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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4 stars for book 4 in the Quirke series. Although you can read this as a stand alone, you will better understand the relationships between Quirke and the various characters if you read the books in order.
I enjoy this series for the richly descriptive prose describing Ireland in the 1950s. This book explores a dark side of Ireland , i.e. the treatment of orphans. Quirke is called to the scene of an apparent suicide, because he is the medial examiner on call. Quirke's friend Detective Inspector Hackett is in charge of the investigation. Together, they do solve the case. Quirke is threatened by a man who has threatened him before. But Quirke does not give up. He makes some bad decisions affecting his personal life along the way.
One quote on Hackett thinking: "The summer weather that was a torment in town made the countryside a pleasure. Sitting beside young Jenkins as they drove out of the city and along the upper reaches of the Liffey on the way to Kildare, Hackett admired the dense greenness of the trees lining the roads, and, behind them, the squared fields where wheat and barley moved slowly, constantly, in polished waves."
If you want to start with book 1, it is [book:Christine Falls|199600] My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2633268863
This was a library book.
I enjoy this series for the richly descriptive prose describing Ireland in the 1950s. This book explores a dark side of Ireland , i.e. the treatment of orphans. Quirke is called to the scene of an apparent suicide, because he is the medial examiner on call. Quirke's friend Detective Inspector Hackett is in charge of the investigation. Together, they do solve the case. Quirke is threatened by a man who has threatened him before. But Quirke does not give up. He makes some bad decisions affecting his personal life along the way.
One quote on Hackett thinking: "The summer weather that was a torment in town made the countryside a pleasure. Sitting beside young Jenkins as they drove out of the city and along the upper reaches of the Liffey on the way to Kildare, Hackett admired the dense greenness of the trees lining the roads, and, behind them, the squared fields where wheat and barley moved slowly, constantly, in polished waves."
If you want to start with book 1, it is [book:Christine Falls|199600] My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2633268863
This was a library book.
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The best in the Quirke series so far. An expertly crafted story without a single unnecessary brush stroke. Banville reliably elevates crime fiction to it's highest literary form but the author seems to be in an all around better mood writing this one. His last was more soaked in loathing and sad glasses of dark liquor, and don't worry, there is still plenty of disturbing material here, and Dr. Quirke remains a morose, brooding stumbler, but it is more of an actual mystery than a character study of a sad pathologist assisting the police. Also it unravels at the perfect tempo, slow but the ramps placed in all the right spots. Highly recommend!!
Banville was tricked into thinking he won the Nobel Prize in Lit in 2019 and I hope one day it happens for reall.
Banville was tricked into thinking he won the Nobel Prize in Lit in 2019 and I hope one day it happens for reall.
A quick read. Not a whole lot of suspense, and the ending lacked punch.
This one well reviewed in paper, started with his first, Christine Falls. So-so - stopped after 40 pages.
And forgot to return it, so a fine too.Maybe should pick a later one.
And forgot to return it, so a fine too.Maybe should pick a later one.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
A great protagonist and sidekick. But the plot was thin and predictable. Not as interesting as I hoped.
You'd think from my starting and finishing dates that this book took me a long time to read, but it's another that had to be returned to the library before I'd read more than a dozen pages. Once it came available again I finished it in 24 hours!
I've little to say here - this is the 4th in the series and I'm still enjoying each as much as the first I read.
I've little to say here - this is the 4th in the series and I'm still enjoying each as much as the first I read.