Reviews with content warning for Rape - Essex Dogs

Reviews tagging 'Rape'

andrewgeha's review

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Essex Dogs is a bold step into historical fiction for Dan Jones. At its best, the book was raw and visceral, offering a gritty look into the Hundred Years War through the eyes of common soldiers. The stakes felt real and the costs of war felt tangible for the central heroes. The Essex Dogs didn't read as superheroes, which I appreciated. They were an ordinary band of soldiers seeking to survive the horrors of a brutal campaign. The final act in particular felt vividly consequential.

However, I felt Jones's strengths as a history writer didn't wholely translate over to writing a flushed out fictional story. Aside from Loveday and Romford, the rest of the cast felt one-dimensional and shallow.

I thought this might change after some of the Dogs died as the story went along and the squad thinned, but even thereafter the remaining band didn't feel entirely compelling.

The pacing of the book was clunky at times, and the story didn't feel consistent. Sometimes I was drawn in, other times I felt disinterested.

With that said, I will definitely be reading the rest of the trilogy to see how the story progresses. Hopefully Jones will continue to play to his strengths and refine his weaknesses after stepping into the fictional world.

Content Warnings