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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
I think this was the first Kate Atkinson novel I read years ago. I enjoyed it much more having now been introduced properly to Jackson Brody. Edinburgh is the setting and the story is intriguing and funny and tragic; pretty much what one comes to expect from Kate Atkinson.
Not as good as the first or third in this series, but it did make me like Louise more. Am I missing something or Silvia wasn't dead by the end of the first book?
Another twisty plot I could not quite completely figure out until the end, it kept me reading way past midnight, although it did take me a while to get into the story, but maybe this is just what happens to me with Atkinson. Looking forward to reading installment #4!
Another twisty plot I could not quite completely figure out until the end, it kept me reading way past midnight, although it did take me a while to get into the story, but maybe this is just what happens to me with Atkinson. Looking forward to reading installment #4!
I read Case Histories (#1) 12 years ago, and remember loving it. Like that book, One Good Turn is mystery that includes developed characters and seemingly unrelated events that eventually tie together in a twist.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Drug abuse, Gun violence
Moderate: Fatphobia, Violence
There's a moment in the book in which the character of the writer reflects that he lives mostly in the world of his imagination. That seems an autobiographical moment, as Atkinson develops such deep and detailed characters and settings that seem to spin out organically from moment to moment. Intricately plotted too, building patiently to crescendo. This book has become somewhat dated, and this one is a little fun than the first in the series but not to the point that deters moving onto the next one. And yes, read them in order, or you won't understand Brodie.
I liked the first book in the Jackson Brodie series, [b:Case Histories|16243|Case Histories (Jackson Brodie, #1)|Kate Atkinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1423072753s/16243.jpg|18001] - but this is way better. An odd ensemble of characters and backstories all woven together in the most improbable way, and Atkinson pulls it off spectacularly. Brodie is a continuing character, but there's nothing particular about the plot of the first book that carries over, so if you haven't read the first book you won't miss anything by jumping in here.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I found this disappointing. Although it had touches of Atkinson's off-beat humour, the multiple plots were confusing and I never really became interested in any of the characters. Case Histories was one of my favourite books the year I read it, but this one didn't live up to the earlier work.
I did finish it. But I mostly skimmed it. There was so much boring stuff that didn’t have to do with the plot. In the first novel, the details made you care about the characters. In this one, I just skipped it. I won’t be reading more of the series.