Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
This was recommended to me by my Mum who had read it and loved it. She absolutely adores Scotland and that's why she loved this book so much. I went in with an open mind, I (mostly) trust her judgement. There were parts of this book that I loved. The murder mystery itself was brilliant, victim that you love and hate and a lead character with a great deal of history.
Learning all about Fin McLeod and his childhood is really interesting and is definitely different to your regular murder mystery. Very rarely do you know so much about a main character and his relationship to the victim. In fact, Fin's life story is probably more interesting than the murder mystery.
I did think there were some parts of the story that were a bit bogged down. At one stage Peter May did describe a whole sequence to repairing a computer which was completely unnecessary!
But really, it's the island that Fin is from that gives this book character and intrigue and the soap fan in me loves a scandal. I read until the end partly to find out who the murderer was and partly to find out who was the father of young Fin!
Learning all about Fin McLeod and his childhood is really interesting and is definitely different to your regular murder mystery. Very rarely do you know so much about a main character and his relationship to the victim. In fact, Fin's life story is probably more interesting than the murder mystery.
I did think there were some parts of the story that were a bit bogged down. At one stage Peter May did describe a whole sequence to repairing a computer which was completely unnecessary!
But really, it's the island that Fin is from that gives this book character and intrigue and the soap fan in me loves a scandal. I read until the end partly to find out who the murderer was and partly to find out who was the father of young Fin!
I didn’t like it for the most part but I think I actually liked the ending? I’m not sure but I couldn’t give the two stars I would give the rest of the story because of the ending.
This is not too mysterious or scary. Most of all it’s gory (see the post-mortem scene and some other descriptions completely unnecessary). Besides the fact this is all about the main character’s life and not the mystery. Actually I feel he forgot what he was investigating in the middle of the book and just wanted to go and see old friends.
That’s it. I have some problems with what this book claims to be but I still listened to the end to know what actually had happened.
Not for the faintest of hearth (with the graphic depictions of murder and the language (which I know some people have problems with)).
This is not too mysterious or scary. Most of all it’s gory (see the post-mortem scene and some other descriptions completely unnecessary). Besides the fact this is all about the main character’s life and not the mystery. Actually I feel he forgot what he was investigating in the middle of the book and just wanted to go and see old friends.
That’s it. I have some problems with what this book claims to be but I still listened to the end to know what actually had happened.
Not for the faintest of hearth (with the graphic depictions of murder and the language (which I know some people have problems with)).
Foi o final que me fez dar as 3*, muito bom.. Pena o resto do livro ser difícil de ler, com uma acção lenta.
I loved the setting of the novel on the Island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. The novel alternates chapters between first-person recollections of Fin's childhood on Lewis and third-person descriptions of the murder investigation. The emphasis is more on Fin's memories and how they relate to the murder than on the investigation itself, although Fin does interview several people. It's not really clear (or important) what the police are doing, since Fin has been told he is not needed.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Hørt på lydbok - har nok hatt en viss innflytelse på hvordan jeg oppfatter boken.
En del unødvendig flashback, som gjør at hovedfortellingen er usammenhengende og mindre intens.
En pluss er at fortellingen er satt til spennende og mystiske steder man kan lære nye ting om, en unik krimserie som skiller seg litt fra typiske serier.
En del unødvendig flashback, som gjør at hovedfortellingen er usammenhengende og mindre intens.
En pluss er at fortellingen er satt til spennende og mystiske steder man kan lære nye ting om, en unik krimserie som skiller seg litt fra typiske serier.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Based in the heart of the Isle of Lewis, a small island off the Outer Hebrides, and in some parts mainland Scotland. A murder in Edinburgh and another on the island both have similar qualities. Fin is sent back to his hometown to solve the murder of his old friend 'Angel'. The book alternates between the investigation and his childhood on the island. In particular, a trip to An Sgeir as a child, which he was apprehensive about beforehand, leading to a near-fatal fall for Fin but killed Artair's father. Little did Fin realise the consequences that were left after the accident especially his relationship with Marsaili, whom he had not seen since their first term at uni. Fin discovers that Marsaili had a son, originally thinking it was Artair's but it is actually his. A series of events means he has to prosecute his old best friend for the death of another friend. Emphasising the ability to change despite background and spending time away from people can change you. The book centres around the death of Fin's child before the book begins and the presence of religion within the island, the reigns it places on people and the impact of belief and changes over time. For example the changing of cells in order to accommodate Muslims rather than just Christians, the prominent and 'correct' religion. A thoroughly enjoyable book with interesting links and flashbacks although I would have preferred more detailing of the crime, as Mr Hall does elegantly. 4/5