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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
I read it in one day but I think this is because I started it in the afternoon and then I found that I didn't exactly want to sleep without knowing the answer or if it was going to get spooky.
I’ve been trying to read this book for over a month and I just can’t keep trying. All of the characters are unlikeable. The plot is going nowhere. It’s so slow, boring and meandering that reading it is a self-inflicted purgatory. DNF
I know this got mixed reviews, but I'm never sad to be sucked into Tana French's world. Interesting to be on the other side of a detective novel this time, although I would have loved to read one of the twists at the end from the detective's point of view - definitely did not see that coming! Overall great read.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A 2018 staff favorite recommended by Ellen J. Read her review on the Cook Memorial Public Library blog, Shelf Life: https://shelflife.cooklib.org/2018/11/23/friday-read-the-witch-elm-by-tana-french/
Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Switch%20elm%20french__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Switch%20elm%20french__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
A mystery wrapped in a family drama with some thriller elements mixed in for good measure.
What I Didn’t Like:
-Long chapters. This is a personal thing. I like to be able to squeeze in a bit of a book whenever I can. This one has VERY LONG chapters (50-60 pages is not unusual) which makes it hard to find a spot to pause and put it down.
-Slow to unravel. Mystery fans who are used to fast burning thrillers may not like this one. It moves at a slow pace, which I’ll come back to in a second, but it can be a negative if you weren’t looking for it.
-Shortage of characters you can truly root for. This one falls more to the morally grey character spectrum, which you all know I actually like. But I was hoping for at least one I could root for and put my faith in.
What I Did Like:
-Morally grey characters. Ok, I just mentioned this and it’s a personal thing so I’ll make it quick. I love it when characters aren’t completely black-and-white in the good/evil debate. I like characters who struggle with their morality and come across as REAL PEOPLE. This cast is PACKED with them.
-Beautiful language. Tana French is one of my favorites because she can write the most beautiful scenes even among the depravity of humans. She’s writing about murders and chaos but the language is just amazing. This book is no different.
-Mystery is solid. You’re wondering who was involved from the first mention of something nefarious. You’re looking for clues and following the breadcrumbs. Somewhere along the way, you get completely wrapped up in it, just like Toby.
The Verdict: 4 stars. At the end of the day this is a mystery story and it satisfies for those readers. I loved it!
-Long chapters. This is a personal thing. I like to be able to squeeze in a bit of a book whenever I can. This one has VERY LONG chapters (50-60 pages is not unusual) which makes it hard to find a spot to pause and put it down.
-Slow to unravel. Mystery fans who are used to fast burning thrillers may not like this one. It moves at a slow pace, which I’ll come back to in a second, but it can be a negative if you weren’t looking for it.
-Shortage of characters you can truly root for. This one falls more to the morally grey character spectrum, which you all know I actually like. But I was hoping for at least one I could root for and put my faith in.
What I Did Like:
-Morally grey characters. Ok, I just mentioned this and it’s a personal thing so I’ll make it quick. I love it when characters aren’t completely black-and-white in the good/evil debate. I like characters who struggle with their morality and come across as REAL PEOPLE. This cast is PACKED with them.
-Beautiful language. Tana French is one of my favorites because she can write the most beautiful scenes even among the depravity of humans. She’s writing about murders and chaos but the language is just amazing. This book is no different.
-Mystery is solid. You’re wondering who was involved from the first mention of something nefarious. You’re looking for clues and following the breadcrumbs. Somewhere along the way, you get completely wrapped up in it, just like Toby.
The Verdict: 4 stars. At the end of the day this is a mystery story and it satisfies for those readers. I loved it!
mysterious
slow-paced
I am a huge Tana French fan, but I have to be honest and admit that this is probably my least favorite of her novels so far. That's not to say it was bad, I enjoyed it for the most part. It was definitely slow in the beginning, then got much more interesting once the mystery picked up, but then I lost interest again in the last 100 or so pages and was really disappointed with the ending.