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kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I have to give it to Phil Rickman - Merrily and her daughter Jane are so beautifully drawn and written. Merrily finds herself caught in a rather confusing web of lies, half truths, and secrets. The problem is her job is on the line. Luckily for her, she has the help of Sophie (I love Sophie).
Rickman not only tackles religion, teen love (go Jane), adult love, Welsh pride, and the whole question of gypsy belief in one book. Not to mention the whole bit about stories, legends, and tales.
The book does start out a bit slow - but the ending sequence of events is brilliant.
It is so nice to read a book where the majority of women get along and are not in competition with each other. The expectation is Howe, but you do those outliers.
Lol comes into his own in this book too.
Rickman not only tackles religion, teen love (go Jane), adult love, Welsh pride, and the whole question of gypsy belief in one book. Not to mention the whole bit about stories, legends, and tales.
The book does start out a bit slow - but the ending sequence of events is brilliant.
It is so nice to read a book where the majority of women get along and are not in competition with each other. The expectation is Howe, but you do those outliers.
Lol comes into his own in this book too.
mrspoonzs's review against another edition
5.0
I discovered Phil Rickman completely by accident, and I am so glad I did.
As per usual from page 1 I was hooked as I was in the first book in the series. Beautifully realised characters, lovely flowing prose and all backed up by damn good stories.
This time the Rev Merrily Watkins gets herself in more trouble than usual as what should be a straightforward exorcism (like what could possibly go wrong) turns into a web of lies, deaths (present and past), and of course gypsies.
Not to mention the very real possibility that all the trouble she finds herself in trying to help people may just bring about her expulsion from the clergy.
Great read, highly recomended.
As per usual from page 1 I was hooked as I was in the first book in the series. Beautifully realised characters, lovely flowing prose and all backed up by damn good stories.
This time the Rev Merrily Watkins gets herself in more trouble than usual as what should be a straightforward exorcism (like what could possibly go wrong) turns into a web of lies, deaths (present and past), and of course gypsies.
Not to mention the very real possibility that all the trouble she finds herself in trying to help people may just bring about her expulsion from the clergy.
Great read, highly recomended.
pranavroh's review
4.0
I wanted to give this three and a half on five butI cant. The mystery wasnt great (It was quite obvious where the story was heading) but this novel actually piles on the challeneges on both personal and professional fronts making it quite edge of the seat reading right up to the very end.
rhodered's review
4.0
It's a long hot summer (ok English summer which means lukewarm where I'm from, but anyway) and everyone is fighting evil in the hop fields wearing skimpy clothing (well, only the women's skimpy tops are mentioned.)
This is the first book of the series in which anyone is even a teensy bit sexy. (OK Rickman's version of sexy which means somewhat flirty where I'm from, but anyway.)
I am finally warming to Lol, who was just SUCH an outright wimp in past books that I did not see why any woman should be interested in him. He's getting a bit stronger, and apparently he actually is talented. This is also really the first book where we get several more sympathetic male characters. So yay, out of the Rickman-loathsome-men-only slump!
There's a lot about gypsies, probably well researched. And the difference between the countryside of the 1960s when rural gentry still apparently held sway vs today when they are mostly broke or written off as annoying yet inconsequential by locals. I didn't care much about either topic, but the book itself is a sweeping good read, carrying you along until you stay up far too late at night to finish it.
So, it was basically a 3, but I stuck on another star for lost sleep.
This is the first book of the series in which anyone is even a teensy bit sexy. (OK Rickman's version of sexy which means somewhat flirty where I'm from, but anyway.)
I am finally warming to Lol, who was just SUCH an outright wimp in past books that I did not see why any woman should be interested in him. He's getting a bit stronger, and apparently he actually is talented. This is also really the first book where we get several more sympathetic male characters. So yay, out of the Rickman-loathsome-men-only slump!
There's a lot about gypsies, probably well researched. And the difference between the countryside of the 1960s when rural gentry still apparently held sway vs today when they are mostly broke or written off as annoying yet inconsequential by locals. I didn't care much about either topic, but the book itself is a sweeping good read, carrying you along until you stay up far too late at night to finish it.
So, it was basically a 3, but I stuck on another star for lost sleep.
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