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3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
Well I'm about 2/3 of the way through. I'll probably finish it because there's a plane ride in my future and it's not bad. It's just not that good.
update: finished it and the last third is better although I think parts of the denouement could have received more care in the writing. And the sexual exploits and anguish could have been massively reduced...because instead of a thriller about a mysterious text, it reads too much like a psychological study of sex addiction.
The Good: well crafted and structured with good descriptions. Most of the characters are "interesting" in the sense that their backstories are rich and colorful. The historical character's text, Richard Bracegirdle is actually quite well done I think. To follow it you have to know/learn a lot about 17th century England and I think its the heart of the story. Unfortunately it's also the least accessible. It's a chore to read. The character of Carolyn Rollie is the one I want to follow, really the only one who interests me. And I want to make tables out of pallet boards.
The Bad: both contemporary protagonists, the first person and the third, are indistinguishable to me. Both are large men who are obsessed with women and sex but deeply insensitive and deeply stupid about both. As far as rare books or Shakespeare scholarship or bookbinding I learned nothing so far that I couldn't get in a few seconds with a wikipedia article (if I didn't know it already, which I do). And cryptography? Pretty basic too.
update: finished it and the last third is better although I think parts of the denouement could have received more care in the writing. And the sexual exploits and anguish could have been massively reduced...because instead of a thriller about a mysterious text, it reads too much like a psychological study of sex addiction.
The Good: well crafted and structured with good descriptions. Most of the characters are "interesting" in the sense that their backstories are rich and colorful. The historical character's text, Richard Bracegirdle is actually quite well done I think. To follow it you have to know/learn a lot about 17th century England and I think its the heart of the story. Unfortunately it's also the least accessible. It's a chore to read. The character of Carolyn Rollie is the one I want to follow, really the only one who interests me. And I want to make tables out of pallet boards.
The Bad: both contemporary protagonists, the first person and the third, are indistinguishable to me. Both are large men who are obsessed with women and sex but deeply insensitive and deeply stupid about both. As far as rare books or Shakespeare scholarship or bookbinding I learned nothing so far that I couldn't get in a few seconds with a wikipedia article (if I didn't know it already, which I do). And cryptography? Pretty basic too.
I find the majority of mysteries I've read deliver paper thin, cliched characters. In my estimation, Gruber's greatest strength is that he doesn't sacrifice characterization for plot. The many tangents that are a common complaint with this book give one a real sense of the array of people in the story and while I couldn't stand Mishkin, I had a real soft spot for Crosetti and his family. An interesting juxtaposition in narrators. It's too bad the mystery portion was so lackluster.
While this book was good at first, it never became amazing and to some extent there really wasn't that much mystery. I never found myself on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out how things added up or questioning each character's motive and penchant for deception. When it comes down to it, it was just a race to the end because it would all be revealed then - I wasn't all that invested with anything more than finishing this one and giving it away by the time I was halfway through. In addition, the "clues" that alternate with each chapter, while an average of two pages, are mind-numbingly boring and I struggled often not to fall asleep during these little detours.
While this book was good at first, it never became amazing and to some extent there really wasn't that much mystery. I never found myself on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out how things added up or questioning each character's motive and penchant for deception. When it comes down to it, it was just a race to the end because it would all be revealed then - I wasn't all that invested with anything more than finishing this one and giving it away by the time I was halfway through. In addition, the "clues" that alternate with each chapter, while an average of two pages, are mind-numbingly boring and I struggled often not to fall asleep during these little detours.
Didn't like it quite as much as The Good Son (if only there were a 4.5 star rating possible...), but this was a very enjoyable summer read. Loved all the university English department drama - not so fictional at all...
An engaging mystery. I've heard the comment that it is a better written Da Vinci Code. Perhaps that is true, but there are problems with this book as well, especially towards the end. Overall, however, it's entertaining and worth the time spent.
This was a little tricky to follow because there are 3 story lines going for most of the book until they converge at the end. The "hero" character is the antithesis of a hero and I didn't really care if things came out well for him or not. Would be interesting to history buffs or academics but not a light summer read.
So I actually quit this book around page 265 because it was so slow. Over halfway and it still felt like exposition. I could have spent my time reading a better book
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
not the best thing i've ever read, but interesting and page-turning. the sex stuff with mishkin i could have done without.
The idea behind this book was good. It was also interesting because part of it is written in first present tense, looking back on the events that lead up to the narrator (Jake) writing down what has happened. It also switches over to another character (Albert) who eventually crosses paths with Jake. This part is written not from Jake's POV but third person limited to Albert. The narrative is also interrupted by letters from 16th C. that, eventually, involve Shakespeare.
This being said the beginning is dreadfully slow. The epistolary portion painfully details the family history of the letters' author, the characters of Jake and Albert are not terribly well developed. I normally devour books, read 300 pages in a day, but this book took me a couple days because I wasn't into it. There was too many shifts, even when Jake and Albert meet the POV jump from Jake's first person to Albert's focused third did really offer any new insights that made that jump worthwhile.
The idea of discovering a new Shakespeare play and the basic plot line I think is good, it just wasn't executed well enough.
This being said the beginning is dreadfully slow. The epistolary portion painfully details the family history of the letters' author, the characters of Jake and Albert are not terribly well developed. I normally devour books, read 300 pages in a day, but this book took me a couple days because I wasn't into it. There was too many shifts, even when Jake and Albert meet the POV jump from Jake's first person to Albert's focused third did really offer any new insights that made that jump worthwhile.
The idea of discovering a new Shakespeare play and the basic plot line I think is good, it just wasn't executed well enough.