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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
Always a good detective novel to read. Didn't enjoy this one as much as Robert's previous two. Character development isn't necessarily a detriment in this book, but there is a lot more of it than I recall from the other two. Slowed the pace of the book. Still, overall, a fun diversion to pick up and enjoy for a few days.
Also I'm reading HP to my kids. The difference in the writing style is astonishing. Quite impressed by how they bear no similarities in writing style or voice. I was hoping that like HP #3 that Career of Evil would mark a dramatic shift in the writing ability-- both of them being the third book in the series. I didn't get that impression (maybe after a few more come out I'll see it differently). But again, as always, a delight to enter into these characters and their world. If JK Rowling does anything similar its that, she cares about her characters-- even the awful ones.
Also I'm reading HP to my kids. The difference in the writing style is astonishing. Quite impressed by how they bear no similarities in writing style or voice. I was hoping that like HP #3 that Career of Evil would mark a dramatic shift in the writing ability-- both of them being the third book in the series. I didn't get that impression (maybe after a few more come out I'll see it differently). But again, as always, a delight to enter into these characters and their world. If JK Rowling does anything similar its that, she cares about her characters-- even the awful ones.
I hesitated a long time on what rating to give this book, because while I absolutely loved the detective part of the story - her best one so far, in my opinion -, I wasn't as taken by the "personal" side of the story.
The mystery was amazing. I didn't see the solution coming at all, even though during the whole novel we get little chapter from the point of view of the killer. Too often these kinds of novels are predictable for people who have read many before, but here it was a nice surprise. And when the solution came, it seemed believable, which is also a very good point.
The aspect that I didn't like was the usual Strike/Robin/Matthew dynamic (not a spoiler - if you've read the first two installments, you know what I'm talking about). At first I was glad the evolution of the relationship was slow. So many of these detective type novels would have had Robin and Strike jumping in bed together in chapter 5 of novel 1, but here there was an actual friendship developing. But I quickly got annoyed at them constantly rehashing the same thoughts for the entire novel. "Will he fire me even though I'm useful?" and "why do I feel this way for him/her" and "why and I thinking of him/her right now?" I just wanted to slap them and tell them to get a grip on their feelings, already.
But all in all I keep a very good impression of this installment. I just hope the next one doesn't still keep going the same way for the Robin/Strike relationship and that we get some resolution sooner rather than later.
The mystery was amazing. I didn't see the solution coming at all, even though during the whole novel we get little chapter from the point of view of the killer. Too often these kinds of novels are predictable for people who have read many before, but here it was a nice surprise. And when the solution came, it seemed believable, which is also a very good point.
The aspect that I didn't like was the usual Strike/Robin/Matthew dynamic (not a spoiler - if you've read the first two installments, you know what I'm talking about). At first I was glad the evolution of the relationship was slow. So many of these detective type novels would have had Robin and Strike jumping in bed together in chapter 5 of novel 1, but here there was an actual friendship developing. But I quickly got annoyed at them constantly rehashing the same thoughts for the entire novel. "Will he fire me even though I'm useful?" and "why do I feel this way for him/her" and "why and I thinking of him/her right now?" I just wanted to slap them and tell them to get a grip on their feelings, already.
But all in all I keep a very good impression of this installment. I just hope the next one doesn't still keep going the same way for the Robin/Strike relationship and that we get some resolution sooner rather than later.
The third book in the series, Career of Evil shows the seamless way Galbraith (J.K. Rowling) can integrate personal story lines with the professional. The characters are interesting, lively and unique and the book is a wonderful pulpy crime book that leaves you satisfied.
The authors writing isn't dumbed down which can happen so easily in crime writing novels. She shows excellent powers of observation in describing characters and sets the book up so that you can't wait for the next storyline to arrive.
The authors writing isn't dumbed down which can happen so easily in crime writing novels. She shows excellent powers of observation in describing characters and sets the book up so that you can't wait for the next storyline to arrive.
What a disappointment. With Career of Evil, J.K. Rowling (writing as Robert Galbraith) foregoes the screwball charms of the first two Cormoran Strike books, choosing instead to create a much darker mood. The murder that gets the story going is grisly, and the three suspects are all truly horrifying specimens. One is a pedophile. Another a serial abuser of women. The last is the man Strike holds responsible for his mother’s death. This personal connection to the case at hand opens the narrative to unpleasant scenes from Strike’s youth. We also learn about serious trauma in Robin’s past. This is solid character development, but it’s unrelentingly grim, and not what I have grown to expect from a Galbraith novel. The chapters written from the perspective of the killer do nothing to lighten the mood.
I might have been able to adjust my expectations and enjoy the book anyway, but I was also frustrated by the sloppy storytelling and poor pacing. The amount of repetition here is maddening. Both Robin and Strike seem to be caught in temporal loops in which they go through the same memories and feelings over and over again. This might be true-to-life, but it’s boring to read. Less important—but no less irritating—is the seemingly endless reiteration of details that become less meaningful with each recollection. It simply is not necessary to remind the reader that the faux leather sofa in Cormoran’s office makes an unfortunate farting sound whenever someone sits on it.
