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alice_horoshev's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
tanyarobinson's review against another edition
4.0
The biggest strength of this book is its excellent portrayal of the time period. McCammon has packed The Queen of Bedlam so full of historical details and rich descriptions of locations, clothing, food, and more. I loved learning about early 1700s New York; it's crazy to think of it as a town of only 5000 people with farm animals rambling through the streets.
The mystery in the story was interesting, though nothing extraordinary. But I really enjoyed the writing and felt myself caught up in its easy flow. The "gauntlet" scene with the birds of prey toward the end of the book was intense, and like nothing I've ever read before. McCammon is a talented writer.
3.75 stars rounded to 4.
The mystery in the story was interesting, though nothing extraordinary. But I really enjoyed the writing and felt myself caught up in its easy flow. The "gauntlet" scene with the birds of prey toward the end of the book was intense, and like nothing I've ever read before. McCammon is a talented writer.
3.75 stars rounded to 4.
gatun's review against another edition
5.0
The Queen of Bedlam is the sequel to Robert McCammon's Speaks the Nightbird, which took place in 1799 in the colony of South Carolina. This book takes place in 1702 in New York, which is still a town of 5,000, not yet the city it will one day be. Matthew Corbett is a clerk for a magistrate in New York. As with the first book, this one is part horror (man against man), part detective, part history, and part "I don't know what to call it but I loved it". The New York that comes to life in this book is the skeleton of the current city. Some of the names like Wall Street are familiar. Yet so much is new to all but the historians of colonial New York. I really enjoyed The Queen of Bedlam as much as I enjoyed Speaks the Nightbird.
Edoardo Ballerini is a terrific narrator. He helps bring the story to life through his wonderful accents and distinct voices.
Edoardo Ballerini is a terrific narrator. He helps bring the story to life through his wonderful accents and distinct voices.
barb4ry1's review against another edition
4.0
4.5/5
Matthew Corbett's series continues to impress. Three years after the events of Speaks The Nightbird, Matthew works in New York. A vicious killer targets respected citizens with no apparent links to one another. Matthew can't resist the mystery and starts to investigate the murders.
His particular skills and obsession for getting all the answers get him in trouble but also allow him to gain powerful allies.
The novel draws the reader into the life and times of early New York City. McCammon is obsessed with historical details and includes lots of them in the story. Fortunately, he also has the skills to make everything work and make detailed descriptions fascinating, not tiring.
Matthew Corbett's series continues to impress. Three years after the events of Speaks The Nightbird, Matthew works in New York. A vicious killer targets respected citizens with no apparent links to one another. Matthew can't resist the mystery and starts to investigate the murders.
His particular skills and obsession for getting all the answers get him in trouble but also allow him to gain powerful allies.
The novel draws the reader into the life and times of early New York City. McCammon is obsessed with historical details and includes lots of them in the story. Fortunately, he also has the skills to make everything work and make detailed descriptions fascinating, not tiring.
momma_bear_906's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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? No
5.0
This tale was my second experience with McCammon, and I am absolutely in love with Matthew Corbett. He finds himself in strange situations and keeps strange company, and yet you can't help but root for him to save the day. This book didn't slow from the get go, and it was able to keep my attention. (Good thing at 645 pages!) It honestly progressed smoothly as Matthew seemed to find himself in one dire strait or another. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and though it is the second in the series, it does an excellent job of filling in pieces from the first book while making it its own standalone tale. By the end, all of the tangled webs were untangled, and answers were satisfactorily given to each problem in a way that certainly didn't make it feel rushed. I found myself trying to figure out the who done it just as much as Matthew in the story.
sammystarbuck's review against another edition
5.0
For most of us, very few good things have happened in 2020. For me, one of the best things to happen this year was the discovery of [a:Robert R. McCammon|5244478|Robert R. McCammon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1555977227p2/5244478.jpg]. I started with [b:Swan Song|11557|Swan Song|Robert R. McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1445981000l/11557._SY75_.jpg|2947187], then moved on to [b:Speaks the Nightbird|1525997|Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett, #1)|Robert R. McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442931227l/1525997._SY75_.jpg|16692325], and now [b:The Queen of Bedlam|437627|The Queen of Bedlam (Matthew Corbett, #2)|Robert R. McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390530867l/437627._SY75_.jpg|16695860]. McCammon has hit a comfortable 3/3, as I thought all three worth a solid 5 stars. I may, in fact, have found a new author to add to my list of favourites. I may be a little late to the party, but boy am I glad to be here!
This book is the sequel to [b:Speaks the Nightbird|1525997|Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett, #1)|Robert R. McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442931227l/1525997._SY75_.jpg|16692325], though it's not strictly necessary (but definitely very much encouraged) to read that first. If the rest of the series is going to pan out as it promises to do here, it's a series in that it follows the same protagonist, and the books take place in a certain chronological order, but are each individual adventures that could stand alone, such as [a:Bernard Cornwell|12542|Bernard Cornwell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1504578807p2/12542.jpg]'s Sharpe books, for example.
Either way, it's a great read!
This book is the sequel to [b:Speaks the Nightbird|1525997|Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett, #1)|Robert R. McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442931227l/1525997._SY75_.jpg|16692325], though it's not strictly necessary (but definitely very much encouraged) to read that first. If the rest of the series is going to pan out as it promises to do here, it's a series in that it follows the same protagonist, and the books take place in a certain chronological order, but are each individual adventures that could stand alone, such as [a:Bernard Cornwell|12542|Bernard Cornwell|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1504578807p2/12542.jpg]'s Sharpe books, for example.
Either way, it's a great read!
em_beddedinbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Second of the Matthew Corbett series (the first book of which I liked a lot), follows Matthew's adventure in New York, 1802, where a serial killer is supposedly at work, who causes a mask like mutilation on the face of his victims. Matthew is drawn into the killer's sphere, along with trying to expose his previous corrupt, pedophile warden Ausley. He also has various friends who are quite different from one another, in age as well as in socio-economic status. One of his older friends tries to foster off his grand daughter on to Matthew. Berryl, the same is quite eccentric, though pleasing to the eye. He also encounters another vitriolic female, the Itchy Nymph who teaches him a bit about worldly pleasures. Central to all this is the Queen of Bedlam, Professor Fell, Priest Wade, Grace the pricat3 investigator and the tangled webs woven between them.
Enjoyed this one, but not quite as much as book 1, Speaks the Night bird.
Enjoyed this one, but not quite as much as book 1, Speaks the Night bird.
ginelit's review against another edition
4.0
It was a bit of a slow-starter, but once I got into it, very good. Will definitely look up more by this author.
tawallah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25