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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Cracking yarn. Picked up where Dissolution ended and every bit as good as the first novel, if not better. A series I’ll return to again in future.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fantastic mystery! The character of Shardlake is developing, I also really like the character of Barack. They make a good team. The fall of Cromwell occurs, as I knew it would, and it was interesting how the plot handled the huge event while sticking mainly to factual history. These Shardlake books blend adventure, mystery, great characters with history. Some fiction, of course, which is very clever! I love these books.
I LOVED this book. Compelling characters, mystery on top of mystery, political intrigue and a fast paced plot, coupled with tons of historical details during my favorite period to read about -
I'm definitely looking up the rest of this series.
I'm definitely looking up the rest of this series.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reading these novels is like taking a trip to Tudor England!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
While the full cast audio of [b:Sovereign|35427034|Sovereign (Matthew Shardlake, #3)|C.J. Sansom|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497352674l/35427034._SX50_.jpg|1698960] was engaging and intriguing enough throughout to tempt me to read the entire series, this would not have done so if I had listened to it first. Perhaps I hindered myself by reading the novel first with its oppressive air of summer heat and the steady pressure of numbered days passing by, but this adaptation lacked atmosphere. It's a capable adaptation - being somewhat abridged it lacks details, though nothing's shuffled around too much in the streamlining of the plot - but it feels like it relies too much on merely having actors to add personality to the characters and build relationships between them. Some of this is probably a result of trying to fit everything into just over two hours of run time - yes the plot has been streamlined a little, but there's still an awful lot of going back and forth and the slow trickle of information and bare characterisation does not work well with the time limit this adaptation has.
This is the third book I've read by C.J. Sansom, and it didn't disappoint. Set in Tudor London, and featuring Thomas Cromwell, 'Dark Fire', the second in the Shardlake series, combines historical fiction with wonderfully life-like characters with emotional depth. Shardlake is developing nicely from book one, and his relationship with Cromwell, against the backdrop of the political and religious turmoil, was fascinating to follow, and causes Shardlake to question his faith. The investigation that forms the main plot has historical roots, although fictionalised, and his care when including details gives a great sense of place. I highly recommend.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated