Reviews - Broken Homes | The StoryGraph

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1.5k reviews for:

Broken Homes

Ben Aaronovitch

4.06 AVERAGE

lostinbooks2001's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous

besser als das letzte Buch, einfach wegen diesem einem Twist am ende, den ich echt nicht kommen gesehen hab

whatcassiedid's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous dark mysterious fast-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

The plot was fine but the endless jokes about casual police brutality really wore on me and I do find it very weird that Peter being biracial and Black presenting has never really been brought up in the context of him being a cop. As much as I've enjoyed the magic bits of this series, I think this is the end of the line for me.

lyndiane's review

5.0

Really, what more can I say other than spectacular in every possible way!

islandbookwyrm's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous mysterious

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

claudia_is_reading's review against another edition

5.0

There is a change in this book, which begins, as always, as a witty police procedural with a pinch of magic but, about 2/3 of the story it gets less humorous, the tone more serious, the mood darker fitting the different tone of the story and, in a way, foreshadowing what is to come.

I really like the way in which police procedurals come into the narrative, how the cops aren't stupid or slow. After all, Peter is one of them

If you really want to see what’s staring you in the face, if you want to be any kind of half-decent police officer, then you’ve got to make it your business to look at things properly.

And then, there are the descriptions. As always, Aaronovitch excels in presenting us such a vivid portraits of London and, in this case, its architecture and the people who lives there.

But this time the locals weren’t having it, and you really haven’t seen aggro until you piss off a working-class community in south London. They fought the plans for years until finally they wore down the developers through a combination of organised protest, savvy media skills and cockney rhyming slang. Thus was born the Coin Street Community Builders whose unofficial motto was Building houses that people might actually want to live in. It was revolutionary stuff.

And the pop culture references, they are everywhere and I love them, and I love how hard Peter tries to keep his geeky side at bay

We’d considered wearing uniform but Lesley said, what with her mask and everything, she’d look like a plastic cop monster from Doctor Who. I managed to restrain myself from telling her their real name.

And the ending! Tell me you didn't want to run to the next book as soon as you read it, c'mon, I dare you! :P

And I now have noted that I was very remiss when it come to the narration, haven't commented on it at all. And I should have, because it's truly brilliant. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is the perfect voice for Peter Grant :)