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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Wow! I could not have guessed what was going on and could not put the book down. Fin has more to him than meets the eye.
I picked this book on sale from Amazon, largely because I'm curious and interested in Scotland and its islands. The story takes place on the Isle of Lewis. It's a very different world from mine, and I found the life there interesting to read about.
There's a mystery here, or rather, a couple of mysteries. One concerns a murder. The other concerns things that happened in the past. The viewpoint shifts back and forth from present day to past rememberings.
I thought the writing was good. I got a bit annoyed about the main character, and I thought some of the angsty-bits went on a mite too long. But as a view of a different culture: +1.
Mostly liked it. Not sure I liked it well enough to read another book with the same characters, though. I'll let some time pass and see how I feel.
There's a mystery here, or rather, a couple of mysteries. One concerns a murder. The other concerns things that happened in the past. The viewpoint shifts back and forth from present day to past rememberings.
I thought the writing was good. I got a bit annoyed about the main character, and I thought some of the angsty-bits went on a mite too long. But as a view of a different culture: +1.
Mostly liked it. Not sure I liked it well enough to read another book with the same characters, though. I'll let some time pass and see how I feel.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was selected to pre-read the norwegian translation of this book by Boklageret.
The translation could have been better.
Other than that it was a great book! I haven't read much crime, but I love crime shows, especially scandinavian ones. This book would have been a great one!
Usually I'm not that fond of when they involve too much of the investigator's personal life in the show, but for this book it was necessary, and I thought it all was tied together very well.
Most things are there for a reason, I like that. I also liked how much the author has researched the culture.
The story and mystery itself is very well written, you are not led on too much, and things will shock you as they unfold - to the very last page!
Highly recommended.
The translation could have been better.
Other than that it was a great book! I haven't read much crime, but I love crime shows, especially scandinavian ones. This book would have been a great one!
Usually I'm not that fond of when they involve too much of the investigator's personal life in the show, but for this book it was necessary, and I thought it all was tied together very well.
Most things are there for a reason, I like that. I also liked how much the author has researched the culture.
The story and mystery itself is very well written, you are not led on too much, and things will shock you as they unfold - to the very last page!
Highly recommended.
4*
Absolutely loved the setting and enjoyed the story told through the present day investigation and the protagonist’s childhood.
Absolutely loved the setting and enjoyed the story told through the present day investigation and the protagonist’s childhood.
Detta var verkligen en bra bok! Den handlar kanske inte så mycket om själva brottet som begås, men jag gillar verkligen att man får följa den unge Fins liv på ön innan han flyttade därifrån. Ser verkligen fram emot att läsa den andra delen. Länk till recensionen: http://ewelinasbokblogg.blogspot.se/2015/07/svarthuset.html
Peter May’s The Black House is an introduction to an exotic and strange world. I picked it up thinking I would be reading a fairly straightforward mystery set in Scotland, on the Isle of Lewis. But what I learned was that the Isle of Lewis is so different that it might as well be a country unto itself. The plot and the protagonist sounded interesting, but when I read the book, I was even more interested in learning about the strange customs (everything is closed on Sunday, even the playgrounds; gannet hunts; etc.) and language and geography...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
dark
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
The An Sgier stuff was really wonderfully done although the rest of the prose didn't do it for me. A good grizzled-cop-comes-home-to-small-town-to-investigate-murder, digs-up-old-ghosts tropey read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Violence, Vomit, Medical content
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault