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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unfortunately for this book, I thought the show did it better. BLASPHEMOUS I know, but it was the best 2 episodes of the entire show. Having him be a down on his luck detective just makes Jackson a better character than a rich bloke funding his girlfriend's play wandering Edinburgh during Fringe. The strongest element of the book involves Jackson's internal monologue, like the scene at the end where the guy he's been running into throughout the book is a mix of confused/enraged. Although the introduction of Louise was great, in the show she's already a character in the first episode and I kind of thought that way of doing it was better. But she is still a great character and a welcome addition.
The Jackson/Julia storyline was kind of tedious by the end. Even if it wasn't obvious for Jackson, it was obvious for any reader that it wasn't going to end well.
Another thing that I thought was stronger about the show was the fact that Molly hadn't gone to New Zealand yet. Since the "One Good Turn" episodes of the show take place right after "Case Histories", it allowed for more with Jackson as a dad. Which is probably the best version of Jackson there is. In the book, it's kind of weird that he's this rich dude that's kind of ok with being so far from his daughter.
So once again, it's unfortunate for the book that it's been a few weeks since reading/listening to it and also unfortunate that the tv show episodes of this book are stronger/more memorable to me.
The Jackson/Julia storyline was kind of tedious by the end. Even if it wasn't obvious for Jackson, it was obvious for any reader that it wasn't going to end well.
Another thing that I thought was stronger about the show was the fact that Molly hadn't gone to New Zealand yet. Since the "One Good Turn" episodes of the show take place right after "Case Histories", it allowed for more with Jackson as a dad. Which is probably the best version of Jackson there is. In the book, it's kind of weird that he's this rich dude that's kind of ok with being so far from his daughter.
So once again, it's unfortunate for the book that it's been a few weeks since reading/listening to it and also unfortunate that the tv show episodes of this book are stronger/more memorable to me.
takes a very long time for anything to happen but glad I stuck with it. second half faster paced and great ending
WWaayyyyy too many dead animals....
My first impression of the Jackson Brodie series held up in the second novel. Not a complete waste of time, but not necessarily worth reading in the first place. There's a little too much going on with too many connections and too many "Russian girls." Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great lines; I highlighted more here than I have in a long time. But too much extra fluff for not a lot of plot. I did enjoy _Behind the Scenes at the Museum_ and _Life After Life_, but this series just isn't doing it for me. It also doesn't help that I can't think of Julia as anything other than a 70-something prima-donna type.
My first impression of the Jackson Brodie series held up in the second novel. Not a complete waste of time, but not necessarily worth reading in the first place. There's a little too much going on with too many connections and too many "Russian girls." Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great lines; I highlighted more here than I have in a long time. But too much extra fluff for not a lot of plot. I did enjoy _Behind the Scenes at the Museum_ and _Life After Life_, but this series just isn't doing it for me. It also doesn't help that I can't think of Julia as anything other than a 70-something prima-donna type.
This book was good, but nowhere near as great as Case Histories (or Life After Life). I think I will continue in the series when I need a light but well-written book to read.
Re-reading the Jackson Brodie books in anticipation of the new one...there are a couple of things about these books I don't like...in this one in particular there are references to animal abuse, and although the character is planning to go on a crusade against it, she still tells us about these things, so it sticks in my mind and upsets me....but that's my particular Achille's heel. I am reminded by how much better a writer Kate Atkinson is than 99% of the authors of most of the "thriller" crap clogging up the shelves everywhere at the moment...
I really quite liked the first one if these but my god this one was a bit of a mess. Never seen less detective work in a detective novel!!! Too much midlife crisis of confidence and blasé ineptitude from Jackson. Give yourself a shake man cmon 🤨
Also the casual mention of sleeping with his gf when she was literally asleep, acknowledging it was a crime and then just blasting straight on???? Wtf!
AND as IF the police wouldn’t search the hospitals for a missing person? What a stupid plot hole that wasn’t even useful in the end bc he was in a BLOODY COMA so couldn’t help them anyway. FFS
The plot was all muddled and just not really that compelling, and even when it did all come together it didn’t feel like it had.
I think my time with Mr Brodie is over lol
Also the casual mention of sleeping with his gf when she was literally asleep, acknowledging it was a crime and then just blasting straight on???? Wtf!
AND as IF the police wouldn’t search the hospitals for a missing person? What a stupid plot hole that wasn’t even useful in the end bc he was in a BLOODY COMA so couldn’t help them anyway. FFS
The plot was all muddled and just not really that compelling, and even when it did all come together it didn’t feel like it had.
I think my time with Mr Brodie is over lol
I kind of want to read #1, just because it is set in Cambridge, but didn't love the prose enough and didn't like the characters hardly at all, so will likely not revisit Jackson Brodie.
Out of the 'Jackson Brodie' novels I've read, I think this is my favourite so far, probably because it felt less like a genre crime novel. (Ironically, perhaps, one of the main characters is a successful but rather dull genre crime novelist, and Atkinson manages to write about him without sounding quite as self-conscious as most writers do when they write about writing.) It's kind of crazy and, as usual, everything connects somehow, although sometimes in surprising ways.
Having read three books in a row (and in the wrong order) I did come to a point where I lost the threads of the plot and had to take a break from this one - but once I picked it up again a few days later I finished it with renewed gusto. I think it was Atkinson-overload - this writer certainly needs you to keep your brain switched on!
Having read three books in a row (and in the wrong order) I did come to a point where I lost the threads of the plot and had to take a break from this one - but once I picked it up again a few days later I finished it with renewed gusto. I think it was Atkinson-overload - this writer certainly needs you to keep your brain switched on!
I didn't care for this as much as Atkinson's other books, which was a real disappointment, because her previous works delighted me so much. Not bad, but just not as good. Bummer.