Reviews

Lewismannen by Peter May

amkenney's review against another edition

4.0

This was the second in the Lewis Trilogy, and I liked it as much as the first one. I really enjoyed how the author told the backstory as memories of Marsaili's father, who is suffering from dementia, but, as is often the case, has very clear memories of his early life. Looking forward to the third book in this series.

gadrake's review against another edition

4.0

This is the second novel in the Lewis Trilogy. The first book was so outstanding that I immediately sought out this second novel. It, too, is a most satisfying read, but does seem a tad more emotionally detached. While it can stand alone, I do recommend reading "The Blackhouse" first due to some references to that story. This trilogy has a rare setting in the Isle of Lewis which is highly interesting and shines light on a culture we don't hear much about.

shawn27's review against another edition

4.0

I am torn regarding Peter May. The books are like mysteries, but they are more like an unraveling of a story. All the information is slowly revealed to the reader, and you solve the mystery along with the main characters. The stories themselves are fairly pedestrian, but what I enjoy about these books is the characters and the setting. This book, and the first in the series Black House, are set on the Isle of Lewis off the west coast of Scotland. As a slice of life and history of those islands the books are outstanding. I also like the characters, flawed though they are. Fin McLeod is a poor unlucky bastard, but you start rooting for him to find some happiness and put his past behind him.

If you like a traditional mystery these are not for you. However, if anything I wrote above appeals to you, give them a try.

lubokrah's review against another edition

5.0

4,5*
opäť raz skvelý príbeh
ale Skála sa mi páčila o niečo viac :)

hpnyknits's review against another edition

4.0

Interesting details of island life and history of the people. One should really have read the first book in the series to understand the little details but not a must.
Another heart breaking aspect is the life of people with dementia.
And the knitting clues are cool too.

imijen's review against another edition

3.0

I did not find the central mystery as intriguing as in the first of the trilogy and I definitely don't think it was as strong a book overall, but I loved so much being returning to this part of the world, and all the wonderful atmospheric touches May adds to his descriptions of the land and its people. In fact, I enjoyed this part of the book so much that I think I'm going to start the final part of the trilogy immediately. It's a shame that there was little suspense in this book due to the flashbacks and the reader always being one step ahead of our "investigation", Fin. I was also fairly frustrated by what I thought was a repeat from the first book;

Spoiler

that is, the relationship between Johnny and Ceit as children felt like a complete copy of Fin and Marsailli's as childhood sweethearts. I think May needs to write both stronger female characters and stronger romantic relationships. This all felt more of the same...

. Most of all, I hope the main mystery is stronger and more tense in the final book.

rebeccakb's review against another edition

4.0

Equal to (at least) The Blackhouse for layers of sadness this book chronicles the life of an old man. Who he was, how he became that way and all the parts of life that remain hidden from those who know us best.

mjs242's review against another edition

5.0

Loved the first and second in this series. Wonderfully evocative place settings, and fascinating characters to follow. (I thought the 3rd one in the trilogy petered out but read it anyway to see how it wrapped up.)

marmot28's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

3.5

carene's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 stars, This is a great series and the narrator is excellent