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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Refreshingly different. Forensic archeologist Ruth Galloway is witty and very much her own person. The marshland near her home is a strong character in the story. Chap 4: "She is nearly forth and although it is not impossible that she should still have a child she has noticed people mentioning it less and less. This suits her fine; when she was with Peter the only thing more annoying than people hinting about possible 'wedding bells' was the suggestion that she might be 'getting broody'. When she bought the cats her mother asked her straight out if they were 'baby substitutes'. 'No,' Ruth had answered, straight-faced. 'They're kittens. If I had a baby it would be a cat substitute.'" Chap 7: 'Ruth feels a sudden tug of understanding. She too has weekends when she doesn't speak to anyone but her cats. This is her choice and, by and large, she doesn't mind, it's just that meeting someone else solitary seems odd somehow. Like two lone round-the-world sailors suddenly coming face-to-face at the Cape of Good Hope. They understand each other but, due to the nature of their lives, will probably never become friends.'
Really enjoyed this one, and glad I happened to chance on the first in the series. I will have to look for more. Set in Norfolk, this introduces Dr Ruth Galloway, an archaeologist, drawn into a local case when a bronze age burial is found on the salt marshes where she lives - at first they don't know how old the burial is, as peat bogs and salt marshes preserve bodies so well. Well, except peat bogs dissolve the bones, but anyway. As per British law, any human remains have to be reported to the police, even if they turn out to be thousands of years old. But the detective, Nelson, who comes to this site is hoping it might be Lucy, a little five year old who disappeared 1o years ago without a trace. Then another local little girl goes missing....
There's plenty of local atmosphere with the Norfolk north coast - I find this lonely flat environment with masses of sky meeting where the world seems to end fascinating. I want to go there. The archaeology aspect was interesting to, and thank goodness it read as credible, both in what she wrote as Ruth Galloway, and also that the plot itself didn't dive off into the ridiculous hysterial, which I have read in some other god-awful British crime mysteries.
My only real gripe with this, is how often do we need the body shaming? I got so bored of reading about how Ruth was a size 16, weighed about 12 1/2 stone, and was unfit.... come on, can we get beyond the necessity of describing female characters with their dress sizes? Besides, none of that makes her of elephant proportions unless she's two inches tall (I don't think we got her height, obviously working out her bmi isn't relevant, ha!) and, do you know, it's possible to have a bit of flesh on you and be able to walk a mile on flat ground and not be utterly out of breath. Eye roll. Ok, it's the first in the series, so we're off to a good start generally and I hope she gets over all this fat obsession in the later books.
There's plenty of local atmosphere with the Norfolk north coast - I find this lonely flat environment with masses of sky meeting where the world seems to end fascinating. I want to go there. The archaeology aspect was interesting to, and thank goodness it read as credible, both in what she wrote as Ruth Galloway, and also that the plot itself didn't dive off into the ridiculous hysterial, which I have read in some other god-awful British crime mysteries.
My only real gripe with this, is how often do we need the body shaming? I got so bored of reading about how Ruth was a size 16, weighed about 12 1/2 stone, and was unfit.... come on, can we get beyond the necessity of describing female characters with their dress sizes? Besides, none of that makes her of elephant proportions unless she's two inches tall (I don't think we got her height, obviously working out her bmi isn't relevant, ha!) and, do you know, it's possible to have a bit of flesh on you and be able to walk a mile on flat ground and not be utterly out of breath. Eye roll. Ok, it's the first in the series, so we're off to a good start generally and I hope she gets over all this fat obsession in the later books.
This is the first book in the series and the first I have read. It was interesting but the red herrings were nit to my liking, I found her reactions a bit hard to take, but I realize I am just getting to know her, Ruth galloway, so I will read next book
The setting (the Saltmarsh) is unusual. The heroine is a middle-aged, female archeologist and the combination is wonderful. I look forward to the next Ruth Galloway adventure.
I am now rereading the Ruth Galloway books; they have become my favorite non-cozy mystery series. The character is a believable academic (though she seems to grade fewer papers than I ever did), her quirks are those of a real person, and the Saltmarsh setting is a reminder of how many of us do fall in love with places. The books are not for the easily offended (Ruth is an atheist reacting against fundamentalist parents, one of her closest friends is a pagan, and several of the characters have complicated love lives), but the stories are compelling and full of archaeological tidbits.
I look forward to the next book; the characters and their relationships deepen as the series goes on.
I look forward to the next book; the characters and their relationships deepen as the series goes on.
Enjoyed the history and the archaeology in this book and also enjoyed the characters. The appearance of some old friends gave some of the story away and wrapped up some of the threads but the ending still surprising. Everything a dark cold mystery should be
50/100.
Los ecos del pantano es un thriller de Elly Griffiths bastante solvente. Es el inicio de una saga y, a pesar de que su autora sea británica, el sabor nórdico se palpa en la construcción de la novela. A pesar de que la considero entretenida (me la he bebido en apenas unas horas), también creo que será una obra olvidable.
El trepidante ritmo de la narración solo se para por aquel detalle que tanto me ha chirriado: la repetición constante del «sobrepeso» de Ruth, la protagonista. Ha sido bastante incómodo, aunque, por lo demás, la novela no ha estado para nada mal.
No sé si continuaré la saga, pero, oye, me ha entretenido en un día lluvioso.
Los ecos del pantano es un thriller de Elly Griffiths bastante solvente. Es el inicio de una saga y, a pesar de que su autora sea británica, el sabor nórdico se palpa en la construcción de la novela. A pesar de que la considero entretenida (me la he bebido en apenas unas horas), también creo que será una obra olvidable.
El trepidante ritmo de la narración solo se para por aquel detalle que tanto me ha chirriado: la repetición constante del «sobrepeso» de Ruth, la protagonista. Ha sido bastante incómodo, aunque, por lo demás, la novela no ha estado para nada mal.
No sé si continuaré la saga, pero, oye, me ha entretenido en un día lluvioso.