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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Before writing my review, I looked at some of the others here on Goodreads and damn, people either loved it or they hated it! The ones that hated it seemed to be on the "Maisie Dobbs is trying to control everyone" train and I whole heartedly disagree with them. While on the surface (and from the outside looking in) it may appear that way, but when you dig into it, that is not how Maisie sees it or what she is doing.
She has had the privilege of being 'plucked out of obscurity' by fate placing her in a home where the Lady of the house sees her potential and has her educated to lift her up instead of keeping her down. She has had the privilege of mentoring under someone who is a legend in his own time and then has this huge endowment thrust upon her and not knowing what to do with it. It's only natural for a character like Maisie to want to help others around her, but without them feeling like they are indebted to her. So, yes, she makes decisions "for them" but it is to help lift them up and is similar to what was done for her. She sees it as paying it forward not controlling and I see it the same way.
I didn't think she & James were a good fit for each other in the last book, but most (if not all) of us have been in similar relationships. It works 'for now' and you probably learn something from it, but in the end, it's not destined to be. With the way the story line is progressing, I also see the potential for a bad end for James since we are now on the precipice of WWII and Maisie doesn't need another one of those relationships. I am curious how the future stories will be shaped as we are coming up on that awful period in history and I look forward to seeing Maisie's story unfold.
She has had the privilege of being 'plucked out of obscurity' by fate placing her in a home where the Lady of the house sees her potential and has her educated to lift her up instead of keeping her down. She has had the privilege of mentoring under someone who is a legend in his own time and then has this huge endowment thrust upon her and not knowing what to do with it. It's only natural for a character like Maisie to want to help others around her, but without them feeling like they are indebted to her. So, yes, she makes decisions "for them" but it is to help lift them up and is similar to what was done for her. She sees it as paying it forward not controlling and I see it the same way.
I didn't think she & James were a good fit for each other in the last book, but most (if not all) of us have been in similar relationships. It works 'for now' and you probably learn something from it, but in the end, it's not destined to be. With the way the story line is progressing, I also see the potential for a bad end for James since we are now on the precipice of WWII and Maisie doesn't need another one of those relationships. I am curious how the future stories will be shaped as we are coming up on that awful period in history and I look forward to seeing Maisie's story unfold.
I really enjoyed this Masie story centered around solving the murder of a childhood friend from her impoverished neighborhood. Eddy was a gentle giant dealing (it implies) with asbergers with an uncanny ability to communicate with horses even as he struggled with people. The characters in this Dobbs mystery seemed so real. The oncoming fear of fascism, Hitler and WW II begin to make their presence felt.
I always enjoy a Maisie Dobbs mystery. Winspear writes a lovely series that is always a pleasure to read. This one was a little less "tidy" in the wrapping up of the mystery and in Maisie's personal life. However, I guess that was intentional, given the time in history this took place. The world was on the brink of another war and everything seemed up in the air.
I'm beginning to lose patience with this series. While I still like the characters, especially the supporting ones, the focus on Maisie and her inner turmoil is beginning to overwhelm the actually mystery aspect. Between her love life, her PTSD due to WWI and her discomfort with new-found wealth, the mystery practically takes a back seat. In this particular story, there are a number of lose threads and some surprises in terms of how murders are handled, both of which seem out of keeping with the characters.
I have a feeling I know where Ms. Winspear is going with the series (straight into WWII) and I'm not sure if I will be interested enough in the woe-is-me aspect of Maisie to be able to continue reading the series unless the balance between her personal and professional life is restored.
I have a feeling I know where Ms. Winspear is going with the series (straight into WWII) and I'm not sure if I will be interested enough in the woe-is-me aspect of Maisie to be able to continue reading the series unless the balance between her personal and professional life is restored.
About 2.5 stars. I've decided these are romance stories with a mystery shoved in. Maisie's sleeping with the son of her old boss, but isn't comfortable with servants since she used to be one, blah blah blah. And here's a mystery where she intuits a solution but we don't get all the pieces so we can figure it out with her.
Quite frankly, the most interesting characters in the last couple of books have been the murder victims. Maisie, James and the rest are little cardboard characters that move around hand-wringing and agonizing over every little decision that comes along.
These are the most slow-moving, depressing books I've ever read. I kept thinking that maybe something good will happen to Maisie, since she has the capability of being an interesting character, but she manages to push almost everyone that likes her away.
Quite frankly, the most interesting characters in the last couple of books have been the murder victims. Maisie, James and the rest are little cardboard characters that move around hand-wringing and agonizing over every little decision that comes along.
These are the most slow-moving, depressing books I've ever read. I kept thinking that maybe something good will happen to Maisie, since she has the capability of being an interesting character, but she manages to push almost everyone that likes her away.
Ms. Winspear has a fine series going, all revolving around her private investigator, Maisie Dobbs. This outing mixes the death of a "horse whisperer" with big-money manipulation of British media to disburse propaganda in the years between World Wars I and II. Winspear is a fine storyteller, and gets the period and history right. This isn't one of her best books, but still a fine addition to the series.