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whispersofareader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
wanderingmole's review against another edition
4.0
A rich and captivating narrative with refreshing characterisations. Offered a fascinating insight into 1800s NZ. Sadly, after 800 pages, the end disappointed.
rmla's review against another edition
1.0
Okay, I never ever write reviews but I am so disappointed with this book I feel I have to here - which says something.
Firstly, I almost gave up on this book (another thing I rarely do), and after finally reaching the end I wish I had done so. If you're partly finished and are feeling like this too, then I would advise you to quit whilst you're ahead. Maybe this is my own incapacity(/lack of careful reading because of my lack of interest as I continued), but I still have unanswered questions about the events and I feel like I could have quit halfway through and have learned the same amount.
From its Goodread's synopsis I thought I would love this novel but, looking back on its description, it only highlights the questions I'm left with, eg. how is this book a "fiendishly clever ghost story"? Moody sees a vision/ghost but does this ever get explained? And if it is only a vision and not a ghost, where are the other ghostly elements?
I also think Catton's faux nineteenth-century style is contrived. Nineteenth-century novels are my favourite, but this can only be described as a try-hard. The dialogue is unconvincing, monotonous and often predictable, which lends a hand to the creation of unconvincing, monotonous and predictable characters. I'm not invested in any character - not one - and I am one to become emotionally attached to convincing characters. To have the behavioural traits of characters based upon their star signs becomes irrelevant when every character is distant and boring. The astrological element was lost on me in general, and I would have loved to have learned about this from the novel; though the first 50% of the novel is exposition and recollection, some of this could have been directed in this area.
I feel harsh being so critical, but I genuinely want to warn other readers not to waste their time. Go and read Wilkie Collins - The Moonstone instead!
Firstly, I almost gave up on this book (another thing I rarely do), and after finally reaching the end I wish I had done so. If you're partly finished and are feeling like this too, then I would advise you to quit whilst you're ahead. Maybe this is my own incapacity(/lack of careful reading because of my lack of interest as I continued), but I still have unanswered questions about the events and I feel like I could have quit halfway through and have learned the same amount.
From its Goodread's synopsis I thought I would love this novel but, looking back on its description, it only highlights the questions I'm left with, eg. how is this book a "fiendishly clever ghost story"? Moody sees a vision/ghost but does this ever get explained? And if it is only a vision and not a ghost, where are the other ghostly elements?
I also think Catton's faux nineteenth-century style is contrived. Nineteenth-century novels are my favourite, but this can only be described as a try-hard. The dialogue is unconvincing, monotonous and often predictable, which lends a hand to the creation of unconvincing, monotonous and predictable characters. I'm not invested in any character - not one - and I am one to become emotionally attached to convincing characters. To have the behavioural traits of characters based upon their star signs becomes irrelevant when every character is distant and boring. The astrological element was lost on me in general, and I would have loved to have learned about this from the novel; though the first 50% of the novel is exposition and recollection, some of this could have been directed in this area.
I feel harsh being so critical, but I genuinely want to warn other readers not to waste their time. Go and read Wilkie Collins - The Moonstone instead!
alisonhori's review against another edition
4.0
In the end, I enjoyed this book but at the beginning, it was really a slog and I only continued because I really wanted to make it to the end of a Man Booker winner...last year was a total no go for me-LOL. This book was a little bit all over the place for me overall...I enjoyed the character development that happened over time with so many of these characters but some of it was bizarre and other pieces were introduced and just left totally hanging. The whole constellation thing meant incredibly little to me and I am not sure how it really placed out as a plot devise...for me, if it was totally left out, it would have all been the same to me. Walter Moody's father arrives at the end to apologize and then that plot goes no where. The switching of various features of Emory and Anna is bizarre and not really complete or focused upon...seems to come and go really. Interesting but I don't think it all worked exactly perfectly...she did aim big though.
colleengeedrumm's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it. A great mystery, a thoroughly thoughtful tale with much detail on the characters and scene. At 830 pages, it is certainly an investment, but well worth persevering until the end. A richly woven tale, a talented author with a great imagination and gift of story telling. I tackled it and determined to not take longer than it should, as I knew it needed to hold my attention to remain interested in finishing and finding out what happened, while trying to keep everyone straight. There is a lot to it.
emzapk's review against another edition
4.0
This book is definitely not for everyone, but what can I say - I'm a sucker for overly complicated, hyper-detailed stories, with little hints and connections you sometimes don't recognize are there until the very end. Occasionally I got a little lost on who was who because of the vast cast of characters, but the author did an excellent job of tying things together right when I started to feel confused.
And honestly, what's not to love about a good old mystery full of murder, buried treasure, mysterious disappearances, and supernatural connections??
And honestly, what's not to love about a good old mystery full of murder, buried treasure, mysterious disappearances, and supernatural connections??
emily1602's review against another edition
An addictive read, especially the first 3/4. During a busy time at work, I still finished it in about two weeks. It was a great, very complex mystery. Each of the characters represents a star sign or planet, which is both extremely fun and thematically relevant (the book is about coincidences, unexpected influences, the permutations of personality).
There were insightful character examinations that brought genre-stock characters much closer to real people (with the exception of Carver and Lydia Wells who remain entirely detestable throughout, but in a fun way). There were descriptions of Hokitika as a dramatic, swashbuckling set, but with real thought put into what it would have been like to actually live there (another theme I think, the yin and yang of deception/misapprehension and the truth that these can accidentally reveal, i.e. the seance is fraudulent but still leads to real revelations, though revelations that on the scale of the novel as a whole are glimpsed rather than fully understood). There were moments in the plot when I made audible noises of despair or joy.
A really fun (how many times have I used that word?) story that still makes you use your brain. As it wound down the chapters got shorter and shorter. This made the ending less abrupt than in many novels, rather than a door shutting it was as if the characters were revolving slowly away from me. I was sad to finish.
There were insightful character examinations that brought genre-stock characters much closer to real people (with the exception of Carver and Lydia Wells who remain entirely detestable throughout, but in a fun way). There were descriptions of Hokitika as a dramatic, swashbuckling set, but with real thought put into what it would have been like to actually live there (another theme I think, the yin and yang of deception/misapprehension and the truth that these can accidentally reveal, i.e. the seance is fraudulent but still leads to real revelations, though revelations that on the scale of the novel as a whole are glimpsed rather than fully understood). There were moments in the plot when I made audible noises of despair or joy.
A really fun (how many times have I used that word?) story that still makes you use your brain. As it wound down the chapters got shorter and shorter. This made the ending less abrupt than in many novels, rather than a door shutting it was as if the characters were revolving slowly away from me. I was sad to finish.
katie_11's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ink_nettle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75