Scan barcode
cutenanya's review against another edition
5.0
If not for the ending, I would give it a perfect 5-star rating, at the moment, the rating stands at 4.5. What I love most about this book is the ingenuity of creating a mystery within a mystery. Also, I think Horowitz has been really successful in recreating the atmosphere of the golden age period while not forgetting the fact that we're in the 21st century instead of the early 20th century.
While I have praises for the book and really enjoyed the story, it's not without its problems. First and foremost, the main narrator of the book (there are two and I'm referring to the heroine) is not particularly endearing and the end just made me want to wring her neck. All the other characters are not particularly lovable either and the conclusion! I think Horowitz should just end the novel at the point where the Punt's story ended and need not drag us out into the real world and get us to only hate the heroine more.
Another interesting aspect of this book is how Horowitz inserts excerpts from the plot of other books in the Punt series. I personally think this is a very clever idea as spices up an otherwise ordinary plot. Yet, I can also see readers hating these excerpts as they lead to nowhere and deviate from the main story.
To conclude, I love Magpie Murders and I would certainly recommend this book to other readers, but I'm a fan of Horowitz and so maybe more lenient when I deliver my rating of this book. Still, I appreciate his efforts at trying something new instead of repeating the same formula over and over again.
While I have praises for the book and really enjoyed the story, it's not without its problems. First and foremost, the main narrator of the book (there are two and I'm referring to the heroine) is not particularly endearing and the end just made me want to wring her neck. All the other characters are not particularly lovable either and the conclusion! I think Horowitz should just end the novel at the point where the Punt's story ended and need not drag us out into the real world and get us to only hate the heroine more.
Another interesting aspect of this book is how Horowitz inserts excerpts from the plot of other books in the Punt series. I personally think this is a very clever idea as spices up an otherwise ordinary plot. Yet, I can also see readers hating these excerpts as they lead to nowhere and deviate from the main story.
To conclude, I love Magpie Murders and I would certainly recommend this book to other readers, but I'm a fan of Horowitz and so maybe more lenient when I deliver my rating of this book. Still, I appreciate his efforts at trying something new instead of repeating the same formula over and over again.
mcdannyb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
deereader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
camam4's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ilsaibodie65's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.5
scnole2021's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tiffthelibrarian's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Murder
gabbydev's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
pagesofkim's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book! The best mystery I've ever read! A masterpiece.