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nuthatch428's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Colonisation, Blood, Gore, Murder, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Excrement, Vomit, Alcohol, Animal death, Infidelity, Rape, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Addiction, Torture, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
oliverlang's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Grief, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
ellekreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An impossible murder.
A remarkable detective duo.
A demon who may or may not exist.
It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, a world-renowned detective, is being transported from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam, to face trial and execution for a crime he may or may not have committed. Travelling alongside him is his loyal companion and bodyguard - Arent Hayes - who is determined to prove his friend innocent.
Once their voyage begins, devilry begins to blight the journey. A strange symbol appears on the sail, a dead leper stalks the deck, livestock are slaughtered in the night, and passengers begin to hear a strange voice whispering to them in the night, promising them three unholy miracles are to occur. Could a demon be responsible?
With Pipps imprisoned, it is down to Arent to solve a mystery that appears to stretch into his past, while threatening the future of the ship, and the lives of those on board.
First of all, I absolutely adored Evelyn Hardcastle. I had tentatively high hopes for this one, and I'm happy to report that it definitely lived up to my self-imposed hype. Isolated murder mysteries are one of my favourite tropes - but on a boat! Excellent. Historical elements! Excellent. Supernatural elements!!!! Excellent!!!!
I'm not gonna lie, this boasts a large cast of characters that all seem to be interlinked one way or the other. It took a little while to get into, mainly due to the concentration required. It didn't, however, ever bore. After the first 25% I was tearing through it, determined to know more about the characters, more about their involvement, more about the devil plaguing the ship.
Turton writes atmosphere impressively. It's easy to picture the settings, to feel the claustrophobia and confusion, to understand the motivations and fears of the crew. He has a flair for pulling you into the world he created, making it endlessly interesting, and continuously answering questions with more questions until the grand finale when the veil is lifted.
Overall it has big Sherlock vibes, compelling writing, a satisfying and twist-packed finale, and plenty of demons - both real and imagined. Turton writes both male and female characters in a well-rounded, fleshed-out way, with futures and pasts and motivations other than propping up a handful of the main characters - which is appreciated. This novel lives up to the hype that his first paved the way for, it's smart and satisfying and if you loved Evelyn Hardcastle then you're in for a treat.
Big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Raven Books for the review copy. This one is available to purchase on the 01/10/20!
A remarkable detective duo.
A demon who may or may not exist.
It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, a world-renowned detective, is being transported from the Dutch East Indies to Amsterdam, to face trial and execution for a crime he may or may not have committed. Travelling alongside him is his loyal companion and bodyguard - Arent Hayes - who is determined to prove his friend innocent.
Once their voyage begins, devilry begins to blight the journey. A strange symbol appears on the sail, a dead leper stalks the deck, livestock are slaughtered in the night, and passengers begin to hear a strange voice whispering to them in the night, promising them three unholy miracles are to occur. Could a demon be responsible?
With Pipps imprisoned, it is down to Arent to solve a mystery that appears to stretch into his past, while threatening the future of the ship, and the lives of those on board.
First of all, I absolutely adored Evelyn Hardcastle. I had tentatively high hopes for this one, and I'm happy to report that it definitely lived up to my self-imposed hype. Isolated murder mysteries are one of my favourite tropes - but on a boat! Excellent. Historical elements! Excellent. Supernatural elements!!!! Excellent!!!!
I'm not gonna lie, this boasts a large cast of characters that all seem to be interlinked one way or the other. It took a little while to get into, mainly due to the concentration required. It didn't, however, ever bore. After the first 25% I was tearing through it, determined to know more about the characters, more about their involvement, more about the devil plaguing the ship.
Turton writes atmosphere impressively. It's easy to picture the settings, to feel the claustrophobia and confusion, to understand the motivations and fears of the crew. He has a flair for pulling you into the world he created, making it endlessly interesting, and continuously answering questions with more questions until the grand finale when the veil is lifted.
Overall it has big Sherlock vibes, compelling writing, a satisfying and twist-packed finale, and plenty of demons - both real and imagined. Turton writes both male and female characters in a well-rounded, fleshed-out way, with futures and pasts and motivations other than propping up a handful of the main characters - which is appreciated. This novel lives up to the hype that his first paved the way for, it's smart and satisfying and if you loved Evelyn Hardcastle then you're in for a treat.
Big thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Raven Books for the review copy. This one is available to purchase on the 01/10/20!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Animal death, Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence
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