive, due to Sansom’s writing you get quickly immersed and the pages whizz by. I really like that throughout the series you gain a more developed understanding of all the characters and those that appear in previous books don’t just disappear once ended. Reading this, felt like coming back to some old friends and I really like the way Sansom has achieved this. They are all highly plausible and complex characters which is very clever indeed and I am a little sad that I have finally finished the series, mayhaps a reread now?? 

In itself, without the connection to the characters and the series the book was pretty meh. It isn’t nearly as good as the previous ones with a combination of political retelling and the classic murder which made it fall a bit flat. It felt like Sansom, at times, forgot that a murder case was playing out and then quickly added stuff in. Also, the final ‘reveal’ fell flat, it was like politics politics oh yeah btw I figured out who it was and that was kind of it?? Rather rushed the lady doth thinks. 
I also felt like Matthew Shardlake was used as a way to describe the little written about Kett’s rebellion. Which is worthy but it did feel like he was placed there rather tenuously by Sansom and there were times in the book where it felt rather tell don’t show. Difficult to describe but it just felt stilted.

In all for fans of Shardlake, a good immersion into the world but if placed outside of the series a bit flat albeit still enjoyable.

isabookabel's review against another edition

Went home and left book at wrong house.

m1nature's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and War

Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence

kingarooski's review against another edition

3.0

Further adventures of Matthew Shardlake during the Norwich rebellion 1549. I enjoyed this book, although it was rather long. The historical detail was admirable, though the essay at the end was a bit too much. I was also happy not to have to read/listen to more haughty and arrogant utterances from Sir Richard Rich, but found the Boleyn twins just as irritating. I suppose that's the reaction the author would have wanted. Jack Barack was in true form, though and I found myself growing more fond of Nicholas Overton.

I love, love the narration by Steven Crossley, though. I think my whole enjoyment of the Shardlake novels has been increased by his performances throughout the series.

I wonder if we will have more of Matthew Shardlake's adventures in the future.

ehstarsong's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

thedeadwoods's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

walkingunund's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0