But most disappointing to me was the way Rowling deals with the relationship between Cormoran and Robin. Utterly predictable and, therefore, hugely dispiriting.
The ending is a mess. The murder is no more baroque than those in The Cuckoo’s Calling or The Silkworm, but those books had a comedic quality that made overelaborate schemes seem plausible. Here, it just seems absurd, and the way in which Strike goes about resolving the case beggars belief. Then there’s the epilogue, which I either don’t quite understand or find ridiculous. Either way, I can’t say that I’m looking forward to the next Galbraith novel.
3.75⭐️ First Read: 2016 ; Second Read: 2023
Overall, I continue to enjoy Cormoran and Robin as lead characters and have enjoyed seeing their relationship progress. The strength of this book in the series is in developing more of them.
I think my favorite part of this book is that it delves into Robin's past and present. We get to learn more about what led her to quit Uni, and why she is still with Matthew. We see her still trying to navigate their rocky relationship as their engagement heads toward the wedding. At the same time, Cormoran is in a superficial relationship and seems unable to commit to any woman other than Robin. The chemistry between Robin and Cormoran is interesting, and I found myself flip-flopping on my feelings about them finally expressing theirs.
The most challenging aspect for me was the slogging journey to unveil the perpetrator. I think it served to explore the dynamic of Robin and Cormoran more deeply, but felt excessively drawn out. I think it also helps to take the rosy glasses off of Strike as he repeatedly let his bias and personal opinions of the suspects get in the way.
Overall, I continue to enjoy Cormoran and Robin as lead characters and have enjoyed seeing their relationship progress. The strength of this book in the series is in developing more of them.
I think my favorite part of this book is that it delves into Robin's past and present. We get to learn more about what led her to quit Uni, and why she is still with Matthew. We see her still trying to navigate their rocky relationship as their engagement heads toward the wedding. At the same time, Cormoran is in a superficial relationship and seems unable to commit to any woman other than Robin. The chemistry between Robin and Cormoran is interesting, and I found myself flip-flopping on my feelings about them finally expressing theirs.
The most challenging aspect for me was the slogging journey to unveil the perpetrator. I think it served to explore the dynamic of Robin and Cormoran more deeply, but felt excessively drawn out. I think it also helps to take the rosy glasses off of Strike as he repeatedly let his bias and personal opinions of the suspects get in the way.
Things I liked:
- jkr knows what she's doing when it comes to dialogue and voice. No one can outdo the way every character sounds like a unique, real individual.
- good cliffhangers
- sexual tension without ever being gross
- the way the bad guy could easily have been any of the suspects and you really didn't know who it was until the reveal
Things I didn't like:
- too. Long. I just can't handle books over 350-400 pages. It gets to be daunting. I psyche myself out
- some of it dragged. Could have been tighter in parts. I skimmed a bunch of the middle....
- jkr knows what she's doing when it comes to dialogue and voice. No one can outdo the way every character sounds like a unique, real individual.
- good cliffhangers
- sexual tension without ever being gross
- the way the bad guy could easily have been any of the suspects and you really didn't know who it was until the reveal
Things I didn't like:
- too. Long. I just can't handle books over 350-400 pages. It gets to be daunting. I psyche myself out
- some of it dragged. Could have been tighter in parts. I skimmed a bunch of the middle....
3.5 stars... fun, ish. distracted in parts by unnecessary repetition of plot points from earlier books in the series. the shifting POVs gave me a little whiplash... & beginning to find the tension between Carmoran & his partner / assistant / secretary/ girl Friday to be a bit ridiculous, considering how much of the narrative was devoted to describing it &/or the relationships of the two of them with their various significant others...!
hooray, new cormoran! like the previous installments, rowling writes a realistic investigation that is logically followed but still compulsively readable. strike and robin aren't superdetectives or anything, where leaps of thought lead to brillant but "how-did-they-even-get-there?" discoveries...they just do solid work, and it's refreshing. like usual, the matthew side plot stressed me out, and in this one i was more annoyed by robin's insatiable desire to please strike (and frustrated by her actions at the end; strike was completely justified in his reaction, even though you sympathize with robin's impetus). i kind of like the will-they-won't-they vibe; i kind of want it both ways (this reminded me of mulder and scully!), but i hope rowling takes care not to make that the focus of the next installments.
A below average book. I love these kind of Private Detective cases and that part was interesting, but the writing was overly complicated and unnecessarily descriptive. Also, in a growing curve in this series, "Career of Evil" went from dark to just grotesque. I didn't need a lot of the images given to me to enjoy this story, they simply detracted from it. Wouldn't recommend it.