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2.96 AVERAGE
2.96 AVERAGE
Really struggled to finish this book in all honesty. If it wasn’t for my stubbornness, I wouldn’t have! I’ve heard so many great things about Ruth Randell’s books, this being my first read of her work. I couldn’t get into the story at all. I found a lot of the parts had no meaning to the story and left me confused as to why they were included.
Read for RIM July 2025. First Ruth Rendell. First thought: this is VERY monied English. Second thought: what did any of these subplots have to do with the main story? I hung in there for the tension, which was ratcheted up to high, because all of these characters kept making such poor decisions. They were not bad enough to be bad guys, just making poor choices and then making more bad decisions trying to make up for the original choices. I guess we will have a lot to talk about in book club. Character growth not being one of them. LOL.
The dialogue is so short, with people saying exactly what the author needs them to in order to get to the next plot point without hemming or hawing, that this reads like a one-act play. This is the author's last novel before she died...perhaps she felt rushed. I felt like I was reading a puppet show, with paper-thin characters who could present just a couple of simple emotions
2 stars
Was not a fan of this, not sure why at the moment, maybe I'll update this review when I can work out why I don't like it.
Was not a fan of this, not sure why at the moment, maybe I'll update this review when I can work out why I don't like it.
Pretty good. Got a good feel for London in this book. Interesting ending.
Not her best, but a good entry. It does feel rough, in particular with the fact that you want everyone to die except for the retired couple.
Stephen King thought this was worth reading? It wasn't a thriller, it wasn't suspenseful, and it wasn't even interesting.
My first Ruth Rendell, and her last. It will also be my last.
I love Ruth Rendell for the dark places she explores, the quality of her writing, and the depth of her characters. Every Rendell villian is quite unique.
But in this, her final short book, she violates Chekhov's principle at every turn. To rehearse that idea, every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements should be removed.
In this book, a minor character saves a busload of people from a bomb. Effect on the plot and the character? Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Irrelevant to the book. Why was this included?
Another minor character is kidnapped by persons unknown for reasons the author never really explains. Her kidnappers flee for unexplained reasons and the captive escapes. To compound all the inexplicable motives that all of the characters in this book deploy, the kidnap victim refuses to tell her own family and the police of her kidnapping. I mean really? To re-iterate: Effect on the plot and the character? Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Irrelevant to the book.
All of the protaganists in this book are either idiotically weak, or unbelievable. Their motives are incomprehensible and inane. This book reads like Rendell had a few plot ideas for a few more books, but her estate decided to throw them all together into an incompetent mishmash for one last hurrah.
If you love Rendell, do not read this book.
But in this, her final short book, she violates Chekhov's principle at every turn. To rehearse that idea, every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements should be removed.
In this book, a minor character saves a busload of people from a bomb. Effect on the plot and the character? Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Irrelevant to the book. Why was this included?
Another minor character is kidnapped by persons unknown for reasons the author never really explains. Her kidnappers flee for unexplained reasons and the captive escapes. To compound all the inexplicable motives that all of the characters in this book deploy, the kidnap victim refuses to tell her own family and the police of her kidnapping. I mean really? To re-iterate: Effect on the plot and the character? Nothing. Zip. Zero. Nada. Irrelevant to the book.
All of the protaganists in this book are either idiotically weak, or unbelievable. Their motives are incomprehensible and inane. This book reads like Rendell had a few plot ideas for a few more books, but her estate decided to throw them all together into an incompetent mishmash for one last hurrah.
If you love Rendell, do not read this book.