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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Another great Shardlake book, slightly spoilt by the fact that I figured out who the murderer was halfway through. A series of gruesome murders occur in and around London that seem to be telling the story of the 7 vials poured by the angels in the book of Revelation (sounds a bit like the movie Seven doesn't it?). So I suppose that spoilt the book a little, and also the fact that the murderer wasn't the typical sort that Shardlake investigates made this book different. A good read with good character development, but not the best of the shardlake books, in my opinion.
Loved it. C.J. Sansom is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Another great book from C.J. Sansom. Matthew Shardlake, hunchback lawyer during the time of Henry the 8th, finds himself involved in the search for one of the first serial killers (before they even understand what a serial killer really is).
It is spring 1543. King Henry VIII is looking for a new wife and has his eyes set on the newly widowed Catherine Parr. This sets the back-drop for the events that lead lawyer Matthew Shardlake to chase a serial murderer around London. The killer gets his inspiration from the Book of Revelation. The first victim that comes to Shardlake's attention is his old friend Roger, found with his throat slashed in a fountain. The case is politically sensitive and the stakes emotionally high.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
The best one in the series so far! A killer who’s murdering following the book of revelation??? Ummm sign me up! Also someone give Matthew Shardlake a break !! This man’s had enough I wouldn’t mind for a like cottage core installment where he just goes back to his father’s farm to help Jack and Tamasin with some couple counseling session. But maybe I like this series cause is nothing like that wjhdwjsjhqhq
I do like the Shardlake books for plot and characters, but I found this one was a bit repetitive and over-long, although I did find myself getting really into the chase.
In this fourth installment of the bestselling Shardlake series, lawyer Matthew Shardlake is working on a case of salvation panic - Adam Kite is certain that he is damned and determined to pray until he becomes on of the elite to be sent to heaven on the day of judgement, and so the Court of Requests has sent him to the Bedlam. Meanwhile, in the courtyard of Lincoln's Inn, Shardlake's good friend, Roger Elliard, has been slain and dumped in the fountain. Shardlake vows to find the killer and from that moment he has unknowingly mixed himself into a horror unlike anything he has ever seen. Once again he is thrown into a political struggle and a race to find a Tudor serial killer.
Set during a time of religious turmoil, Sansom has managed to paint Tudor London as a city on edge. I was thrown back to 1543, and yet again a gorgeous and truthful picture of the Tudor period had been painted for me. This series isn't particularly fast-paced, but there is so much to love about these novels that it's hard to put them down.
I loved the mystery in this one. It got very dark very fast, and it was very interesting. The motives tied in well with the religious debate at the time, and so the topic of religion was much more central in this novel. It was discussed more in relation to the murders than anything else, but because of the attempts to unseat Archbishop Cranmer from his position of power and push papist beliefs back into the spotlight. I know that some of the beliefs credited to Martin Luther weren't actually his own, but I don't know whether that was intentional or whether it was a mistake. Either way, I don't think most people would know much about that and so it didn't take away any enjoyment from the novel.
The case surrounding young Adam Kite was also related to religion. Sansom mentions in the historical note that salvation panic came about at the time, when radical reformists preached that only the elite would get into heaven at the end of the world. I had no idea that salvation panic was even a thing, but it was certainly interesting to see the similarities between the radical religious groups of the past and those of the present.
Jack Barak was the light in the darkness that shrouded this novel. Though he had his moments, and he was definitely not himself, he continued to make little jokes here and there which I greatly appreciated. I really enjoy his character and I feel like he has developed a lot over the last couple of novels.
The only quarry I have is that for some reason Shardlake ends up with a romantic interest in every novel. It never comes to anything, and I do feel sorry for him, but I'm not entirely sure why the romance exists. It doesn't seem to add anything to the story and it has nothing to do with the plot.
Overall I gave this novel a five out of five stars. This mystery was the most interesting yet, the killer was totally unexpected, the twists and turns that this novel took were great, and I loved the characters. Every time I read one of these novels I declare it as my favourite, so I'm excited for the next one!
Set during a time of religious turmoil, Sansom has managed to paint Tudor London as a city on edge. I was thrown back to 1543, and yet again a gorgeous and truthful picture of the Tudor period had been painted for me. This series isn't particularly fast-paced, but there is so much to love about these novels that it's hard to put them down.
I loved the mystery in this one. It got very dark very fast, and it was very interesting. The motives tied in well with the religious debate at the time, and so the topic of religion was much more central in this novel. It was discussed more in relation to the murders than anything else, but because of the attempts to unseat Archbishop Cranmer from his position of power and push papist beliefs back into the spotlight. I know that some of the beliefs credited to Martin Luther weren't actually his own, but I don't know whether that was intentional or whether it was a mistake. Either way, I don't think most people would know much about that and so it didn't take away any enjoyment from the novel.
The case surrounding young Adam Kite was also related to religion. Sansom mentions in the historical note that salvation panic came about at the time, when radical reformists preached that only the elite would get into heaven at the end of the world. I had no idea that salvation panic was even a thing, but it was certainly interesting to see the similarities between the radical religious groups of the past and those of the present.
Jack Barak was the light in the darkness that shrouded this novel. Though he had his moments, and he was definitely not himself, he continued to make little jokes here and there which I greatly appreciated. I really enjoy his character and I feel like he has developed a lot over the last couple of novels.
The only quarry I have is that for some reason Shardlake ends up with a romantic interest in every novel. It never comes to anything, and I do feel sorry for him, but I'm not entirely sure why the romance exists. It doesn't seem to add anything to the story and it has nothing to do with the plot.
Overall I gave this novel a five out of five stars. This mystery was the most interesting yet, the killer was totally unexpected, the twists and turns that this novel took were great, and I loved the characters. Every time I read one of these novels I declare it as my favourite, so I'm excited for the next one!
Another Shardlake down, as I crawl towards the end of this series (they are hefty).
Once again we dive into the grimy, frankly disgusting streets of Shardlake's world, filled with lurid murder and intrigue. I find these novels an excellent antidote to feeling too sad about today's state of affairs, as truly nothing makes me more grateful to live in this century than reading about Tudor London. Shardlake's friend, who we struggle to get too attached to as we meet him only briefly, is horribly murdered in the opening chapters, and so we dive into solving a new case.
I enjoyed this one maybe even more than the others, although the author's absolute love affair with the word 'seriously' did make me reconsider my choice at some points. Shardlake is pining (again) over a woman he can't have (again), but is much less cringe about it than previously. The murders follow swiftly and brutally, and got a bit too gory for me, but they moved the plot forward nicely. I was so sure I knew the killer, and I was wrong yet again, so I should probably just stop guessing with these ones.
Once again we dive into the grimy, frankly disgusting streets of Shardlake's world, filled with lurid murder and intrigue. I find these novels an excellent antidote to feeling too sad about today's state of affairs, as truly nothing makes me more grateful to live in this century than reading about Tudor London. Shardlake's friend, who we struggle to get too attached to as we meet him only briefly, is horribly murdered in the opening chapters, and so we dive into solving a new case.
I enjoyed this one maybe even more than the others, although the author's absolute love affair with the word 'seriously' did make me reconsider my choice at some points. Shardlake is pining (again) over a woman he can't have (again), but is much less cringe about it than previously. The murders follow swiftly and brutally, and got a bit too gory for me, but they moved the plot forward nicely. I was so sure I knew the killer, and I was wrong yet again, so I should probably just stop guessing with these ones.