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geegee_74's review against another edition
2.0
Didn't quite live up to its promise for me. There were constant hints of the supernatural throughout, but it ended up being a retelling of an historical murder case which wasn't quite what I was expecting.
danielborg's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kncloherty's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
In 1836, James Greenacre and his lover Sarah Gale were found guilty of murdering Hannah Brown in London. This actual event is the starting point for Mazzola's novel. She has created the character of Edmund Fleetwood, a lawyer who is assign to review Sarah's conviction and decide if the death penalty should apply. Contrary to his expectations, given that she has a young son and her life is at stake, he finds her uncooperative and reluctant to open up to him.
This is a clever and intriguing story. It develops slightly slowly but its deceptively simple and you gradually realise that the author is playing tricks on you. I didn't realise until the book's end that it is a fictional story woven around real events and that all the court statements and newspaper reports are in fact actual quotes from the time. It's very cleverly done and I'm impressed by the amount of research that the author did and the way she incorporated it so seamlessly.
This is a clever and intriguing story. It develops slightly slowly but its deceptively simple and you gradually realise that the author is playing tricks on you. I didn't realise until the book's end that it is a fictional story woven around real events and that all the court statements and newspaper reports are in fact actual quotes from the time. It's very cleverly done and I'm impressed by the amount of research that the author did and the way she incorporated it so seamlessly.
mwgerard's review against another edition
4.0
Please read my full review here: http://mwgerard.com/review-the-unseeing/
theciz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A historical thriller I picked up because a friend had enjoyed it and lent it to me. Based on a real case, the Victorian London setting is very well done, even if it does the cliche thing of all the "bad" characters having period opinions and our protagonists having mostly modern ones. The discussion about the justice system in the 1830s is also interesting, if a bit heavy handed at times.
The problem, really, is the characters. Edmund is a complete mark, Sarah herself is all over the place (and for me largely unsympathetic when clearly intended to be otherwise) and other characters are pretty thin. The pacing also suffers, and the story feels increasingly drawn out for no reason nearer the end, only for things to be concluded pretty briefly. The resolution to the mystery is also very "8pm procedural murder of the week". Mazzola clearly discovered the story of Hannah Brown’s murder and worked backwards from there for the book, and unfortunately it shows, as a lot of the framing is pretty flimsy. Ultimately it just made me want to reread Alias Grace, which does a similar thing in a much more complex, interesting way.
The problem, really, is the characters. Edmund is a complete mark, Sarah herself is all over the place (and for me largely unsympathetic when clearly intended to be otherwise) and other characters are pretty thin. The pacing also suffers, and the story feels increasingly drawn out for no reason nearer the end, only for things to be concluded pretty briefly. The resolution to the mystery is also very "8pm procedural murder of the week". Mazzola clearly discovered the story of Hannah Brown’s murder and worked backwards from there for the book, and unfortunately it shows, as a lot of the framing is pretty flimsy. Ultimately it just made me want to reread Alias Grace, which does a similar thing in a much more complex, interesting way.
jmatkinson1's review against another edition
4.0
The big news story of early 1837 is the 'Edgware Road Murder' in which a dismembered body was found in pieces all over London. Found guilty and sentenced to death are James Greenacre and his common-law wife Sarah Gale. Whilst Grenacre admits disposing of the the body, the evidence against Gale is scanty and idealistic young lawyer Edmund Fleetwood is tasked with reviewing the case and making a recommendation as to whether the death penalty is appropriate.
Whilst this book is based on a true-life case, Mazola has chosen to weave a fiction around the few facts in evidence. The circumstances of the finding of the body, the trial and the sentences are fact but the motivation and many of the characters are fiction. Therefore this story fits somewhere between fact and fiction, I chose to read it as purely fiction - a novel inspired by a true event rather than a historical novel. When viewed in this way the book is actually a great read, the facts are horrible but the fiction creates a more romanticised view of motivations than was probably the truth. The book is well-researched, showing an understanding of life in late-Georgian London and the difficulties faced by women who are without the support of a man. This includes wives frustrated by the lack of household income, abandoned after an affair, the wife left alone after being deserted, and the family driven to poverty after the death of the father. Ultimately a sad but beautifully written novel.
Whilst this book is based on a true-life case, Mazola has chosen to weave a fiction around the few facts in evidence. The circumstances of the finding of the body, the trial and the sentences are fact but the motivation and many of the characters are fiction. Therefore this story fits somewhere between fact and fiction, I chose to read it as purely fiction - a novel inspired by a true event rather than a historical novel. When viewed in this way the book is actually a great read, the facts are horrible but the fiction creates a more romanticised view of motivations than was probably the truth. The book is well-researched, showing an understanding of life in late-Georgian London and the difficulties faced by women who are without the support of a man. This includes wives frustrated by the lack of household income, abandoned after an affair, the wife left alone after being deserted, and the family driven to poverty after the death of the father. Ultimately a sad but beautifully written novel.
anasaurus's review against another edition
2.0
This is just a less compelling more poorly written Alias Grace. I don't know, two stars is probably too low, but this book just ruffled my feathers. I literally spent the entire thing wishing I was reading Atwood instead
19oranges98's review against another edition
4.0
Thoroughly enjoyed, however the ending seemed to drag on for a moment too long.
I managed to predict the true killer about 2 thirds of the way in but still made for a satisfying read, will definitely continue to read Mazzola's writing!
I managed to predict the true killer about 2 thirds of the way in but still made for a satisfying read, will definitely continue to read Mazzola's writing!