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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
What an ending!!! I still can't believe it, i just can't get enough of Robin and Strike!
Great mystery again!!!! I didn't solve this one but if you read like a writer instead of reading like a reader I think it might be possible to solve on your own? Not sure though because it was really well written. At the same time it seems like JKR feels she has to get more and more gruesome with the subject matter of each book. Hope that doesn't become a trend because this one was hard to swallow at times and I don't like to read books that make me sad. Overall a top tier book though. The slow burn romance is so aggravating in a good way. I feel like we're getting more and more depth to the characters with each book and getting more and more invested in their storylines and not just the murder mystery.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Horrifying, gory, and filled with tragic lives, but oh so well written and conceived. Rowling knows how to build up a character so you feel that they're real -- for better or worse. The story is terrifying but captivating, the reader is given the answer to the mystery partway through the book, but has to watch in agony as the characters struggle to figure it out. I wanted to yell at them, shake them to wake up, and cry in horror. So well done!!!!
I am never disappointed by JK Rowling's alter ego. Each new installment tops the last, and I'm always surprised by the ending. Excellent whodunnit!
Yay, the next Cormoran Strike book!
But I gotta bone to pick with JK Rowling. It's about how she creates her mysteries and reveals the endings. Have I told you all about this?
Writing mysteries are hard. It's a delicate balance between surprising the reader at the end and dropping enough hints that the reader doesn't feel completely blindsided. I like to feel surprised at the end (eg. not have guessed who the killer was) but be able to track all the clues along the way that led up to the unveiling of the killer.
Rowling makes it literally impossible (this is not a metaphorical use of the word literally) to find out the answer to the mystery on your own. And that makes me mad. For me, the mystery genre needs to include the chance (even a 0.1% chance) that you can figure out the mystery on your own with the clues that the author provides.
When Rowling gives her reveal, she tells you the way that Cormoran finally solves it: by finally including information that he had that the reader is never privy to. Maybe if Rowling had snuck that piece of information in, there would have been the slightest chance that I could have figured it out. Probably not, but maybe!! But no. And that's what really pisses me off when I read this series.
Positives:
Character development: Three cheers for Robin's backstory! I mean, it wasn't really puppies and roses. What I mean is that it helped grow Robin as a person and I discovered a lot more about her that made me really admire her tenacity and what she went through to get to where she is today. Also, more from Cormoran! Always good to get to know more about our main guy.
Writing: As always, Rowling has a masterful grasp of writing. She is purposeful in developing characters and plot, and her sense of humor shows through as well.
Negatives:
Pacing: Rowling's writing is normally spot on, but in Career of Evil I had a minor problem with the pacing. I've never had a problem with this before, but every once in a while this book would start to drag a little.
The Mystery! I don't mean the killer himself and who it is, but the clues and the big reveal as discussed in my earlier rant.
The ending: Ugh, why did Robin and Cormoran's relationships turn into a soap opera? And the cliffhanger was a little ridiculous.
But I gotta bone to pick with JK Rowling. It's about how she creates her mysteries and reveals the endings. Have I told you all about this?
Writing mysteries are hard. It's a delicate balance between surprising the reader at the end and dropping enough hints that the reader doesn't feel completely blindsided. I like to feel surprised at the end (eg. not have guessed who the killer was) but be able to track all the clues along the way that led up to the unveiling of the killer.
Rowling makes it literally impossible (this is not a metaphorical use of the word literally) to find out the answer to the mystery on your own. And that makes me mad. For me, the mystery genre needs to include the chance (even a 0.1% chance) that you can figure out the mystery on your own with the clues that the author provides.
When Rowling gives her reveal, she tells you the way that Cormoran finally solves it: by finally including information that he had that the reader is never privy to. Maybe if Rowling had snuck that piece of information in, there would have been the slightest chance that I could have figured it out. Probably not, but maybe!! But no. And that's what really pisses me off when I read this series.
Positives:
Character development: Three cheers for Robin's backstory! I mean, it wasn't really puppies and roses. What I mean is that it helped grow Robin as a person and I discovered a lot more about her that made me really admire her tenacity and what she went through to get to where she is today. Also, more from Cormoran! Always good to get to know more about our main guy.
Writing: As always, Rowling has a masterful grasp of writing. She is purposeful in developing characters and plot, and her sense of humor shows through as well.
Negatives:
Pacing: Rowling's writing is normally spot on, but in Career of Evil I had a minor problem with the pacing. I've never had a problem with this before, but every once in a while this book would start to drag a little.
The Mystery! I don't mean the killer himself and who it is, but the clues and the big reveal as discussed in my earlier rant.
The ending: Ugh, why did Robin and Cormoran's relationships turn into a soap opera? And the cliffhanger was a little ridiculous.
As expected, the story is full of excitement and mystery. I really enjoyed the author's tidbits from the killer's point of view. The clues kept me guessing until the very end. I don't recall so much "tension" between Strike and Robin in the previous novels, but I didn't hate it. I'm interested to see where the story leads with the next novel.
Oh man! This was definitely a 4.5-5 Star read for me. I felt like this was the strongest of the three in the Strike series. There was much more going on with regards to character backgrounds that contributed to more character development than in the previous books. What I enjoyed the most was the chapters from the killer’s POV. At first, I did not like those snippets because I kept thinking it would rob me of the “twist” at the end. However, about a quarter of the way through the book (once the pool is suspects was clearly narrowed down and brief background given) those chapters became something to look forward to. I enjoyed trying to find clues within the killer’s chapters. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released. That damn cliffhanger is gonna make sure I check for updates on Lethal White on a monthly basis.