Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Snow by John Banville

20 reviews

hconnellyal's review

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dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I love Agatha Christie. Although I see the topic and structure similarities to her works, it is beyond me how reviewers have put this book in the category of her works. The pace is excruciating, the ending painfully predictable and deeply unsatisfying, the characters flat ... and worst of all, the pedophilia is unnecessarily, gratuitously detailed.
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mercurialbooks's review against another edition

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sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.5

I cannot say I enjoyed this, as soon as the murder happens it is pretty obvious who the criminal is and even why they would have committed murder. Which is unfortunate.

That and the complete lack of actual investigation on the part of the detective left me a little confused as to how this has been pitched as a mystery / crime story at all. 

The main character seems to just hang out in the local area and it gets solved because someone eventually tells him the answer. 

So many plot holes it was painful. Oh that character isn't violent because he once worked in a butchers and couldn't wring a chickens neck? But he has literally just hunted a rabbit and split it open to gut it for cooking and doesn't blink?
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mantnam's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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ebtheladynovelist's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes

4.5

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guyc1992's review against another edition

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emilydg's review against another edition

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challenging dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I loved the writing style, the author transported me to a wintry Ireland of the time and the pace, though slow, was almost soothingly so. 
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travelseatsreads's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A well constructed murder mystery which kept tension slowly simmering throughout.
I didn't love or hate this one but thought the interlude while downright disgusting was fantastically well done. A brave move by Banville to try and get into the heads of these absolute monsters.
I felt Jenkins going missing was done in a bit of a lazy fashion and felt like it was there just to wrap up the plot at the end, and think developing that aspect of the story may have been more beneficial than the countless unnecessary pubs scenes.
A solid 3 star for me, a good read but nothing spectacular.
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helenfarch's review against another edition

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challenging dark sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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devilstatedan's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An outstanding piece of gothic noir literary historical crime writing! A young 1950's detective is called to an estate in Ireland to determine who killed the local priest. The priest's body has been mutilated and the crime is under threat of being suppressed by the catholic church higher-ups, who have a loose control over Ireland. The detective's journey is mysterious and as he attempts to deduct the truth from the constant lies of those around the estate. The cast of characters is interesting and all are self-serving in one way or another, and Banville's way with words is something to marvel at indeed, as he describes the oppressive environment of freezing snow and relentless cold. It's gothic and dark and the subject matter becomes increasingly challenging as the story unravels and we learn the truth of just who all these people really are beneath the surface. Truly amazing writing.
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tonstantweader's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 
Snow is a historical mystery set in 1957. Ireland has been independent for thirty-five years, but after centuries of occupation and years of civil war, the wounds of the past are fresh and deeply felt. It is a Catholic country where the church held overweening power. That influence was maintained long past the time of this novel. After all, Ireland only legalized abortion by referendum two years ago.

Detective Inspector St. John Strafford (with an R) is sent to County Wexford to solve the murder of a local priest who insisted people call him Father Tom. That his genitals were removed by the murderer will set off alarm bells for a modern reader, but this was 1957, long before The Boston Globe published their shocking series of allegations in 2002.

The suspect pool is limited by a blizzard, but then so is the investigation. Father Tim was staying with local aristocrats, the Osbornes. Father, Stepmother, son, and daughter, plus a cook and a young man who lives out in the woods. They are a weird, unhappy family.

Strafford faces suspicion and difficulty because he is a Protestant which many seem to regard as un-Irish. He thinks he was sent to investigate because if he doesn’t solve the case, people will be happy for the damage to his career and if he does solve the case, it’s also likely to damage his career.  He’s right.

I hope John Banville does a series with Strafford who is an appealing detective. Snow was a fair mystery. Banville attempted the impossible, though, creating a sense of mystery around a motive that may have been elusive in 1957, but is flashing in neon lights for a 2020 reader. There would have been a greater sense of mystery if there had been no mutilation, but then, the case might have been written off as an accident or addressed by the local constable. In some ways, Snow is a bit too honest, leaving us feeling unsatisfied with the course of justice. Still, I look forward to more from this author as I loved his Quirke books and believe Strafford will be an equally engaging series.

Snow will be released on October 6th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through Edelweiss.

Snow at Hanover Square Press |Harlequin

John Banville author site 


https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2020/09/29/9781335230003/
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