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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
This London romp picks up right after Lion in the Valley. Back from Egypt, the Emerson find themselves involved in an mummy malediction scandal. Some good parts, some beloved faces return (Kevin O'Connell), some new faces, I love Garety, the temporary butler. Not enough Ramses in this one, but he does save them all in the end. So a little more than 3 stars for the characters not really for the dull who is the mad aristocrat killing people in the name of the mummy.
Very similar plot in parts to The Peculiar Pink Fan. But both seem to be nodding to A Study in Scarlet.
The fifth book in the Amelia Peabody series. I listened to this on audio as narrated by Susan O’Malley. She was very good but doesn’t hold a candle to Barbara Rosenblat’s performances. Alas, I am subject to the vagaries of my libraries in terms of which narration is available. This book finds the Emersons in London instead of Egypt. When the sensationalist press promotes the idea that a cursed mummy is causing British Museum employees to die, Amelia, Emerson and Ramses get involved in their accustom manners to solve the mystery. These books are like chocolate cake. They go down easy.
Again, the audiobook is fabulous. I loved the tension between Peabody and Emmerson in this one. And, as always, I laughed out loud more times than I can remember...
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is book was such a fun read, as are all the Amelia Peabody books. I wasn't sure I would enjoy reading one set in London but I somehow forgot how much I love Victorian London. And there was plenty of Egyptology. I disliked all of the unwarranted jealousy Amelia felt in this book. It could have been resolved by having a single conversation with her husband but instead the subplot dragged on and on. It was nice to see Amelia develop as a mother. I appreciate that Peters doesn't force her to place her role as a mom above her role as an Egyptologist, detective, and wife but it was also good to see her learn to pay attention to Ramses. The mystery was a little better than they are in some of the books but I don't really read the books for the mystery, more for the characters and the humor. It was annoying that Peters didn't resolve the romantic subplot in this book. That's been true in some of the past books and it's gotten annoying. But overall I found this entry in the series to be a good read.
DNFd at pg 142 because of this nonsense:
Not only is Amelia Peabody, the supposed “feminist”, disregarding “foolish” English women by how they dress but further states that they were “willing victims” who don’t seem to understand what’s good for them. As if that wasn’t bad enough she follows it up with something as ignorant as a statement that says Indian women were “misguided” by misogyny who “fought to fling themselves into the funeral pyres of their bigamous husbands” and that their problems were resolvable only by the “enlightened British laws.” This screams to me of ignorance and white superiority complex.
I didn’t expect this kind of air of superiority coming from Amelia Peabody. I know she has strong opinions but her anti-everything-that-doesn’t-meet-my-approval attitude is shit. I expect things like this in English classics that I read. But not from a modern author. I have no tolerance for this.
I set out at a brisk stride, looking with contempt and pity at the other ladies I saw; laced into tight stays and teetering on high-heeled shoes, they were almost incapable of motion, much less a good healthy walk. Poor foolish victims of society’s dictates –but (I reminded myself) willing victims, like the misguided females of India who fought to fling themselves into the funeral pyres of their bigamous husbands. Enlightened British laws had put an official end to that ghastly custom; what a pity British opinion was so unenlightened with regard to the oppression of English women.
Not only is Amelia Peabody, the supposed “feminist”, disregarding “foolish” English women by how they dress but further states that they were “willing victims” who don’t seem to understand what’s good for them. As if that wasn’t bad enough she follows it up with something as ignorant as a statement that says Indian women were “misguided” by misogyny who “fought to fling themselves into the funeral pyres of their bigamous husbands” and that their problems were resolvable only by the “enlightened British laws.” This screams to me of ignorance and white superiority complex.
I didn’t expect this kind of air of superiority coming from Amelia Peabody. I know she has strong opinions but her anti-everything-that-doesn’t-meet-my-approval attitude is shit. I expect things like this in English classics that I read. But not from a modern author. I have no tolerance for this.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
mysterious
medium-paced