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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Couldn't put it down, and the killer not revealed till the last page but one. Very satisfying and I wonder if some of that is the mystery and town are foregrounded and Lord Peter isn't. Well written, well plotted, and with admirable exploration of the dark corners of human hearts. Plus, a delightful clever girl in Hilary Thorpe, who I hope to see again.
There's something about this novel that just makes it feel very dated in a way that Sayer's contemporaries don't. The society is just so unfamiliar that it's a little unsettling. And I guess that might be because we are following along with a Lord and not just a common detective or neighbourhood busybody. I'm not sure I like Wimsey, but maybe I'm missing something from earlier books that makes him more likeable.
Not to say that it wasn't well written, though it did drag on for quite awhile before we even got to the dead body.
Not to say that it wasn't well written, though it did drag on for quite awhile before we even got to the dead body.
my dad says this was his favorite LPW book, and I think others agree. I enjoyed the setting and the bells, but figured out "who done it" earlier than I usually do and focus the end just dragged. Still, I would rather drag along with Sayers than gallop with most authors.
4 1/2 stars. Once I had reached the end of the second chapter (60+ pages), and there were was still no dead body, I realized I needed to adjust my expectations. Yes, this is detective fiction/murder mystery, but the book is about much more than that. This is not a fast-paced, plot-driven novel, and that's why I liked it so much. The mystery is set against a backdrop of change ringing (church bells) in the post-WW1 English countryside. I had no idea that bell ringing was so complicated - I just read an entire book about it and still feel like I know absolutely nothing, but it was an interesting setting for a story. The ending was unexpected and really wonderful and elevated the book from 4 to 4 1/2 - I suspect I may decide to raise it to 5 after I've sat with it for a while - I can't stop thinking about it.
This book surprised me. I was expecting a more fast-paced and less literary work, but this is no Agatha Christie. It is well researched and even when it goes in some different directions everything ends up tying together in the end (not to say Agatha Christie is not good, just that they are very different sort of writers).
I really enjoyed Lord Wimsey, the Rector, Mr. Venables, and Hilary Thorpe although I wish she'd been in the story a bit more because she seemed like a good detective in her own right.
I also learned so much about change ringing (since I knew nothing about it before), the fens in Eastern England, and rural England. It's a great read, well researched, and well written. I enjoyed Sayer's style, but found it a little slow to get to the point sometimes. It is not a snappy book like today's mysteries or Christies, but still worth checking out. Sayer has sharp and sometimes witty prose with lots of detailed description. There was a little more about change ringing in it than I ever needed to know, but I still found it interesting although some readers might find the time spent on it tedious. T
The ending somehow surprised me, although I read it over the course of a month so if you read it faster you might not find it all that surprising especially considering the title of the book is The Nine Tailors. I was both maddened and pleased with the twist. The bells also act as a character in the novel in their own right (much like setting does this in other novels) which I hadn't seen before and thought it worked really well. The ending was neat, but not too neat which I appreciated.
Another thing I liked about this book was the era. It is set just after World War I (1920s) and this played critical role in the plot. I thought the author used the period to her advantage-- athough some parts of the plot felt a little cliche I believe this is only because it is only because I'm reading it in 2022 (about 100 years later!) rather than when it was written so some of the tropier plot points wouldn't have been so trope-y then-- if you get what I mean.
Anyway, definitely check this one out! It's cool if your into this era and want to read a murder mystery that leans a little more literary. It's a fun and unexpected book.
I really enjoyed Lord Wimsey, the Rector, Mr. Venables, and Hilary Thorpe although I wish she'd been in the story a bit more because she seemed like a good detective in her own right.
I also learned so much about change ringing (since I knew nothing about it before), the fens in Eastern England, and rural England. It's a great read, well researched, and well written. I enjoyed Sayer's style, but found it a little slow to get to the point sometimes. It is not a snappy book like today's mysteries or Christies, but still worth checking out. Sayer has sharp and sometimes witty prose with lots of detailed description. There was a little more about change ringing in it than I ever needed to know, but I still found it interesting although some readers might find the time spent on it tedious. T
The ending somehow surprised me, although I read it over the course of a month so if you read it faster you might not find it all that surprising especially considering the title of the book is The Nine Tailors. I was both maddened and pleased with the twist. The bells also act as a character in the novel in their own right (much like setting does this in other novels) which I hadn't seen before and thought it worked really well. The ending was neat, but not too neat which I appreciated.
Another thing I liked about this book was the era. It is set just after World War I (1920s) and this played critical role in the plot. I thought the author used the period to her advantage-- athough some parts of the plot felt a little cliche I believe this is only because it is only because I'm reading it in 2022 (about 100 years later!) rather than when it was written so some of the tropier plot points wouldn't have been so trope-y then-- if you get what I mean.
Anyway, definitely check this one out! It's cool if your into this era and want to read a murder mystery that leans a little more literary. It's a fun and unexpected book.
This was one of my least favorite books in this series. I feel like it dragged on and on... and on... but the mystery was resolved really well, as with all of the Lord Peter Wimsey novels, and that's not to say I didn't enjoy it.
For a full review of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, see my review of [b:Strong Poison|246225|Strong Poison (Lord Peter Wimsey, #6)|Dorothy L. Sayers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486963427l/246225._SY75_.jpg|1121561].
For a full review of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, see my review of [b:Strong Poison|246225|Strong Poison (Lord Peter Wimsey, #6)|Dorothy L. Sayers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486963427l/246225._SY75_.jpg|1121561].
Unconventional mystery. Sometimes challenging to read as she likes to incorporate local dialects into her writing. That can slow down a reader’s pace. I suggest you take your time and enjoy the adventure!
mysterious
slow-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