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amberacks12's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Entertaining and surprisingly insightful into various human behaviors. It was a quick and engaging read and fully did its job as a lighter palate cleanser between longer books.
I’m glad to have discovered Ellis Peters.
Enjoyment: 4
Educational value: 3.75
Emotional impact: 3
I’m glad to have discovered Ellis Peters.
Enjoyment: 4
Educational value: 3.75
Emotional impact: 3
amerika282's review against another edition
5.0
fantastic use of language, absorbing plot, captivating narrative voice
nolegirl's review against another edition
4.0
I'd heard about this series for years and finally decided to look for a copy of the first in the series. Thankfully I found one at a local used book store and I'll be looking for the rest. Brother Cadfael is a wonderfully written character, not to mention the story is good. The good brothers of Shrewsbury Abbey are off to obtain the bones of St. Winifred from her resting spot in Wales and the adventure is on. Brother Cadfael came late to the monastic life, but the lessons learned prior come in handy to help solve the mystery of who shot Rhisiart, the prominent landowner and vocal opponent to the moving of St. Winifred's bones. A short book, but a great read. I can't wait to hunt down the rest in the series.
erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
The first book in the compelling Brother Cadfael series, this medieval murder mystery is sure to attract a wide variety of readers. Filled with monastic customs, medieval life, murder, and intrigue this mystery is a great introduction to the rest of the books in the series. Even though this one isn't my favorite (it takes place away from their monastery) it's still damn good and that speaks volumes about this series. Narrated brilliantly by Derek Jacobi who plays Brother Cadfael in the TV show, the audiobook is well worth a listen. I can't wait to work my way though this series!
lilyofthevalley's review against another edition
3.5
was a solid 3 all the way through, but the last 50 pages or so added another half-star; i really enjoyed how it all ended! i never expected that i'd read a monk murder mystery this time last year, but this feels like a series i'll dip back in to whenever my reading falls into a lull.
zanna83's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
odmay's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book I have read in the Cadfael series and was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the characters and the language used. This book kept my interest throughout and found the history good. I will be continuing with this series.
dee9401's review against another edition
5.0
A guilty pleasure that I’m sure Brother Cadfael would relish and embrace. As fun and quick a read as any Sherlock Holmes.
_lilbey_'s review against another edition
3.0
I wavered a lot on this one. One of the Friends Library workers recommended this to me upon hearing I like mysteries of the mid-1900s. And in the end, I think I did enjoy it, it just took SO LONG to get started. The murder didn't even take place until 1/3 of the way through and even then the action was slow. But the mystery was solid and had some complexity, so- 3 stars.