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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ruth is a strong protagonist, but she is also relatable and complex. The unusual use of verb tense gives a feeling of immediacy that is compelling, but the plot is not rushed.
Kaikenkaikkiaan ihan kiva kirja, mielenkiintoinen asetelma ja arkeologia tutkimusmetodina oli kerrankin jotain uutta rikoskirjallisuuden joukossa. Maisemakuvaus vei välillä paikalle ja melkein tunsi tuulen kasvoilla.
Isoja miinuksia:
-Päähenkilön keskeisin luonteenpiirre oli se, että hän on lihava (ja siten epävarma). Vaatekoko 44 häpeällisenä läskiytenä mainittiin melkein useammin kuin toinen päähenkilöistä. Jatkuvasti kuvattiin hengästymistä ja sitä, kuinka hän autoon istuessaan täyttää koko tilan. Huoh.
-Kirjan kaikkien miesten motto oli ”gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss”, paino ensimmäisessä kohdassa. Jokainen vuorollaan väheksyi pullukkaa päähenkilöä ja uskotteli tämän kokemaan huonoa omaatuntoa vuorotellen kaikista kirjan tapahtumista.
-Kirjan lopun cliffhanger oli lopulta genren kirjojen suurin helmasynti (mielestäni). Helppo ratkaisu, jonka jokainen voimaantunut nainen kohtaa komean poliisimiehen kohdatessaan. Siitä ei sitten sen enempää spoilereita.
Tämän sanottuani, aion kyllä lukea ainakin seuraavan osan sarjassa.
Isoja miinuksia:
-Päähenkilön keskeisin luonteenpiirre oli se, että hän on lihava (ja siten epävarma). Vaatekoko 44 häpeällisenä läskiytenä mainittiin melkein useammin kuin toinen päähenkilöistä. Jatkuvasti kuvattiin hengästymistä ja sitä, kuinka hän autoon istuessaan täyttää koko tilan. Huoh.
-Kirjan kaikkien miesten motto oli ”gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss”, paino ensimmäisessä kohdassa. Jokainen vuorollaan väheksyi pullukkaa päähenkilöä ja uskotteli tämän kokemaan huonoa omaatuntoa vuorotellen kaikista kirjan tapahtumista.
-Kirjan lopun cliffhanger oli lopulta genren kirjojen suurin helmasynti (mielestäni). Helppo ratkaisu, jonka jokainen voimaantunut nainen kohtaa komean poliisimiehen kohdatessaan. Siitä ei sitten sen enempää spoilereita.
Tämän sanottuani, aion kyllä lukea ainakin seuraavan osan sarjassa.
Warning: may be a bit spoilery.
I see why people like this book, mostly. It's rather atmospheric, with lots of stormy weather and danger in the marshland near where the heroine lives. She's not a bad character in her own right.
That said, I was pretty sure I knew early on who the Characters of Interest would be. And I was right. I didn't foresee their ends though, so there's that. I almost never care for romance in these kinds of books, so the attraction between Dr. Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson struck me as off-putting and unprofessional. (Nelson is married. I've apparently become a huge judgey prude in my old age.) We're supposed to see Dr. Galloway as very professional and qualified. The book doesn't seem to me that it really shows that though.
And here's my biggest gripe with this story, the one that almost ruined it for me.
I can believe that some women live their lives like this. I don't, and honestly, I don't want to read about women who do. That attitude is just arrant nonsense to me, and I don't have time for it any more. So I'm not the target audience for this sort of book. Now if it were a dog she wanted instead of a child, I might like it better, LOL.
The book is pretty well written, I guess. I read it pretty quickly. It's not deep or complicated, so if you want that, it's fine. I'm just really hard to please these days. :(
I started the second book, The Janus Stone, but there's a real good chance I'll drop it. Oh well.
I see why people like this book, mostly. It's rather atmospheric, with lots of stormy weather and danger in the marshland near where the heroine lives. She's not a bad character in her own right.
That said, I was pretty sure I knew early on who the Characters of Interest would be. And I was right. I didn't foresee their ends though, so there's that. I almost never care for romance in these kinds of books, so the attraction between Dr. Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson struck me as off-putting and unprofessional. (Nelson is married. I've apparently become a huge judgey prude in my old age.) We're supposed to see Dr. Galloway as very professional and qualified. The book doesn't seem to me that it really shows that though.
And here's my biggest gripe with this story, the one that almost ruined it for me.
Spoiler
The plot revolves around two kidnapped girls. One kidnapping was about 10 years ago. The other was more recent. The more recent kidnapping resulted in a dead child. Ruth Galloway found both girls, one by a sudden insight into the layout of the Saltmarsh and its Neolithic ruins, one by accident as she fled one of the Characters of Interest. When she found and rescued the second child, her motherly instinct apparently flared up, and she realized OMG HOW MUCH SHE WANTED A CHILD, AND SHE NEVER KNEW. Which is convenient, because she's pregnant from her one night stand with DCI Nelson. Who's married.I can believe that some women live their lives like this. I don't, and honestly, I don't want to read about women who do. That attitude is just arrant nonsense to me, and I don't have time for it any more. So I'm not the target audience for this sort of book. Now if it were a dog she wanted instead of a child, I might like it better, LOL.
The book is pretty well written, I guess. I read it pretty quickly. It's not deep or complicated, so if you want that, it's fine. I'm just really hard to please these days. :(
I started the second book, The Janus Stone, but there's a real good chance I'll drop it. Oh well.
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Body shaming
Minor: Infidelity, Abortion
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I saw this recommended as a book with vibes like the TV show bones which I've always loved. however, part of what makes bones so good is the team and their relationships and banter. this didn't have that. by the end of the book, pretty much every single person has been made thoroughly unlikable. I still think it's fine for what it is, but it just wasn't what I liked
Elly Griffiths ‘ The Crossing Place is the first in a series featuring archaeologist Ruth Galloway who lives on the edge of a salt marsh. She is called in by the local police to date the skeletal remains found near her home.
I really wanted to like this book because it has two things I love readying about - archaeology and mystery.
Unfortunately, Galloway is an unsympathetic character and is little more than a cardboard character. Plus she seemingly constantly refers to her weight - once was enough. Her police counterpart is little better. And then there’s the author’s writing style that is off-putting. She has issues with tense - most of the time Grifiths writes in the present tense, but she switches tenses sometimes more than once in a single sentence.
Griffiths has five more books in the series, but one is enough for me.
I really wanted to like this book because it has two things I love readying about - archaeology and mystery.
Unfortunately, Galloway is an unsympathetic character and is little more than a cardboard character. Plus she seemingly constantly refers to her weight - once was enough. Her police counterpart is little better. And then there’s the author’s writing style that is off-putting. She has issues with tense - most of the time Grifiths writes in the present tense, but she switches tenses sometimes more than once in a single sentence.
Griffiths has five more books in the series, but one is enough for me.