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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
It must be noted that I am a hard reader to please. This site is littered with one-star reviews, long criticisms of writing, and much disdain for many books, all which have been handed out by me. I do not taking my reading lightly, and if I feel my time has been wasted, then by God, this site will know. However, just as I criticise, I do, on rare occasions, find a book worthy of praise. This series has been one of those rare moments, and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised. The start of this book, I hated, thought it was dumb, only to find, as I read, that it was strategic. Miss Laurie R. King had written an annoying, odd beginning, frustrating for the reader, that made the ending, even the middle, so much more satisfying that I could have expected, a surprise leaving me with a great amount of joy. This woman's writing and storytelling is the equivalent of Sherlock Holmes ability in deduction- near flawless.
After reading this, I can see why O Jerusalem was written when it was written, even though the events take place at the end of Book 1 before Book 2. I loved Mahmoud and Ali in O Jerusalem and I love them even more in this one. I do not want to reveal any spoilers, but I absolutely loved the interactions between the four of them, as well as a few of the other characters. I highly recommend this book, but don't read it before you read O Jerusalem! This pair of books are so far two of my favorites in this series, but I'm sure there is more to come!
4.5 Stars
I read this back to back with "O Jerusalem" and i would recommend everybody to do the same, together these two books makes up a small mini universe within the Mary Russell series.
These two stories combines is by far the best book yet in the series, spanning a variety of topics from the religious history of Jerusalem, conditions for World War 1 soldiers to the life in the English aristocracy.
The storytelling is superb and far more engaging than the previous books in the series.
I read this back to back with "O Jerusalem" and i would recommend everybody to do the same, together these two books makes up a small mini universe within the Mary Russell series.
These two stories combines is by far the best book yet in the series, spanning a variety of topics from the religious history of Jerusalem, conditions for World War 1 soldiers to the life in the English aristocracy.
The storytelling is superb and far more engaging than the previous books in the series.
So much better than O Jerusalem (which I never could bring myself to finish despite attempting it at least 5 times). So glad I talked myself into skipping it and going straight to Justice Hall. Despite not reading the beginning of the tale of Mahmoud and Ali, I still feel like I gained a love for their characters in this book.
Again, great fun.
When I first read O Jerusalem (#5), I wondered why it had not been published as second in the series, given that it was set within the timeline of novel #1. But King knew what she was doing; the characters from #5 make a surprising and engaging reappearance in this story. I read most of it in a single weekend.
As always, the characters had depth and the setting was vivid. The only part of the story where this was lacking, I thought, was Russell's trip to a small town not far from Toronto. Having spent her life in California and then in England, Russell would have noticed more about this new place. Seeing that country by train would, I think, have left more of an impression. This part of the book felt like it could have happened just about anywhere. King's writing didn't bring that place to life, nor was the place crucial to the story -- anyplace in Canada would have sufficed. In my mind, that piece of the story paled in comparison to the rest of the novel.
Apart from that weak point, however, it was great. The concept of home, explored throughout the book, offered plenty of grist for thought. And, as mentioned earlier, it was a pleasure to read.
When I first read O Jerusalem (#5), I wondered why it had not been published as second in the series, given that it was set within the timeline of novel #1. But King knew what she was doing; the characters from #5 make a surprising and engaging reappearance in this story. I read most of it in a single weekend.
As always, the characters had depth and the setting was vivid. The only part of the story where this was lacking, I thought, was Russell's trip to a small town not far from Toronto. Having spent her life in California and then in England, Russell would have noticed more about this new place. Seeing that country by train would, I think, have left more of an impression. This part of the book felt like it could have happened just about anywhere. King's writing didn't bring that place to life, nor was the place crucial to the story -- anyplace in Canada would have sufficed. In my mind, that piece of the story paled in comparison to the rest of the novel.
Apart from that weak point, however, it was great. The concept of home, explored throughout the book, offered plenty of grist for thought. And, as mentioned earlier, it was a pleasure to read.
I “read” this via audiobook. And can I just say I was firmly (FIRMLY) in the camp of audiobooks aren’t “real” reading. I was such a book snob. But for some reason I finally decided to move from podcasts to audiobooks on the commute to work and I am a huge convert!
So the unsung hero of the 6th in the series of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes is audiobook narrator Jenny Sterling. She takes this book and the tale to the next level. She takes each character and really brings them to life. I can’t praise her enough.
I’m loving this series and am already on book 7 (and the 5th audiobook having read the first two).
So the unsung hero of the 6th in the series of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes is audiobook narrator Jenny Sterling. She takes this book and the tale to the next level. She takes each character and really brings them to life. I can’t praise her enough.
I’m loving this series and am already on book 7 (and the 5th audiobook having read the first two).
adventurous
mysterious
Loveable characters:
Yes
I've been reading through this series, and this has been my second favorite so far. I loved the first one, but the next few have been too slow for my liking. This one was a great read.
I enjoyed seeing Ali and Marsh again, in a different environment than O Jerusalem.
I enjoyed seeing Ali and Marsh again, in a different environment than O Jerusalem.
I was engrossed from start to finish by the characters, both old & new, and by the beauty of Justice Hall and the story of Gabriel Hughenfort.