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moonpie's review against another edition
4.0
Right off the bat I was aware that all the players in Company of Liars were lying, according to the back cover copy of my ARC. I assumed "all the players" included the narrator, and spent a portion of my reading time trying to figure out what made this narrator unreliable. Was it just the nature of his trade? In the end, most of the twists/lies were predictable and easily guessed if you were paying attention, though a few surprised me.
Maitland created some interesting characters, and I enjoyed getting to know the majority of them. I liked (if that's the right word (it's not)) the way the Plague seemed almost to be a character on its own. The story kept me interested and I made my way through the novel pretty quickly, although by the time I was three-quarters done the ROCKS FALL EVERYONE DIES* feel of the story started slowing me down a bit. I was happy to get to the end and know that I wouldn't have to deal with any more unhappy endings; if the writing hadn't been as solid as it was, I probably would have stopped earlier than the end, just because I'm not in a tragedy kind of mood right now.
*This is not a spoiler, rocks do not actually fall and everyone does not die.
(three-and-a-half stars)
Maitland created some interesting characters, and I enjoyed getting to know the majority of them. I liked (if that's the right word (it's not)) the way the Plague seemed almost to be a character on its own. The story kept me interested and I made my way through the novel pretty quickly, although by the time I was three-quarters done the ROCKS FALL EVERYONE DIES* feel of the story started slowing me down a bit. I was happy to get to the end and know that I wouldn't have to deal with any more unhappy endings; if the writing hadn't been as solid as it was, I probably would have stopped earlier than the end, just because I'm not in a tragedy kind of mood right now.
*This is not a spoiler, rocks do not actually fall and everyone does not die.
(three-and-a-half stars)
bookherd's review against another edition
3.0
An engrossing story about a group of travellers, each with a story to hide and to tell, with the 1348 onset of the Black Plague in England as a backdrop. There is a horror-story frame to it, which I didn't like because I thought it was so unnecessary, given that it all takes place while the Plague is raging--what could be more horrifying than that?! The only way I can find the "horror story" aspect of this book acceptable is to explain to myself as a kind of personification of the horror of the Plague. I don't want to spoil anything for other readers, so if you have read the book and have thoughts about this, please comment. Anyway, the book makes good use of historical details about the Plague year 1348 and has well drawn characters --there is a lot to like.
feelingpeachygreen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
THE TWISTS. THE TURNS. THE REVEALS.
I thought this was YA by the cover, when I picked it up for 50p from a charity shop. But goodness me, it's gruesome. And brutal.
I struggled with the slow pace at the start of the book compared to the fast pace at the end of the book - that'd why it's not 5*.
It would make a cracking historical thriller film if the pace could be evened out.
I thought this was YA by the cover, when I picked it up for 50p from a charity shop. But goodness me, it's gruesome. And brutal.
I struggled with the slow pace at the start of the book compared to the fast pace at the end of the book - that'd why it's not 5*.
It would make a cracking historical thriller film if the pace could be evened out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
Moderate: Homophobia and Incest
tucholsky's review against another edition
3.0
very very good to read and does a good job of catching the superstitions of the ordinary people. Sadly 20 pages from the end it uncovers a rather ridiculous fantasy story the ending of which you have been half expecting. Very much enjoyed 90 per cent of it. But the 10 per cent I didn't coloured the overall book
eacolgan's review against another edition
4.0
Read the full review at Plenty of Pages!
The creepy kid trope is often used as a mini deus ex machina, not to solve the problems of a particular story, but to expose them. The idea of a child that knows too much is unsettling-- a child that can think like an adult, and worse, perpetrate evil or horrifying acts like an adult, is one of the creepiest there is. Even if the creepy kid's job is just to stand by and make ominous pronouncements about what's going to happen, it's still unsettling. Kids are supposed to be innocent, and when faced with one who isn't, it jolts us out of our comfort zone faster than you can say Linda Blair.
