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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Read this for a book club
Ngl, It was a slow start. Wasn’t a huge fan of it initially but it definitely picked up. The writing was pretty immersive and beautiful, and although some plots were obvious some was unexpected to me as well
Most of the characters are pretty flawed, so not ideal for people that need to love the main characters
I enjoyed reading about the various traditions and culture of the island though
Ngl, It was a slow start. Wasn’t a huge fan of it initially but it definitely picked up. The writing was pretty immersive and beautiful, and although some plots were obvious some was unexpected to me as well
Most of the characters are pretty flawed, so not ideal for people that need to love the main characters
I enjoyed reading about the various traditions and culture of the island though
Finlay MacLeod was born and bred on the Isle of Lewis but after leaving as a teenager he has made a career in the police force in Edinburgh. Shortly after a family tragedy Fin is asked to go back to Lewis as a body has been found in similar circumstances to that in a murder he has been investigating. Is this the work of serial killer or is it more than that? In returning to Lewis, Fin is asked to confront a series of demons from his past.
I actually read the second in the series (The Lewis Man) before reading this book. Whilst I enjoyed that novel, I loved this one. The insular nature of the community on Lewis is very well-described, families who have lived in the same area for generations, their customs and habits and the fact that everyone knows everyone. Fin is an interesting character and his backstory is revealed slowly, ending in a revelation kept buried for many years. May has obviously researched well as his descriptions of the lives and the traditions of Lewis are clear and believable, and that makes the plot work so well.
I actually read the second in the series (The Lewis Man) before reading this book. Whilst I enjoyed that novel, I loved this one. The insular nature of the community on Lewis is very well-described, families who have lived in the same area for generations, their customs and habits and the fact that everyone knows everyone. Fin is an interesting character and his backstory is revealed slowly, ending in a revelation kept buried for many years. May has obviously researched well as his descriptions of the lives and the traditions of Lewis are clear and believable, and that makes the plot work so well.
This is the very first book I read from this author but I liked it a lot, the story starts as a murder case but it quickly turns into an encounter and dealing with the past of our protagonist, leaving the case just as the pivot that forces everything into action. I wouldn't recommend this book if you prefer cold scientific evidence like in a CSI show because there's too little of it but it still is a very good story of being able to accept the things that you've done wrong, the things that you can't forgive, the things that you can't forget and process them in order to start anew with your life.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
An excellent thriller/mystery that also looks at the destructive and lasting impacts of trauma on children. Those impacts can manifest even when the trauma itself is buried deep and unremembered. The setting here was also well described and seemed a living part of the story.
A little slow to start and it took me a while to warm up to the author's style (very descriptive with lots of terms/expressions thrown in that were unfamiliar). But once the story got going I got pulled into the world he created and really enjoyed learning the backstory of Fin. Sometimes I don't like jumping back-and-forth in time during a story but this time it was handled well. The chapters about the past helped to explain the motivations of the characters.
The only reason I knocked off a star was because of the slow beginning and the core mystery Fin was trying to solve sometimes felt like it was put on the back-burner.
But overall it was a good story with a likable lead and interesting supporting characters.
The only reason I knocked off a star was because of the slow beginning and the core mystery Fin was trying to solve sometimes felt like it was put on the back-burner.
But overall it was a good story with a likable lead and interesting supporting characters.
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
This is my kind of mystery: character driven, with an atmospheric setting and secrets from the past suddenly revealing themselves. I will be exploring more from Mr. May.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Just missed 2016! Excellent read, though about half of it was (interesting) back story. Look forward to the rest of this series.