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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Fascinating plot, particularly interesting to me for its Lincolnshire setting. It's on my every-Christmas reading list along with A Christmas Carol and The Bird's Christmas Carol.
I simply am too confused by bell-ringing mathematics lol.
Investigator Peter Wimsey stumbles into the sleepy village of Fenchurch St. Paul three months before an unidentified body is discovered in someone else's grave. Nine Tailors is charming and engaging. It's not the sort of mystery which, Holmes-style, the reader can solve, but twists are smart and easy to follow. The characters are proactively engaged with the mystery, yet given comical voices--it's unexpectedly wry, consistently humorous, and dialog is a delight. Over this, Sayers lays deft metaphors (the intricate bell-ringing, the rising river waters) and a strong sense of place. Nine Tailors is the epitome of a cozy mystery, self-aware and smartly written. I just wish I liked this genre! I dislike humor and I prefer my mysteries in short form or visual media, so while I admire this book it failed to click for me. Nonetheless, it's a great way to try out the series.
As I've completed Agatha Christie's work, and am having difficulty tracking down Ngaio Marsh books, I took my first look at Dorothy L. Sayers. I enjoyed this book, for many of the same reasons I loved Christie so much. Great characters, clever whodunit, and a fascinating glimpse into early 20th century British country life.
The Nine Tailors are literally the bells of Fenchurch St. Paul, the setting of the book. The beginning of the book was a bit tedious with explanation of change-ringing in the Anglican church. Once Sayers moved past that, the story began to unfold and was engaging from that point on.
I found the dialog to be witty and especially enjoyed the character of Lord Peter Wimsey. I am excited to read more of Sayer's work.
SECOND READ 2012:
Loved it even more the second time. Knowing how it ends allowed me to see the brilliant hints Sayers drops throughout, making her work even more laudable.
The Nine Tailors are literally the bells of Fenchurch St. Paul, the setting of the book. The beginning of the book was a bit tedious with explanation of change-ringing in the Anglican church. Once Sayers moved past that, the story began to unfold and was engaging from that point on.
I found the dialog to be witty and especially enjoyed the character of Lord Peter Wimsey. I am excited to read more of Sayer's work.
SECOND READ 2012:
Loved it even more the second time. Knowing how it ends allowed me to see the brilliant hints Sayers drops throughout, making her work even more laudable.
This wasn’t my favorite of the Sayers books. It felt like it needed tighter editing and maybe 100 fewer pages. The mystery seemed complex on the surface but was actually fairly easy to solve. I wanted to be interested in the bell theme, but it just didn’t work for me. Happy to have read it but not one I would return to.
It does contain a couple of anti-Semitic statements.
It does contain a couple of anti-Semitic statements.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don't reread this one often, because a little information about English bell ringing goes a long way, though it is important to the plot and some of it is interesting. The mystery is a good one, and the characters who appear only in this book are interesting. Recommended, especially if you want to read a lot of the series.
mysterious
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No