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edmund_pearce's review
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Child abuse, Cancer, and Toxic friendship
silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I finally tried a Louise Penny book!
I quite liked it in a lot of ways. It had just the tone I want in a mystery--a bit more serious than the cheesy side of cozies, but without being gory and graphic for no reason. I also feel like I understand a lot more about Canadian culture and the tensions therein than I did before.
I did guess the murderer, but only slightly ahead of the reveal, so basically just in time to be satisfying to my pride without actually losing much mystery. :-)
The pagan ritual aspect to the story did make me uncomfortable, so I'll be reading the next book to see if that tones down or not, and may or may not continue the series based on that.
There is a homosexual couple in this book, including a minor plot line about how they are unkindly treated.
I quite liked it in a lot of ways. It had just the tone I want in a mystery--a bit more serious than the cheesy side of cozies, but without being gory and graphic for no reason. I also feel like I understand a lot more about Canadian culture and the tensions therein than I did before.
I did guess the murderer, but only slightly ahead of the reveal, so basically just in time to be satisfying to my pride without actually losing much mystery. :-)
The pagan ritual aspect to the story did make me uncomfortable, so I'll be reading the next book to see if that tones down or not, and may or may not continue the series based on that.
There is a homosexual couple in this book, including a minor plot line about how they are unkindly treated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, and Cursing
princess_azula's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Grief, Death, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Homophobia, Hate crime, and Terminal illness
emaire22's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Death
Minor: Child abuse
phantasmaboo's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Still Life follows the first story of Detective Gamache as he searches for who killed an elderly woman in a small Quebec village. Overall, I found the story to be decent. However, I found the character development to be lacking. There are two gay characters in the book and one Black woman, and each of these characters seems to be fulfilling some kind of stereotypical role. For example, the gay couple run the only town’s cafe/B&B, talk about musicals, and are overly sexual and “sassy” in a way that other characters are not. There is some development outside of these roles toward the end, but it comes far too late and is not fleshed out like other main characters. They mostly feel like unsuccessful comic relief and intruders in the town where they’re supposed to be living. Ultimately, I think the cast (aka the entire village and several police officers) was far too large for this novel to have any significant amount of development for everyone. The pacing feels off as the author attempts to include everyone and thus makes time for almost no one.
Still, it was a good story and once you pass the midway point, it’s worth finishing.
Still, it was a good story and once you pass the midway point, it’s worth finishing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
Minor: Child abuse
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