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ayoota's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
My least favourite one so far
charmedlassie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
j45rpm's review against another edition
1.0
I loved the first five books, but deeply disliked Blood and Circuses. Phryne Fisher is a badass, part Poirot, part Bond, and for some reason, in this book, she is a damsel in distress trying to find who she would be if she wasn’t rich. It’s an awful, out of character digression from the first five books.
jenrkeeling's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
cimorene1558's review against another edition
4.0
Not my favourite, but the circus details are good.
kaatiba's review against another edition
4.0
None of these are exactly light books, but this one felt darker and more adult. I enjoyed it but it's a harsh look at circus life, which is only fitting. also loved literally every character, they're all so interesting.
Edit: surprised to see some of the scathing reviews lol. sure Phryne comes across as extremely privileged but....like. she is??? super privileged? she's aware of it and sort of rueful about it but—in a way that i felt was wonderfully refreshing—she was allowed to honestly express even to herself that she misses her luxury. where to others this may have seemed to be cringey and make it hard to sympathize with her, i just read it as a traumatic return to a self she doesn't want to be again, to a life she doesn't want to relive–one of hardship and difficulty and loneliness.
it might seem like her 'oh woe is me i can't safely be my vivacious provocative self and get people to like me' is eye-rolling nonsense, but i thought that just fleshed her out more. she loves attention, she thrives on it. when she didn't have much she could manage people and people's reaction to her, could use the force of her personality to get what she wanted. there's a whole section on her thinking this explicitly. and she loves being rich and wealthy enough to be free with herself, and why would you begrudge her that?
i mean, wouldn't you feel the same way? and for a person who grew up lonely and poor and knew the danger of being provocative but couldn't squash that since its a huge part of her identity, it would be really upsetting. Phryne is a bit child-like and sometimes childish, but i really enjoy that. she's an interesting, vibrant character, and this book made her a little more. human? with human foils and foibles. anyway /end rant i guess ^^'
Edit: surprised to see some of the scathing reviews lol. sure Phryne comes across as extremely privileged but....like. she is??? super privileged? she's aware of it and sort of rueful about it but—in a way that i felt was wonderfully refreshing—she was allowed to honestly express even to herself that she misses her luxury. where to others this may have seemed to be cringey and make it hard to sympathize with her, i just read it as a traumatic return to a self she doesn't want to be again, to a life she doesn't want to relive–one of hardship and difficulty and loneliness.
it might seem like her 'oh woe is me i can't safely be my vivacious provocative self and get people to like me' is eye-rolling nonsense, but i thought that just fleshed her out more. she loves attention, she thrives on it. when she didn't have much she could manage people and people's reaction to her, could use the force of her personality to get what she wanted. there's a whole section on her thinking this explicitly. and she loves being rich and wealthy enough to be free with herself, and why would you begrudge her that?
i mean, wouldn't you feel the same way? and for a person who grew up lonely and poor and knew the danger of being provocative but couldn't squash that since its a huge part of her identity, it would be really upsetting. Phryne is a bit child-like and sometimes childish, but i really enjoy that. she's an interesting, vibrant character, and this book made her a little more. human? with human foils and foibles. anyway /end rant i guess ^^'
saranel81's review against another edition
2.0
I've read several of the Phryne books, and this is the first one that left me totally uninterested. I can't really put my finger on why either. It just never really got my attention. The subject was intriguing, and I liked the characters involved in the circus part of the mystery. It was the other half of it - the gang part, I guess - that just left me cold. I finished the book just feeling "meh" about it all. Since this is not usually the way I feel after finishing a Phryne book, I'll keep reading the series and hope that this was just an off book.
cauchemarlena's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, how I love these books! Miss Fisher strikes again!
Sarja kuuendas raamatus ühineb Phryne tsirkusega, et selgitada välja, kes seda saboteerib. Samuti ei puudu ka mõrv ja surnukeha, kelleks seekord osutub härra Christopher/preili Christine, tsirkuses töötav androgüün. Paralleelselt saame tuttavaks ka konstaabel Tommy Harrisega, kes uurib samuti mõrvaga seotud juhtumit.
