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kitsuneheart's review against another edition
5.0
I was SO WORRIED about this book. I ADORE "A Dirty Job," and, when I found out there would be a sequel, I went right to pre-orders. But what if Moore missed? What if the comedy was lost? What if my memories of the original novel were forever TAINTED?
Nope! This is a worthy sequel in all ways! The old cast came back, the humor was maintained, and I have another book I have to shove at anyone who comes asking for a recommendation.
Sophie is, as always, the focus of my love, though she appears in very little of the book. Where she does feature, though, it's little girls cursing and proclaiming they are Death. Which is ADORABLE. I'd be so interested in reading another book just about her, because Moore writes her perfectly. You can just imagine this little girl running around, commanding life and death with her big puppies.
Granted, the book has a bit of a slow start, but if you're doing the audiobook, as I did, you'll get through it soon enough and then make sure you're not driving and listening, or you will die.
This is going to be on my bookshelf permanently. And it so deserves the spot.
Nope! This is a worthy sequel in all ways! The old cast came back, the humor was maintained, and I have another book I have to shove at anyone who comes asking for a recommendation.
Sophie is, as always, the focus of my love, though she appears in very little of the book. Where she does feature, though, it's little girls cursing and proclaiming they are Death. Which is ADORABLE. I'd be so interested in reading another book just about her, because Moore writes her perfectly. You can just imagine this little girl running around, commanding life and death with her big puppies.
Granted, the book has a bit of a slow start, but if you're doing the audiobook, as I did, you'll get through it soon enough and then make sure you're not driving and listening, or you will die.
This is going to be on my bookshelf permanently. And it so deserves the spot.
diana_blackmoon's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I loved the first book and I feel like it made more sense than this one. I generally understand that this particular author is going for lack of sense+ lack of reason = dealing with serious topics in a smart way. However, this book did not hit for me.
gingirl7001's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jlbates's review against another edition
3.0
Still funny, but not as funny as the first book. It also had a lot of moments that were just kind of hanging (why didn't someone mention that? how did they get that knowledge? etc)
tsquare345's review against another edition
4.0
I adore Christopher Moore’s view on death and destiny and all that encompasses. This was a fun ride
kraley's review against another edition
4.0
This book has a TON of swearing, but if you liked the first book, this is more of the same inane humor of the dead. I liked this one even better than the first.
brieparis's review against another edition
2.0
I’ve always been ambivalent about sequels. Some sequels can be great, tying up loose ends and feeling like an extended vacation in your new favorite fandom. But I’ve noticed that a lot of sequels have a tendency to feel overworked, falling flat of expectations. When I heard that Christopher Moore was releasing a sequel to A Dirty Job, I was excited at first, then a little confused. There was nothing about A Dirty Job’s ending that made me feel as though a sequel was necessary. I felt sadness, a sense of hope, and closure. I was perfectly okay with the story ending there.
Unfortunately, I feel that Charlie Asher’s story would’ve been more interesting if it had ended with A Dirty Job. Secondhand Souls picks up where its predecessor left off, even though it was released many years later. The two feel disconnected, and something about the prose feels off, especially when reading it immediately after reading A Dirty Job. The characters don’t feel like themselves, which is disappointing since they were originally the highlight.
The disappointment only continues when you encounter bizarre story mechanics that don’t seem to fit within the established mythos, as well as the rise of certain characters that were never that likable to begin with (*cough, cough* Audrey). But the icing on the disappointment cake for me was the persistent poor use of dialects that made the prose difficult to read. One monologue written from the perspective of a baseball player was so tedious to read it took me five days to get through because I kept falling asleep. And the further you read, the more dialects begin to pervade the dialogue, bogging down what used to be witty banter.
Spoiler Alert: Sorry, Moore, but I think Charlie Asher would’ve been better off if he had stayed dead.
Unfortunately, I feel that Charlie Asher’s story would’ve been more interesting if it had ended with A Dirty Job. Secondhand Souls picks up where its predecessor left off, even though it was released many years later. The two feel disconnected, and something about the prose feels off, especially when reading it immediately after reading A Dirty Job. The characters don’t feel like themselves, which is disappointing since they were originally the highlight.
The disappointment only continues when you encounter bizarre story mechanics that don’t seem to fit within the established mythos, as well as the rise of certain characters that were never that likable to begin with (*cough, cough* Audrey). But the icing on the disappointment cake for me was the persistent poor use of dialects that made the prose difficult to read. One monologue written from the perspective of a baseball player was so tedious to read it took me five days to get through because I kept falling asleep. And the further you read, the more dialects begin to pervade the dialogue, bogging down what used to be witty banter.
Spoiler Alert: Sorry, Moore, but I think Charlie Asher would’ve been better off if he had stayed dead.
redskates's review against another edition
3.0
I love all of his books. Out of the follow ups or sequels that I've read, it faired pretty well however I liked it's a dirty job much better.
rhallstead's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5