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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Sarah Pinborough is a master at her craft. I'm not sure whether this is horror or just thriller (I'm not lying awake scared like I was after reading Heart Shaped Box, but I'm also writing this review instead of turning out the light and going to sleep, so you be the judge) but either way, it's damn good writing. Not flashy or fast paced, but a creepy slow build with an equally creepy ending.
I can't say I liked this book and its approach to the supernatural much. One legend of evil is apparently true, and no character ever asks themselves whether that means that other legends might be true as well. This is simply accepted as an isolated case, which is totally separate from the normal world of ordinary murders and ordinary policemen. Instead, we have a protagonist who spends most of the book drugged out of his mind, and his opium-induced hallucinations are taken as the literal truth of a demon driving its host to murder. In the end, the protagonist and his accomplices simply murder the demon and its host and destroy all evidence that he did indeed commit the murders, preventing any sort of public justice or closure from taking place.
In the end, I think this book does not work as a crime novel, since it relies entirely on drugged-out visions, and it does not work as a novel about the supernatural either, since the narrative is entirely uninterested in the implications of the existence of an evil river demon.
In the end, I think this book does not work as a crime novel, since it relies entirely on drugged-out visions, and it does not work as a novel about the supernatural either, since the narrative is entirely uninterested in the implications of the existence of an evil river demon.
I really enjoyed this book! I like how it included real people from the Jack the Ripper casebook but put an incredibly interesting, fictional spin on the story. I was fascinated by the supernatural element.
For the most part I liked bouncing between the various points of view. Dr. Bond and Kosminski were enjoyable narrators. I also liked the chapters from the murder victims and the journal entries from the person revealed to be the killer. I wasn't as interested in the few other chapters (I don't have the book in front of me at the moment, but I believe those were men from the police department?), but they were short and few in number.
The story was well-crafted and kept me hooked all the way through to the end. I see that there will be a sequel, and I looked forward to revisiting Victorian London with Dr. Bond in the next installment. I also plan on checking out Sarah Pinborough's other books since I enjoyed the this one so much.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher to read and review.
For the most part I liked bouncing between the various points of view. Dr. Bond and Kosminski were enjoyable narrators. I also liked the chapters from the murder victims and the journal entries from the person revealed to be the killer. I wasn't as interested in the few other chapters (I don't have the book in front of me at the moment, but I believe those were men from the police department?), but they were short and few in number.
The story was well-crafted and kept me hooked all the way through to the end. I see that there will be a sequel, and I looked forward to revisiting Victorian London with Dr. Bond in the next installment. I also plan on checking out Sarah Pinborough's other books since I enjoyed the this one so much.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book from the publisher to read and review.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So Jack the Ripper totally stole the Thames Torso Killer's thunder. The torso murders were equally gruesome and happened during the same period, but didn't cause the same stir. Pinborough uses these lesser known crimes as the starting point in this paranormal mystery set in 1880's London. Our hero, Dr. Bond, develops an interest in the murders after dealing with the remains of the victims, and during his visits in foggy opium dens finds out that he is not the only one. Some sleuthing and more murders follow.
This is a straightforward mystery with a speck of the supernatural. Everything develops exactly as you expect it to, there are no surprises or twists. It's solid and well constructed, but hardly suspenseful unless you find the London fog exciting. I found the characters underdeveloped, but that may change as sequels seem to be in the works.
With such fun ingredients (the Ripper! opium dens! monsters!) I expected more than this.
This is a straightforward mystery with a speck of the supernatural. Everything develops exactly as you expect it to, there are no surprises or twists. It's solid and well constructed, but hardly suspenseful unless you find the London fog exciting. I found the characters underdeveloped, but that may change as sequels seem to be in the works.
With such fun ingredients (the Ripper! opium dens! monsters!) I expected more than this.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed this mystery set in the time of Jack the Ripper.