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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
This series has confirmed for me again that JK Rowling is one of the best authors out there. The character development between Strike & Robin is excellent. With each book, you learn more and more about them and dive deeper into their lives and relationship.
Some reviews complained that this book is too long, about 650 pages. But I didn’t think so. I enjoyed the story line of the murder case though it was the best.
Some reviews complained that this book is too long, about 650 pages. But I didn’t think so. I enjoyed the story line of the murder case though it was the best.
If you want a mystery absolutely filled with family drama, this is the book for you! A man with questionable mental capacity named Billy comes to Strike and Robin with a story of a child strangled when he was young. Powerful politician Jasper Chiswell and family quickly get caught up in the mystery, causing Robin to do lots of undercover work. Meanwhile, Robin's having lots of marital problems with new husband Matthew. This book, while long, has a great story and I loved every turn.
I read these books more for the characters than anything as Strike and Robin are just great. This one went on a bit too long but I still stayed absorbed and read the 2nd half in two days. And I will be waiting on the next one as these are just great entertainment.
Absolutely incredible, as always. Jo constructs complex characters and writes dialogue like no one else. And of course, her ability to craft a compelling, complex, detailed story cannot be overstated. After finishing the book I am exhausted just thinking about the time and effort put into researching everything.
Eagerly anticipating my next chance to catch up with Strike and Robin.
Eagerly anticipating my next chance to catch up with Strike and Robin.
This was so good! I love the Strike series and it just keeps getting better and better. It was a lot longer than the other ones, but it didn’t feel like it in the least. The plot had so many twists and kept me guessing until the very end!
(Settle in, this a long one)
i want to preface this by saying, that I'm a fan of Rowling's work. I quite literally grew up alongside Harry and I've read of all of the Strike novels, and quite enjoyed them. With this one, I wished she hadn't decided to delve into the political world. I am aware that she's a thinking human being with her own political thoughts and ideas, and she's well within her rights imbuing them in her work, so I'm not criticising that. I thought the way she decided to portray the political players in the book was superficial, condescending and more than a little skewed. There are also more graceful ways to discuss your politics in your work rather than have your character spew your thoughts in their internal monologues. I don't want to go into my own diatribe, so I'll leave it at that.
One of my favorite parts about the Strike novels has always been the characters. I do love my murder mysteries, but Robin and Strike and their dynamic has also been a pull. I think Rowling's major strength is how she makes the characters in the page feel like actual thinking feeling people. Again, when it came to the political players, this characterisation veered into caricature - intentionally, I hope - which while a perfectly valid approach, feels superficial and insufficient, specially at this time.
But enough of that, let's get to the good stuff. After all I read this monster of a book in two days (I did little else and stayed way to late, if you're wondering how). The murder mystery at the heart of the story is compelling and intriguing, with not just one but several big question to be answered. The plot is more taut than the previous and no less complicated, but while in the previous book i felt the story was unnecessarily convoluted, this time the story felt simply deeper, thus taking more time to unravel.
The dynamic between Robin and Strike was as much part of the book as the mystery, but as the characters themselves went through a rough patch, their familiar and likeable dynamic also took some time to resurface. While going through some emotional upheaval, drawn upon - I presume - from Rowling's own painful past, rendered beautifully and earnestly, Robin is given a sort of vulnerability and resilience that further deepens her character, resulting in a wonderful female role model: strong, brave, smart and capable, but also compassionate, kind and sensitive. More than once, these more feminine sensibilities give her an edge over her dry and somewhat jaded partner, making them perfectly complementary to each other.
I will finished with this, Dear JK Rowling, please
Thanks for reading.
i want to preface this by saying, that I'm a fan of Rowling's work. I quite literally grew up alongside Harry and I've read of all of the Strike novels, and quite enjoyed them. With this one, I wished she hadn't decided to delve into the political world. I am aware that she's a thinking human being with her own political thoughts and ideas, and she's well within her rights imbuing them in her work, so I'm not criticising that. I thought the way she decided to portray the political players in the book was superficial, condescending and more than a little skewed. There are also more graceful ways to discuss your politics in your work rather than have your character spew your thoughts in their internal monologues. I don't want to go into my own diatribe, so I'll leave it at that.
One of my favorite parts about the Strike novels has always been the characters. I do love my murder mysteries, but Robin and Strike and their dynamic has also been a pull. I think Rowling's major strength is how she makes the characters in the page feel like actual thinking feeling people. Again, when it came to the political players, this characterisation veered into caricature - intentionally, I hope - which while a perfectly valid approach, feels superficial and insufficient, specially at this time.
But enough of that, let's get to the good stuff. After all I read this monster of a book in two days (I did little else and stayed way to late, if you're wondering how). The murder mystery at the heart of the story is compelling and intriguing, with not just one but several big question to be answered. The plot is more taut than the previous and no less complicated, but while in the previous book i felt the story was unnecessarily convoluted, this time the story felt simply deeper, thus taking more time to unravel.
The dynamic between Robin and Strike was as much part of the book as the mystery, but as the characters themselves went through a rough patch, their familiar and likeable dynamic also took some time to resurface. While going through some emotional upheaval, drawn upon - I presume - from Rowling's own painful past, rendered beautifully and earnestly, Robin is given a sort of vulnerability and resilience that further deepens her character, resulting in a wonderful female role model: strong, brave, smart and capable, but also compassionate, kind and sensitive. More than once, these more feminine sensibilities give her an edge over her dry and somewhat jaded partner, making them perfectly complementary to each other.
I will finished with this, Dear JK Rowling, please
Spoiler
next time, can it be Robin saving Strike from impending doom? I can't remember if that happened before, but if not, it's about time. Thanks.Thanks for reading.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot