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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
(3.5/5)
As with the 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It felt as fast paced as the author's previous release and the unraveling of this mystery was as satisfying as the last one. However, the final few pages of the book left a sour taste in my mouth.
As with the 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It felt as fast paced as the author's previous release and the unraveling of this mystery was as satisfying as the last one. However, the final few pages of the book left a sour taste in my mouth.
adventurous
mysterious
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:
No
DNF’d at page 215.
I’ve never read a mystery with such inept characters. They’re trying to figure out some dangerous plot on a ship where any person could be in league with or possessed by a demon and yet every time they figure some detail out they blurt it to anyone who will listen. It’s a weirdly hetero Sherlock Holmes rip off where the meandering and drawn out writing makes the case boring. I loved Evelyn Hardcastle, but this one was a miss for me.
I’ve never read a mystery with such inept characters. They’re trying to figure out some dangerous plot on a ship where any person could be in league with or possessed by a demon and yet every time they figure some detail out they blurt it to anyone who will listen. It’s a weirdly hetero Sherlock Holmes rip off where the meandering and drawn out writing makes the case boring. I loved Evelyn Hardcastle, but this one was a miss for me.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Things that annoyed me about this book enough to drop the rating:
- the writing style. “His feet walked across the boards”; “his eyes peered out over the gloom” - I have a strong aversion to this style, I can’t rationally explain why , but it bothers me. Just say “he walked”! Those eyes haven’t disembodied and gone peeking by themselves!
- the reveal of the antognist(s) / plot twist. You have to be able to have some inkling, as a reader, when it’s a mystery. Having kept all clues hidden until right to the end feels cheap. The character(s) revealed were then unbelievable in that role.
- name swapping at the end flip flopping between them inconsistently once revealed.
- the “and they all lived happily ever after” wash over at the end; surely surely you can’t get past betrayal that easily?
- the ruination and reduction of a potentially brilliant character down to a one dimensional bit part. Yes I’m talking about Lia and yes I’m bitter!
However the mystery was interesting, the atmosphere exciting and tense, and the story compelling enough to keep me going despite initial early annoyances at character and prose. I think ST does better on Last Murder at the End of the World.
- the writing style. “His feet walked across the boards”; “his eyes peered out over the gloom” - I have a strong aversion to this style, I can’t rationally explain why , but it bothers me. Just say “he walked”! Those eyes haven’t disembodied and gone peeking by themselves!
- the reveal of the antognist(s) / plot twist. You have to be able to have some inkling, as a reader, when it’s a mystery. Having kept all clues hidden until right to the end feels cheap. The character(s) revealed were then unbelievable in that role.
- name swapping at the end flip flopping between them inconsistently once revealed.
- the “and they all lived happily ever after” wash over at the end; surely surely you can’t get past betrayal that easily?
- the ruination and reduction of a potentially brilliant character down to a one dimensional bit part. Yes I’m talking about Lia and yes I’m bitter!
However the mystery was interesting, the atmosphere exciting and tense, and the story compelling enough to keep me going despite initial early annoyances at character and prose. I think ST does better on Last Murder at the End of the World.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
"في عام 1634، تتحول رحلة نقل المحقق سامويل بيبس إلى كابوس بحري عندما تبدأ أحداث غامضة تُتهم فيها قوى شيطانية، فيسابق حارسه آرينت هايز الزمن لكشف الحقيقة وإنقاذ الجميع"
رواية عدد صفحاتها يعتبر كبيير بس ممتعه بشكل مو طبيعي ، الغلطة الوحيدة ان كنت اقراها ( بوقت مو مناسب < مادري متى صار عندي وقت مناسب 😝>) فعشان جذي طولت و لا الرواية اعتبرها من نوع ال Page turner تشد من اول صفحة 😍 بس فيه نقطه سلبية ان النهاية سريعه اخر شي الكاتب طار بالاحداث، الترجمة ممتازة 👌🏼.
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Devil and the Dark Water is a unique book many people will have in their list of top reads – it has been reviewed many times so I’m not going to be giving you anything new outlining the plot and the foundations of the story; more just a case of outlining a few thoughts.
Maybe because it’s the Christmas period I don’t have as much energy for an in depth review. I also read it before Norsevember so haven’t written this review when it’s totally fresh in the memory. I think this works to an advantage in some respects because what I remember best will shine through in the review. So, what sort of stuff is in this book?
17th century maritime setting (most of the book takes place on a ship)
Holmes and Watson style detective story with a twist – Holmes (Sammy – nicknamed the Sparrow, an intelligent, witty, slightly built enigma) is locked up on a charge of treason. His bodyguard and best friend Arent (nicknamed the Bear – a strong, not so easy on the eye giant of a man with a strong sense of loyalty and justice) serves as the Watson to Sammy’s Holmes although the characters themselves are original in their characteristics.
Slower start with a whirlwind of revelations and events in the second half
Horror/supernatural elements involving a demon called ‘Old Tom’
Adult Scooby-doo style mystery in which you must decide how much of the supernatural to believe
I’m really glad I read this book, it was basically a haunted house story (but on a ship) though I’d have liked a bigger focus on horror as these aspects were done so well! I know from listening to an interview with the author he did originally plan to make this story have a much bigger horror aspect with the ending more horrific. I think this would have made for a terrifying story; although there are scary elements there did feel to be a bigger focus on the mystery, detective and human element. I suppose that would have made this a completely different story and one the author ultimately chose not to tell.
This does however probably make this a more sophisticated story overall, and there are many clever twists and turns along the way. The ending, too, will be loved by some and feel deflating to others. I’m in the latter half, though I did still find it clever and an acceptable way to end the story. I think sometimes you have certain expectations going into a book that can affect your reaction to it. The plot went in a different direction than what I was expecting from the first 50 pages or so and this may have had an impact.
In terms of the characters, even the side characters are well developed and intriguing and you’ll enjoy working out what vested interests or relationships with other characters any of them may have.
The author’s writing style flows nicely and there’s a certain comfort to this that helps to immerse you in the story. I may not be the authority myself but the historical accuracy also helps to add to the immersion – life on a ship of the period, the social expectations, the viewpoints of the characters. The work Turton has gone to in order to implement historical accuracy certainly adds to the enjoyment of the book.
Ultimately, despite thinking the book may have been made more exciting with a bigger focus on the highly enjoyable thriller & horror elements, once you’ve read this you’ll probably marvel at the work that has gone into planning all the intricacies of the mystery – how it all comes together as the book progresses is remarkable and I applaud how an author with only one other published book wrote something with the maturity and finesse of a seasoned writer.
Maybe because it’s the Christmas period I don’t have as much energy for an in depth review. I also read it before Norsevember so haven’t written this review when it’s totally fresh in the memory. I think this works to an advantage in some respects because what I remember best will shine through in the review. So, what sort of stuff is in this book?
17th century maritime setting (most of the book takes place on a ship)
Holmes and Watson style detective story with a twist – Holmes (Sammy – nicknamed the Sparrow, an intelligent, witty, slightly built enigma) is locked up on a charge of treason. His bodyguard and best friend Arent (nicknamed the Bear – a strong, not so easy on the eye giant of a man with a strong sense of loyalty and justice) serves as the Watson to Sammy’s Holmes although the characters themselves are original in their characteristics.
Slower start with a whirlwind of revelations and events in the second half
Horror/supernatural elements involving a demon called ‘Old Tom’
Adult Scooby-doo style mystery in which you must decide how much of the supernatural to believe
I’m really glad I read this book, it was basically a haunted house story (but on a ship) though I’d have liked a bigger focus on horror as these aspects were done so well! I know from listening to an interview with the author he did originally plan to make this story have a much bigger horror aspect with the ending more horrific. I think this would have made for a terrifying story; although there are scary elements there did feel to be a bigger focus on the mystery, detective and human element. I suppose that would have made this a completely different story and one the author ultimately chose not to tell.
This does however probably make this a more sophisticated story overall, and there are many clever twists and turns along the way. The ending, too, will be loved by some and feel deflating to others. I’m in the latter half, though I did still find it clever and an acceptable way to end the story. I think sometimes you have certain expectations going into a book that can affect your reaction to it. The plot went in a different direction than what I was expecting from the first 50 pages or so and this may have had an impact.
In terms of the characters, even the side characters are well developed and intriguing and you’ll enjoy working out what vested interests or relationships with other characters any of them may have.
The author’s writing style flows nicely and there’s a certain comfort to this that helps to immerse you in the story. I may not be the authority myself but the historical accuracy also helps to add to the immersion – life on a ship of the period, the social expectations, the viewpoints of the characters. The work Turton has gone to in order to implement historical accuracy certainly adds to the enjoyment of the book.
Ultimately, despite thinking the book may have been made more exciting with a bigger focus on the highly enjoyable thriller & horror elements, once you’ve read this you’ll probably marvel at the work that has gone into planning all the intricacies of the mystery – how it all comes together as the book progresses is remarkable and I applaud how an author with only one other published book wrote something with the maturity and finesse of a seasoned writer.
adventurous
mysterious
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
I immediately want to restart this and follow along with the mystery! I feel like I read it a little too slowly and lost the thread of the surprises at parts.
Thoroughly enjoyed this tale - a change of pace from the 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle while still maintaining the author’s style.
This book was engaging and kept me guessing along with Sara and Arent as they discovered clues and uncovered their fellow passengers’ secrets.
This book was engaging and kept me guessing along with Sara and Arent as they discovered clues and uncovered their fellow passengers’ secrets.