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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
3.5 Another entertaining adventure with Jackaby, Abigail and the cast of unusual characters. Intrested to see how this story continues and learning more about Jenny's mortal life.
So, this second book happened and after a very disappointing first installment, I was still curious. There's so much potential but the execution was poor and tasteless. (Well, I know I'm not one to cast stones). I must admit where credit is due. This book is an improvement with clever references to Nellie Bly and the Bone Wars (ha). But that doesn't excuse the many faults that I had with this story in terms of pacing and dialogue.
As the story begins, Jackaby being the most horrible detective to ever exist fucking forgets to ask the women how she was in possession of a rare creature. It's not until he remembers that she is already dead and it's not like he can talk to ghosts or anything (can you see how frustrated I am)? Then another coincidence takes places where (opps look at clumsy me) Abigail trips and almost tosses evidence down a sewer. That was unbelievablely subtle. And may I add, Abigail is judgemental as fuck. Even the blurb in the back demonstrates this certain Cool Girl Syndrome that ails her. Yes, I get the fact that you're not like other girls (so does that mean you have a penis becuase if you have a vagina, you are indeed like most girls) because you play with bones (ha) but please don't insult other women to validate yourself. You do you. Let others be themselves if they want to plant flowers or (shudder) be domestic engineers.
Anyways, the mystery was straightfoward, cut and dry. A bunch of shit is thrown at the readers to hide the real clues. So much so that Abigail couldn't even do her job. By this point, she would just be noticing so much ordinary trivial shit to fill up a dictionary.
Also, I had no prior knowledge to mythological beings due to my ignorance but when that happens, I rely heavily on Jackaby to explain himself which he rarely does. His butt is so clenched that nothing escapes. I was mostly in the dark and where's the fun in that? There's an explaination towards the end of the book but really we all know what's up. Moriarty is in the house and if that's a spoiler then please do me a favor and just read Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes or watch the BBC show. It's infinitely more engaging that this book.
I'm highly suspicious that this book solely rides upon the popularity of the source material to garner success. It's like Dumb Starbucks. Remember that? By using parody law, Nathan Fielder was able to utilize Starbuck's reputation to bring in unsuspecting customers. But since Dumb Starbucks was not a health inspected certified operation and considered more as an art gallery, the food served was an "art piece" that might be dangerous. And that describes this series. A consumers cautioned, buyer beware.
Yet, I'm still impressed and fascinated with this series. It actually gradually improves contrary to previous experiences with authors that I wanted to like. I promise to always give books a chance if there's a willingness to figure things out.
On that note, I must say that at page 253 onwards was exactly where the momentum of the series should be from the very beginning. I don't have a problem with moments of drag if it offers insight upon the character or (I don't know, maybe it's a shot in the dark) an epiphany that solves the case. I mean, that's the best place to put such a thing. Instead of Jackaby casually commenting, "I see." and walking to a random scene that you realize might have something to do with the resolution. It's just frustrating is all I'm saying.
As the story begins, Jackaby being the most horrible detective to ever exist fucking forgets to ask the women how she was in possession of a rare creature. It's not until he remembers that she is already dead and it's not like he can talk to ghosts or anything (can you see how frustrated I am)? Then another coincidence takes places where (opps look at clumsy me) Abigail trips and almost tosses evidence down a sewer. That was unbelievablely subtle. And may I add, Abigail is judgemental as fuck. Even the blurb in the back demonstrates this certain Cool Girl Syndrome that ails her. Yes, I get the fact that you're not like other girls (so does that mean you have a penis becuase if you have a vagina, you are indeed like most girls) because you play with bones (ha) but please don't insult other women to validate yourself. You do you. Let others be themselves if they want to plant flowers or (shudder) be domestic engineers.
Anyways, the mystery was straightfoward, cut and dry. A bunch of shit is thrown at the readers to hide the real clues. So much so that Abigail couldn't even do her job. By this point, she would just be noticing so much ordinary trivial shit to fill up a dictionary.
Also, I had no prior knowledge to mythological beings due to my ignorance but when that happens, I rely heavily on Jackaby to explain himself which he rarely does. His butt is so clenched that nothing escapes. I was mostly in the dark and where's the fun in that? There's an explaination towards the end of the book but really we all know what's up. Moriarty is in the house and if that's a spoiler then please do me a favor and just read Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes or watch the BBC show. It's infinitely more engaging that this book.
I'm highly suspicious that this book solely rides upon the popularity of the source material to garner success. It's like Dumb Starbucks. Remember that? By using parody law, Nathan Fielder was able to utilize Starbuck's reputation to bring in unsuspecting customers. But since Dumb Starbucks was not a health inspected certified operation and considered more as an art gallery, the food served was an "art piece" that might be dangerous. And that describes this series. A consumers cautioned, buyer beware.
Yet, I'm still impressed and fascinated with this series. It actually gradually improves contrary to previous experiences with authors that I wanted to like. I promise to always give books a chance if there's a willingness to figure things out.
On that note, I must say that at page 253 onwards was exactly where the momentum of the series should be from the very beginning. I don't have a problem with moments of drag if it offers insight upon the character or (I don't know, maybe it's a shot in the dark) an epiphany that solves the case. I mean, that's the best place to put such a thing. Instead of Jackaby casually commenting, "I see." and walking to a random scene that you realize might have something to do with the resolution. It's just frustrating is all I'm saying.
Eh. I liked the first book, but I'm between a 2.5 and a 3 for this one.
Slow but fun
The book took longer than the first to pick up, but once it did it was nearly impossible to put down. I wish it was a bit more exciting like the last 100 pages. Also, the ending was perfect and a good opening to the next book. Well done.
The book took longer than the first to pick up, but once it did it was nearly impossible to put down. I wish it was a bit more exciting like the last 100 pages. Also, the ending was perfect and a good opening to the next book. Well done.
Love this series
I cannot wait to dive into the next book in this series I love the mystery and "magic" , so many wonderful quotes to love in this series also.
I cannot wait to dive into the next book in this series I love the mystery and "magic" , so many wonderful quotes to love in this series also.
To be fair...more like a 2.75, but just not quite a 3 - it dragged in the middle and just was...underwhelming for me. But I still enjoyed it and will probably read the others...
A second fun, lightweight fantasy/historical fiction/murder mystery from William Ritter. Abigail Rook, the heroine, is an assistant to RF Jackaby, an absent minded supernatural investigator. But her true passion is for archaeology, so when an unusual dinosaur skeleton is discovered in on a farmer's hillside just outside New Fiddleham, Abigail can't wait to get her hands in the dirt.
Overall a great read and a lot of fun. I didn’t like this one quite as much as the first as it follows a completely different style of crime and beasty. But the humour was still there, and whilst it was slower paced than the first it was still a quick read.
It was more archaeologically based, which is fine but a little boring.
There was some decent character development too and a couple of reoccurring faces from the first book.
What I like the most about these books, asides from the humour, is the bizarre plot lines and situations that the get in to. ANYTHING is possible in these books. Which is refreshing.
I look forward to picking up the next two soon.
It was more archaeologically based, which is fine but a little boring.
There was some decent character development too and a couple of reoccurring faces from the first book.
What I like the most about these books, asides from the humour, is the bizarre plot lines and situations that the get in to. ANYTHING is possible in these books. Which is refreshing.
I look forward to picking up the next two soon.