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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
A rich delightful complex story. Great cast and evocative setting. I enjoyed the large cast and managed to mostly keep track of them. Gwendolyn is especially good - almost unflappable,competent and likeable
I always enjoy Kate Atkinson; she is the rare writer who can pull off a genre novel that is literary, and though she writes a private detective series, it's only about 1/3 of her output. I appreciate her imagination, which is rooted in the history of the last 100 years but is more about the people than the time. Shrines of Gaiety is one of her lighter books.
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Holy cow, I loved this. The characters were all so interesting and well done. The setting was perfect. The whole feel of it. I loved the inclusion of a Baby Party (see Bright Young People by D.J. Taylor). The whole obsession with The Green Hat that goes throughout most of the book (I’ll have to finally read it! I first heard of it over a decade ago!). This ticked every one of my boxes. Loved it. It wrapped up a little quick and easy, but that’s honestly my only issue and it’s minor. So good! (I’ll have to look more into the woman that Nellie is based on. She sounds fascinating too!) I think I’m definitely going to have to read more Kate Atkinson as I’ve loved the two I’ve read by her.
London, 1926. Nellie “Ma” Stoker runs a collection of nightclubs in Soho with her six children, whom she is bringing up in the business, and let me tell you, it’s complicated! The police, a ruthless competitor, and a mysterious figure out for revenge keep the whole family on their toes.
Although this was unpopular with my book club, I enjoyed it. What I disliked: Nellie’s second son Ramsay is such a twit I could barely stand the chapters about him, and the ending came too suddenly after 360 pages of leisurely pacing. What I liked: the period details, the completely unpredictable plot, and best of all the character of Gwendolyn Kelling, a librarian turned de facto undercover detective. After serving as a nurse and losing her brothers in World War I, nothing can faze her; grief and trauma are real and present but have not vanquished her bright spirit. That I believed in Gwendolyn and her resilience is a testament to Atkinson’s writing.
Although this was unpopular with my book club, I enjoyed it. What I disliked: Nellie’s second son Ramsay is such a twit I could barely stand the chapters about him, and the ending came too suddenly after 360 pages of leisurely pacing. What I liked: the period details, the completely unpredictable plot, and best of all the character of Gwendolyn Kelling, a librarian turned de facto undercover detective. After serving as a nurse and losing her brothers in World War I, nothing can faze her; grief and trauma are real and present but have not vanquished her bright spirit. That I believed in Gwendolyn and her resilience is a testament to Atkinson’s writing.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No