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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Quick read, predictable. Might read the next book in the series when the library reopens.
I likes the concept and premise of this. After all, who doesn't love a good archeological adventure? But the writing is mediocre, and by the end it felt like about 15 episodes of Law and Order mixed with about 6 different romance novels, all rolled up in one very sticky, squelchy, mud-based murder mystery. Fine for a quick, mindless read, but not rushing to read the sequel.
This is the first title of the series and it definitely caught me. I enjoyed the plot, the characters, the pleasant style of writing and the twists that are included. 5 out of 5 stars.
Jag lyssnade på den här boken som ljudbok, och på svenska: Flickan under jorden.
En helt okej deckare med en "tjock" kvinna i huvudrollen (79 kg tydligen. Helt sjukt att det anses som "tjockt" och att vikten är hennes största problem och att ALLA runt omkring tänker på hennes vikt. Jag vägrar tro att det är så vi fungerar) och en mansgris till polis som löser ett fall med en bortrövad liten flicka. Jag finner det konstigt att Ruth, som huvudpersonen heter, aldrig blir misstänkt. Hon är på alla platser där de finner grejer (alltid först), hon har kontakt med mördaren, känner alla som är indragna i soppan och blir själv utsatt för skrämsel och hot. Hade jag varit polis hade det verkat som lite väl många incidenter för en enda person. Istället daltas hon med, som ett barn blir hon behandlad genom hela boken. Även om hon beskrivs som kvinnorättskämpe och ofta belyser olika feministiska vinklar tillåter hon hela tiden sina manliga kollegor och vänner behandla henne som ett djur eller som ett barn. Förhoppningsvis växer hon som kvinna och vågar stå på sig, eller helt enkelt byter umgängeskrets till kommande böcker.
En helt okej deckare med en "tjock" kvinna i huvudrollen (79 kg tydligen. Helt sjukt att det anses som "tjockt" och att vikten är hennes största problem och att ALLA runt omkring tänker på hennes vikt. Jag vägrar tro att det är så vi fungerar) och en mansgris till polis som löser ett fall med en bortrövad liten flicka. Jag finner det konstigt att Ruth, som huvudpersonen heter, aldrig blir misstänkt. Hon är på alla platser där de finner grejer (alltid först), hon har kontakt med mördaren, känner alla som är indragna i soppan och blir själv utsatt för skrämsel och hot. Hade jag varit polis hade det verkat som lite väl många incidenter för en enda person. Istället daltas hon med, som ett barn blir hon behandlad genom hela boken. Även om hon beskrivs som kvinnorättskämpe och ofta belyser olika feministiska vinklar tillåter hon hela tiden sina manliga kollegor och vänner behandla henne som ett djur eller som ett barn. Förhoppningsvis växer hon som kvinna och vågar stå på sig, eller helt enkelt byter umgängeskrets till kommande böcker.
I don't usually like mysteries but I did like this. I like the characters and the archeology/history aspects. The mystery was not the most difficult to solve but that's ok. The setting and characters are what make this book good.
Other recommendation I shouldn't have fallen for.... We start off promisingly, our heroine is not a hardbody 20-something Wonder Woman cliche, but a 40ish fat archeology professor. Great, but why do we have to hear about her weight a million times...is she also unlucky in love, tending to be anti-social and has cats? Yes? Oh no, then the opposite cliche, the sad-sack heroine. She gets involved in a crime, the police detective is...crabby, bossy, unfriendly, our heroine doesn't much like him...in other words, a cliche? Yes! So now the only question is , will she end up sleeping with him in this book or wait for the next one? . Our detective is haunted by a missing little girl whose case he never solved? I'm going to guess that another little girl is going to go missing in the same circumstances and a serial killer is going to be suspected? Yes! Is this serial killer Yes!
This book also contains three things I absolutely loathe, a captive child, a murdered child, and the MURDER OF A CAT. (That one is completely non-acceptable) So, no, I will not be recommending this book.
Spoiler
this oneSpoiler
going to be someone right under our heroine's nose who she would have never suspected was a crazed Druid-y serial killer because of course these people act totally normally when they aren't actually being crazy Druid-y serial killers?This book also contains three things I absolutely loathe, a captive child, a murdered child, and the MURDER OF A CAT. (That one is completely non-acceptable) So, no, I will not be recommending this book.
2.5
A forensic archeologist is a great concept for a main character. I also love that it's set in Norfolk.
However, I guessed the solution 18% through this book (which I dont often do) and the writing was middling at best.
A forensic archeologist is a great concept for a main character. I also love that it's set in Norfolk.
However, I guessed the solution 18% through this book (which I dont often do) and the writing was middling at best.
I tore through the Ruth Galloway series sometime during the past two pandemic years without reviewing them, so it will be interesting to see how my perception has changed as I revisit them. I dearly love how essential place is to the story- to Ruth, to the research work, and to the crimes depicted. I'm also deeply sympathetic to Ruth, as a single female academic who feels a little pushed around and overlooked in her department and field- I've seen that happen all too often. The crimes in this series- starting here- are darker than I usually like, but Griffiths redeems the cruelty somewhat with the sometimes unexpected grace that the characters (occasionally) give each other. On the whole it feels more real-life than a cozy mystery, but not quite dialed up to the level of thrilled. I don't feel like I know the characters as well as I do with my favorite authors, like Sayers, but I do feel that I understand the world they live in, if that makes sense. And I care enough to see what happens next! I look forward to rereading.