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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Another fine installment in the Maisie Dobbs series. I enjoyed seeing Maisie go undercover, and I always like the books that take us deeper into her personal life. I recommend the whole series to fans of historical mysteries that are neither too gritty nor too silly, but start at the beginning with [b:Maisie Dobbs|462033|Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs, #1)|Jacqueline Winspear|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312066155s/462033.jpg|976403].
After the last couple of Maisie Dobbs books, I was just about ready to give up on the series, but this installment gave me new faith in the series. Time is moving forward in this series and now that it is 1932 memories of WWI are being left behind as new worries take over. Some critics complained that this book leaves the WWI era, but I think that the series needs to keep moving forward in time.
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
No
Someone murdered a college administrator, and the British equivalent to the FBI wonders about the activities at the college where the administrator brutally died. Maisie Dobbs gets the nod to investigate. She’ll go undercover as an instructor.
Naturally, she figures out who killed the guy, but she also sounds the early warning on the rise of the Nazi party in Great Britain. Maddeningly enough, law-enforcement authorities ignore her warnings in an almost-sexist way.
I love this series. It’s not about the fast pace; there isn’t one of those. But Dobbs is a world-class character who is appealing across the board. Her love for life radiates within her despite the depravity she witnessed in world War I. This book, too, forces her to see a less-than palatable side of her government. She brings to light things about her nation’s conduct during the war that others would just as soon she had left alone.
Naturally, she figures out who killed the guy, but she also sounds the early warning on the rise of the Nazi party in Great Britain. Maddeningly enough, law-enforcement authorities ignore her warnings in an almost-sexist way.
I love this series. It’s not about the fast pace; there isn’t one of those. But Dobbs is a world-class character who is appealing across the board. Her love for life radiates within her despite the depravity she witnessed in world War I. This book, too, forces her to see a less-than palatable side of her government. She brings to light things about her nation’s conduct during the war that others would just as soon she had left alone.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Good Stuff
* Lovely slow but interesting mystery story which sort of reminded me of Agatha Christie
* Delightful inquisitive heroine with tons of perseverance and dry wit
* Very British which I adore -must be why I married a man with British parents --even when they swear they sound so polite
* Lots of twists and turns in the mystery so keeps you guessing on whodunit
* I was really impressed with the fact, that you didn't have to read the other books in the series to know what was going on and a sense of who people are
* Maisie is a very realistic heroine
* Enjoyed the message about Woman and War and of Peace
The Not so Good Stuff
* Won't lie, it was a little slow at times for me
* A little too overly proper -- but hey that was how it was like in that point in history
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"She's like a good many women, Maisie; they toe the line very well until someone they love-a child, a spouse - is threatened or harmed, and then you see a completely different side to them. Had that not been so, then this country would never have come through the war. Wars are fought by men, Maisie-but the winning is down to women who are prepared to break windows for their own."
"A man who stands up for what he believes in instead of fighting for what someone else believes in is a threat -- people cannot bear someone who has that sort of strength and fortitude."
" You should know, however, that I do not work for His Majesty's gratitude, honor that it is. I prefer my payment to be more tangible."
" Are you sure you're not a Scot?" MacFarlane smiled as Huntley passed a series of documents to Maisie."
What I Learned
* about conscientious objectors
* Some history of the war - especially the period between the two World Wars
Who should/shouldn't read
* Perfect for mystery lovers and fans of Agatha Christie
* Definitely not for those who need constant excitement
4 Dewey's
I received this from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review
* Lovely slow but interesting mystery story which sort of reminded me of Agatha Christie
* Delightful inquisitive heroine with tons of perseverance and dry wit
* Very British which I adore -must be why I married a man with British parents --even when they swear they sound so polite
* Lots of twists and turns in the mystery so keeps you guessing on whodunit
* I was really impressed with the fact, that you didn't have to read the other books in the series to know what was going on and a sense of who people are
* Maisie is a very realistic heroine
* Enjoyed the message about Woman and War and of Peace
The Not so Good Stuff
* Won't lie, it was a little slow at times for me
* A little too overly proper -- but hey that was how it was like in that point in history
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"She's like a good many women, Maisie; they toe the line very well until someone they love-a child, a spouse - is threatened or harmed, and then you see a completely different side to them. Had that not been so, then this country would never have come through the war. Wars are fought by men, Maisie-but the winning is down to women who are prepared to break windows for their own."
"A man who stands up for what he believes in instead of fighting for what someone else believes in is a threat -- people cannot bear someone who has that sort of strength and fortitude."
" You should know, however, that I do not work for His Majesty's gratitude, honor that it is. I prefer my payment to be more tangible."
" Are you sure you're not a Scot?" MacFarlane smiled as Huntley passed a series of documents to Maisie."
What I Learned
* about conscientious objectors
* Some history of the war - especially the period between the two World Wars
Who should/shouldn't read
* Perfect for mystery lovers and fans of Agatha Christie
* Definitely not for those who need constant excitement
4 Dewey's
I received this from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review
I want to be completely honest in why I had chosen this book from Netgalley. There were actually two main reasons. The first is because growing up, my mom always said that she rarely knew anyone with her name, Maisie. It was a name that was passed down in the family for generations. However, my mom refused to name any of us with it because she felt it was too old fashioned.
The second reason is because I have actually been looking into this period of history as I work on my family tree. So it was nice to see a fictitious piece about England set between the two World Wars.
Even though this was the eighth book in the series and the first one I have read, I did not feel lost at all. I absolutely fell in love with the writing style of Jacqueline Winspear.
I felt myself being transported back in time as I read through the adventures of Maisie as she hunted down clues to help solve the murder. This was not one of those mysteries with chase scenes, shoot outs, or other such action. Instead, it was more of a cerebral mystery where you follow along as she uncovers the truth.
Now my sister loves to read cozy mysteries, but she has never read any of hers yet. So of course, I had to tell her all about it. She has already bought the first few books. She is going to pass them on to me so that I can start reading through the series.
In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.
The second reason is because I have actually been looking into this period of history as I work on my family tree. So it was nice to see a fictitious piece about England set between the two World Wars.
Even though this was the eighth book in the series and the first one I have read, I did not feel lost at all. I absolutely fell in love with the writing style of Jacqueline Winspear.
I felt myself being transported back in time as I read through the adventures of Maisie as she hunted down clues to help solve the murder. This was not one of those mysteries with chase scenes, shoot outs, or other such action. Instead, it was more of a cerebral mystery where you follow along as she uncovers the truth.
Now my sister loves to read cozy mysteries, but she has never read any of hers yet. So of course, I had to tell her all about it. She has already bought the first few books. She is going to pass them on to me so that I can start reading through the series.
In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was captured by the latest Maisie Dobbs installment. She's back to business, but still learning and adapting to her new role in life. I even began to like Billy again, after finding him hard to take last book around.
I really like the new direction Ms. Winspear is taking Maisie, both personally and professionally. This eighth Maisie Dobbs book was a breath of fresh air for me in a series that had started to get just a bit stale. The international intrigue is true to the coming Nazi threat; Ms. Winspear has done some thorough research.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.