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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
Quirky, poignant and at times laugh at loud funny. Delightful enough for me to forgive some things that made me frown and a plothole or two. Recommended to me by a friend, absolutely worth it.
3.5 - Really solid read! I love that the characters of this book are elderly people, not often one can find those books. And it was interesting!
If you and a group of likeminded elderly friends decide you'd rather spend your sunset years happily cohabiting in a big old house together than risk ending up alone and in care, what risks might you anticipate? And is murder among them?
For Agnes and her friends, it is.
Funny, touching, and full of mysteries - perhaps mostly about all the selves we are in life, and at life's end.
For Agnes and her friends, it is.
Funny, touching, and full of mysteries - perhaps mostly about all the selves we are in life, and at life's end.
I was disappointed in this book. You’d think a murder mystery centred around a group of senior citizens hell-bent on solving crimes themselves would be a laugh riot, but it isn’t. That’s because this book throws everything including the kitchen sink at the story, and it loses cohesion along the way. The book tries to be dark and quirky all at the same time. Look, we’ve all watched/read a bunch of British cozy mysteries, and they also try and balance the horrors of crime with the eccentric personalities at the centre of the tale. And yet, this book misses the mark because it tries to do too much.
I’ll get what truly bothered me out of the way first—it’s the fat-shaming. It was too much, and completely uncalled for. This book would have got a low rating from me just for that, but the poor storytelling drove it lower.
The pacing was plodding, which would have been fine if fun and interesting things were happening along the way. Not as much happened.
The character of Agnes was barely likeable because of the fat-shaming. But beneath that nonsense is a gripping personality. Not that it shone through.
The final act was the most pacey—but also a complete mess. What was happening! Everything. Even a grandson suddenly appeared.
I also disliked the weird take on twins. Twins are perfectly normal people, and perfectly regular siblings—them being born on the same day does not automatically make them into the personification of good and evil. Bizarre take in the 21st century.
I did like the character of Hettie though. We needed more of that eccentric stuff.
I wanted to enjoy this book, but was left annoyed and disappointed.
I’ll get what truly bothered me out of the way first—it’s the fat-shaming. It was too much, and completely uncalled for. This book would have got a low rating from me just for that, but the poor storytelling drove it lower.
The pacing was plodding, which would have been fine if fun and interesting things were happening along the way. Not as much happened.
The character of Agnes was barely likeable because of the fat-shaming. But beneath that nonsense is a gripping personality. Not that it shone through.
The final act was the most pacey—but also a complete mess. What was happening! Everything. Even a grandson suddenly appeared.
I also disliked the weird take on twins. Twins are perfectly normal people, and perfectly regular siblings—them being born on the same day does not automatically make them into the personification of good and evil. Bizarre take in the 21st century.
I did like the character of Hettie though. We needed more of that eccentric stuff.
I wanted to enjoy this book, but was left annoyed and disappointed.
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars, very quirky and funny. Just a little slow for me.
This is a very interesting group of elderly people. Aat least, as long as they don't entirely lose their train of thought.