So while I may have called it pretty early on that Narigorm (which is a near-anagram for guess which Celtic goddess whose abilities include foretelling the means of a person's death?) was behind the wolf hunting and shredding Camelot's companions, no one in the book seems to figure it out, even as the body count rises.
Which is kind of the point, if you think about it. The best and scariest killers are the ones who do their dirty work right under others' noses and get away without suspicion (hello, Doctor Lecter). And who would suspect a child of murder? As Camelot finds out to his great chagrin, people don't want to even consider the possibility, even when it's standing there telling them in a sepulchral voice that the runes say someone's going to die less than 12 hours before one of their group turns up stabbed to death with his man-bits torn off.
I should also mention this book is not for people who are squeamish about blood.
The creepy kid trope is often used as a mini deus ex machina, not to solve the problems of a particular story, but to expose them. The idea of a child that knows too much is unsettling-- a child that can think like an adult, and worse, perpetrate evil or horrifying acts like an adult, is one of the creepiest there is. Even if the creepy kid's job is just to stand by and make ominous pronouncements about what's going to happen, it's still unsettling. Kids are supposed to be innocent, and when faced with one who isn't, it jolts us out of our comfort zone faster than you can say Linda Blair.
Spoiler
So if your book contains an albino 12-year-old with a long white rat's nest of hair and pale eyes who barely talks except to read runes and make cryptic statements about the people around her, I just go into it assuming she's one early bedtime away from going Lizzie Borden on everyone around her. Add to that the fact that the pregnant lady gives her a doll and she scratches its face off with a knife because she doesn't like it looking at her, and that she's crazy good at hunting but takes ages to actually kill her prey because she likes watching the animals struggle? RED ALERT EVERYONE, THIS IS NOT A DRILL.So while I may have called it pretty early on that Narigorm (which is a near-anagram for guess which Celtic goddess whose abilities include foretelling the means of a person's death?) was behind the wolf hunting and shredding Camelot's companions, no one in the book seems to figure it out, even as the body count rises.
Which is kind of the point, if you think about it. The best and scariest killers are the ones who do their dirty work right under others' noses and get away without suspicion (hello, Doctor Lecter). And who would suspect a child of murder? As Camelot finds out to his great chagrin, people don't want to even consider the possibility, even when it's standing there telling them in a sepulchral voice that the runes say someone's going to die less than 12 hours before one of their group turns up stabbed to death with his man-bits torn off.
I should also mention this book is not for people who are squeamish about blood.
yourwitch_hekate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
fragglerocker's review against another edition
2.0
An intriguing plot, but the writing falls short. The characters are not well-developed, and thus, when the journey's pace begins to slow, so does the novel.
ashleycornelius's review against another edition
4.0
A good highly interesting story of nine people coming together. This book is much more a mystery, (horror maybe) set during a plague in the 1300. As the secrets of the people are revealed a lot of sadness happens instead of growth which is the reason why I didn’t love this story but I also want to re-read it now that I know how it ends.
georgiaand's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
sarahrosebooks's review against another edition
4.0
For some reason Goodreads has deleted my original rating of this book. I've noticed that a few of my books have disappeared off my shelves on Goodreads lately, and I'm not sure why this keeps happening.
Anyway, I absolutely loved this book when I first read it. I'm thinking it could have been before I was on Goodreads that I first read this, but it could well have been afterwards, between 2010-2013 ish.
This is a well-written, well-researched book about the Black Death. A group of people set out on a journey, telling stories along the way, in the vein of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. From what I remember, more than one of them is not telling the truth, and the surprises that get unveiled along the way are what makes this such a good book.
If you like historical fiction, give this a go.
Anyway, I absolutely loved this book when I first read it. I'm thinking it could have been before I was on Goodreads that I first read this, but it could well have been afterwards, between 2010-2013 ish.
This is a well-written, well-researched book about the Black Death. A group of people set out on a journey, telling stories along the way, in the vein of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. From what I remember, more than one of them is not telling the truth, and the surprises that get unveiled along the way are what makes this such a good book.
If you like historical fiction, give this a go.