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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a find in this author and this series. It was on TBR list for a bit and so glad o got around to reading it.
Fin Macleod is the main character throughout the series which is set in the Outer Hebrides. May's writing really gave a sense of being there. Such descriptive writing.
Fin returns home as a policeman to investigate a local murder similar to one is investigating in Edinburgh. The story alternates between the current time and reminiscences of his childhood and growing up. A good thriller told in a very interesting way.
Fin Macleod is the main character throughout the series which is set in the Outer Hebrides. May's writing really gave a sense of being there. Such descriptive writing.
Fin returns home as a policeman to investigate a local murder similar to one is investigating in Edinburgh. The story alternates between the current time and reminiscences of his childhood and growing up. A good thriller told in a very interesting way.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hodnocení: 3,5/5 ✩
Po Aktech Enzo, která ve mě zanechala dojem spíše průměrný, jsem přeci jen k této sérii přistupovala poněkud opatrněji. I tak jsem naprosto neodhadla, co mě čeká. Nebudu zastírat, že jsem se těšila, na temnou detektivku, z prostředí tajemně působících ostrůvků, souostroví Hebrid. Jenže čtenář míní, a ono je nakonec všechno jinak.
I když se tato kniha sice na první pohled tváří jako detektivka a příběh začíná ne jednou, ale hned dvěma vraždami, jsou ve své podstatě vedlejší. Jedná se totiž spíše o jakousi životní zpověď detektiva Fina Macleoda. A tak s ním na stránkách prožíváme jak jeho dětská dobrodružství, tak první lásky, i křivdy, spáchané nejen na něm, ale i jím samotným. A i když nakonec všechny okamžiky, na které vzpomíná, mají v samotném závěru příběhu svůj význam, kolísala jsem v průběhu čtení, od absolutní nudy a nezájmu až k okamžikům, kdy jsem napětím skoro nedýchala. Závěrečným vyústěním, byť z části očekávaným, se tak vše velice promyšleně uzavřelo, a začalo dávat absolutní smysl.
Když se teď za celým příběhem ohlédnu, musím uznat, že i když jsem dostala něco zcela jiného, něž jsem očekávala, příběh se mi vlastně líbil, a ráda si přečtu i další díl. Vyšší hodnocení však dát jednoduše nemůžu.
Po Aktech Enzo, která ve mě zanechala dojem spíše průměrný, jsem přeci jen k této sérii přistupovala poněkud opatrněji. I tak jsem naprosto neodhadla, co mě čeká. Nebudu zastírat, že jsem se těšila, na temnou detektivku, z prostředí tajemně působících ostrůvků, souostroví Hebrid. Jenže čtenář míní, a ono je nakonec všechno jinak.
I když se tato kniha sice na první pohled tváří jako detektivka a příběh začíná ne jednou, ale hned dvěma vraždami, jsou ve své podstatě vedlejší. Jedná se totiž spíše o jakousi životní zpověď detektiva Fina Macleoda. A tak s ním na stránkách prožíváme jak jeho dětská dobrodružství, tak první lásky, i křivdy, spáchané nejen na něm, ale i jím samotným. A i když nakonec všechny okamžiky, na které vzpomíná, mají v samotném závěru příběhu svůj význam, kolísala jsem v průběhu čtení, od absolutní nudy a nezájmu až k okamžikům, kdy jsem napětím skoro nedýchala. Závěrečným vyústěním, byť z části očekávaným, se tak vše velice promyšleně uzavřelo, a začalo dávat absolutní smysl.
Když se teď za celým příběhem ohlédnu, musím uznat, že i když jsem dostala něco zcela jiného, něž jsem očekávala, příběh se mi vlastně líbil, a ráda si přečtu i další díl. Vyšší hodnocení však dát jednoduše nemůžu.
Dark, compelling, and beautifully written. I will definitely continue with this series.
Fin Macleod left the Isle of Lewis to go to university of the mainland and never looked back. When a murder on the island is linked to an unsolved case of his in Edinburgh, Fin is sent back to Lewis to investigate. He has just lost his son and feels he has nothing keeping him in the city, although it is the final straw for his wife. The island represents his past and memories best left forgotten.
The Black House was not what I was expecting. The initial crime gets a bit forgotten about as Fin goes about the island, meeting old friends and acquaintances. Much of the book is told in flashbacks to his past and I felt there weren't enough clues to link it together, except for the location and the fact that everyone seems to know everyone. Looking at it as general fiction and not a crime thriller, I enjoyed reading about life on the island, both past and present. It is starting to edge into the 21st century and the island religion is starting to lose its grip on the community.
