1.09k reviews for:

The Spare Man

Mary Robinette Kowal

3.76 AVERAGE

amandatheactivist's review

3.25

mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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An extra .25 stars for an otherwise 3 star read because Gimlet is adorable and must be protected at all costs. 

aielinnae's review

5.0

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If you’re a fan of Dashiell Hammett, the Thin Man, Nick & Nora, cocktails and free-spirited drinks, witty dialogue, strong female protagonists with supportive spouses, adorable dogs who do wonderfully things, The Spare Man is for you. Once again Mary Robinette Kowal doesn’t disappoint with her latest inventive sci-fi space mystery adventure novel clearly inspired, if not pastiche, by Hammett’s the Thin Man. Now, I’m hoping Tor will imitate MGM and authorize more Tesla and Shal adventures

rfriedman22's review

3.5

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Fun murder mystery in space, heavy-handed and repetitive at times. I liked the main character’s chronic pain and PTSD being a major focus of her perspective, but it felt diminished by her being obscenely rich. The chapters starting with cocktail recipes was a fun touch, but they became less featured in the plot as the story went on so it started to get annoying.

claytell's review

4.0

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It was fun whodunit scifi romp. I was never going to solve it. But the way it all came together was fun.

weebdeluxe's review against another edition

2.0

slow-paced

imaginedlandscapes's review

3.5

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

geekcliche's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

zeloinator's review

5.0

adventurous funny tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

marneyjane's review

4.0

adventurous 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

badmc's review

DID NOT FINISH: 21%

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I started skipping pages really early. Not connecting to any of the characters. Not for me.