Sarja kuuendas raamatus ühineb Phryne tsirkusega, et selgitada välja, kes seda saboteerib. Samuti ei puudu ka mõrv ja surnukeha, kelleks seekord osutub härra Christopher/preili Christine, tsirkuses töötav androgüün. Paralleelselt saame tuttavaks ka konstaabel Tommy Harrisega, kes uurib samuti mõrvaga seotud juhtumit.
nicolepiermanwriter's review against another edition
4.0
I LOVE The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher! Here's my review of the first 7 books in the Phryne Fisher Murder Mystery book series for your enjoyment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6CFr47vmY0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6CFr47vmY0
ellelainey's review against another edition
2.0
DNF'd at 18%
~
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Blood and Circuses (Miss Phryne Fisher #6), Kerry Greenwood
★★☆☆☆
251 Pages
POV: 3rd person, multi-POV
Content Warning: mistreatment of carnival/circus, intersex people
I wanted to read the Phryne Fisher series, because I watched the TV show and loved it. Sadly, the books just aren't up to snuff. They don't have the same charm, the same interest, and Phryne doesn't ever really do anything of note, to be considered a 'private investigator'. Most of the time she gets by on luck and things falling into place. Or because she pays someone else to do it for her.
As the characters (and, of course, the author) point out in this book, Phryne is a woman who has too much money, not enough sense, and feels she's earned the right to sit back and do nothing with her time. Sure, she grew up poor, but as her Aunt Pru shows, people who know poverty can use their wealth later in life to help those who need it.
Unfortunately, I ended up DNF'ing this book at 18%. I just find the writing so laborious, with the constant changing of POV and the often-times lack of flow and sense, the “mysterious” scenes that don't make sense and don't fit into the plot, mean that I'm left with a headache. While I might normally applaud Kerry Greenwood for consistently including minorities into her stories, I'm sorry to say that I don't like the way she goes about it. Most of the time, they're used a victims, as comic relief, or deliberately used within the story as some sort of proof that Phryne accepts all kinds of people. Considering she sleeps with just about any male walking in every book, I can't bring myself to read any more. They're just the same book with different people, constantly trying to show just how amazing and brilliant and beautiful and sexual Phryne is, while boring me to tears.
~
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Blood and Circuses (Miss Phryne Fisher #6), Kerry Greenwood
★★☆☆☆
251 Pages
POV: 3rd person, multi-POV
Content Warning: mistreatment of carnival/circus, intersex people
I wanted to read the Phryne Fisher series, because I watched the TV show and loved it. Sadly, the books just aren't up to snuff. They don't have the same charm, the same interest, and Phryne doesn't ever really do anything of note, to be considered a 'private investigator'. Most of the time she gets by on luck and things falling into place. Or because she pays someone else to do it for her.
As the characters (and, of course, the author) point out in this book, Phryne is a woman who has too much money, not enough sense, and feels she's earned the right to sit back and do nothing with her time. Sure, she grew up poor, but as her Aunt Pru shows, people who know poverty can use their wealth later in life to help those who need it.
Unfortunately, I ended up DNF'ing this book at 18%. I just find the writing so laborious, with the constant changing of POV and the often-times lack of flow and sense, the “mysterious” scenes that don't make sense and don't fit into the plot, mean that I'm left with a headache. While I might normally applaud Kerry Greenwood for consistently including minorities into her stories, I'm sorry to say that I don't like the way she goes about it. Most of the time, they're used a victims, as comic relief, or deliberately used within the story as some sort of proof that Phryne accepts all kinds of people. Considering she sleeps with just about any male walking in every book, I can't bring myself to read any more. They're just the same book with different people, constantly trying to show just how amazing and brilliant and beautiful and sexual Phryne is, while boring me to tears.