I picked up the book for the Lewis connection so I wasn't disappointed from that point of view. The story is full of traditions and little tidbits of island life. An important event in the plot, is the annual trip out to An Sgeir (Sula Sgeir) to harvest young gannets for the Lewis delicacy, guga. A group of men set out to live on this lump of rock in the North Atlantic for two weeks each year, often in hostile conditions. It is seen as a right of passage and May also includes the objections of animal rights activists in the book.
I felt by the end that I'd maybe missed something as the conclusion was reached all of a sudden. The man that was murdered had plenty of enemies but there never really seems to be a suspect until the climax, which was pretty exciting at least. The present day is told in third person narrative but the flashbacks are first person from Fin's perspective. Without giving much away, I feel that Fin is rather an unreliable narrator although I wish I had time to go back and re-read some parts to make sure.
The Black House is the first in a trilogy, with The Lewis Man currently available in hardback. Now that all of Fin's ghosts are out in the open, I am looking forward to reading more in the present day.
The Black House was not what I was expecting. The initial crime gets a bit forgotten about as Fin goes about the island, meeting old friends and acquaintances. Much of the book is told in flashbacks to his past and I felt there weren't enough clues to link it together, except for the location and the fact that everyone seems to know everyone. Looking at it as general fiction and not a crime thriller, I enjoyed reading about life on the island, both past and present. It is starting to edge into the 21st century and the island religion is starting to lose its grip on the community.
I picked up the book for the Lewis connection so I wasn't disappointed from that point of view. The story is full of traditions and little tidbits of island life. An important event in the plot, is the annual trip out to An Sgeir (Sula Sgeir) to harvest young gannets for the Lewis delicacy, guga. A group of men set out to live on this lump of rock in the North Atlantic for two weeks each year, often in hostile conditions. It is seen as a right of passage and May also includes the objections of animal rights activists in the book.
I felt by the end that I'd maybe missed something as the conclusion was reached all of a sudden. The man that was murdered had plenty of enemies but there never really seems to be a suspect until the climax, which was pretty exciting at least. The present day is told in third person narrative but the flashbacks are first person from Fin's perspective. Without giving much away, I feel that Fin is rather an unreliable narrator although I wish I had time to go back and re-read some parts to make sure.
The Black House is the first in a trilogy, with The Lewis Man currently available in hardback. Now that all of Fin's ghosts are out in the open, I am looking forward to reading more in the present day.
Good airplane reading, but I guess I don't like crime novels. There is a really good chapter about the guga harvest on An Sgeir.
Every woman in the whole book is defined by an inconvenient pregnancy (except for the lone spinster of course). Ugh.
Every woman in the whole book is defined by an inconvenient pregnancy (except for the lone spinster of course). Ugh.
The Black House is the first book in the Lewis Trilogy by Peter May. I feel fortunate to have stumbled across it while searching for more books based in Scotland. This is an excellent dark murder mystery which has made its way onto my favorites shelf.
Detective Inspector Fin Macleod and his wife just lost their young boy. After taking a month off of work, his boss wants him to go to Harris to take part in a murder investigation, since it seems to be related to a case Fin worked on previously.
Fin grew up on the Isle of Harris. While working on the investigation, he reunites with past friends and acquaintances and relives childhood memories, both good and bad. I loved reading and learning about the lives of the people there, even though so much of it in this book was sad and painful. Peter May is an outstanding storyteller. I found myself unable to put the book down. By the end, I was in tears.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy.
Detective Inspector Fin Macleod and his wife just lost their young boy. After taking a month off of work, his boss wants him to go to Harris to take part in a murder investigation, since it seems to be related to a case Fin worked on previously.
Fin grew up on the Isle of Harris. While working on the investigation, he reunites with past friends and acquaintances and relives childhood memories, both good and bad. I loved reading and learning about the lives of the people there, even though so much of it in this book was sad and painful. Peter May is an outstanding storyteller. I found myself unable to put the book down. By the end, I was in tears.
I cannot recommend this book enough. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy.
What a story! May's writing put me over the shoulder of his main character. I could almost smell the salty air and feel the wind on my face. The mystery at the heart of the novel kept me guessing throughout.
Not my usual fare, but friends gave rave reviews so I tried it. It was a bit on the grisly side to start, with a horrific murder, and excruciatingly detailed post mortem, and I almost gave up. I'm glad I pushed through, though. Really good story with twists and turns.