Scan barcode
kbmcdonell's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This book is a fantastic story based in the town I call home. It could have used one final proofread for grammar errors but the story is so good and the history of Cumberland so well explained that the book is a great read, grammatical errors or no.
magicandmystery's review against another edition
5.0
WOW! I purchased this book because it was set in the area I grew up in and I was working on a challenge that asked you to read a book set in your hometown. I figured Cumberland was close enough and the book looked really interesting. I was not disappointed!
The book starts of slow, but is still interesting because of the historical elements of the era. It is set in the Victorian era in a town that is predominately run on coal. I studied the coal industry for a month in elementary school and was so fascinated by mining and the fact that people went into the ground to bring up coal. I even got the chance to tour some of the ruins of mines in the area (the same area that this book is set in) and it was all so interesting. Particularly interesting is the fact that chinatown and Japantown were separated from the rest of the miners. Although it is definitely racist the cultural aspects were preserved as a result which makes for some interesting historical finds if you are lucky enough to find some of the relics in the old Chinatown out by Comox Lake.
I loved the main character Amaryllis. She is spunky and defiant and it was fun looking at the world through her eyes. I would have probably been more like her sister Violet and tried to tow the line, but Amaryllis makes the story so much more interesting.
The murder doesn't happen until several pages after 300 but the last 100 pages takes you on a crazy whirlwind adventure and leaves you reeling. I read the last 100 pages so fast.
I would recommend this book to anyone from the Comox Valley, fans of the Victorian era and fans of historical fiction. It is not for the faint of heart and parts of the book are pretty gruesome but overall I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
The book starts of slow, but is still interesting because of the historical elements of the era. It is set in the Victorian era in a town that is predominately run on coal. I studied the coal industry for a month in elementary school and was so fascinated by mining and the fact that people went into the ground to bring up coal. I even got the chance to tour some of the ruins of mines in the area (the same area that this book is set in) and it was all so interesting. Particularly interesting is the fact that chinatown and Japantown were separated from the rest of the miners. Although it is definitely racist the cultural aspects were preserved as a result which makes for some interesting historical finds if you are lucky enough to find some of the relics in the old Chinatown out by Comox Lake.
I loved the main character Amaryllis. She is spunky and defiant and it was fun looking at the world through her eyes. I would have probably been more like her sister Violet and tried to tow the line, but Amaryllis makes the story so much more interesting.
The murder doesn't happen until several pages after 300 but the last 100 pages takes you on a crazy whirlwind adventure and leaves you reeling. I read the last 100 pages so fast.
I would recommend this book to anyone from the Comox Valley, fans of the Victorian era and fans of historical fiction. It is not for the faint of heart and parts of the book are pretty gruesome but overall I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.
More...