Reviews with content warning for Cursing - The Cuckoo's Calling

Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

12 reviews

annaavian's review

dark mysterious 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? Yes

2.0

As someone who has read all of J.K. Rowling's young adult books and enjoyed them immensely, I was looking forward to checking out her Cormoran Strike series. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. This novel was downright boring.

The story follows an ex-army investigator, Cormoran Strike, as he tries to solve the case of a troubled model who ends up dead in her apartment. The story drags on, with page after page of long-winded conversations between characters. The plot moves at a snail's pace, and there is no real suspense or mystery to keep the reader hooked. If you're looking for a gripping thriller or a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat, look elsewhere.

In addition to the lack of excitement, I also found the book to be unnecessarily detailed and at times even redundant. The author uses an overwhelming amount of detail to describe every aspect of the characters' appearances and surroundings, to the point where it becomes almost exhausting to read. I kept feeling like I was being fed more information than I needed or cared about.

Furthermore, the majority of the characters are one-dimensional and lack depth. Strike is a stereotypical tough-guy detective who is a bit of a grump, but he lacks any real character development or nuance. The other characters are similarly lacklustre, with little to differentiate them from one another.

Despite giving this book a shot and hoping to like it, I couldn't push past the monotony and dullness to find any real entertainment value. If you're looking for a good murder mystery, you're better off looking elsewhere.

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srolfs_18's review

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Way too much language; I didn't care much about or for the main characters, and it was too long of a book to muster motivation to continue.

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missgrangerr's review

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dark 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? Yes

4.0

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jhurdman's review

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4.0

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rebekah_sturgill's review

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I feel like the people who like this book are unfamiliar with mystery novels generally and are Potter fan specifically. The writing was stilted and did not fit the context. The plot was predictable and was laboriously drawn out. The cussing and sexual references were gratuitous, like Rowling needed to prove to someone that she wasn't writing a kids book here. I have no intentions of reading the other books in this series.

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srm's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I knew what was going to happen thanks to seeing the TV show, but it was still a very enjoyable ride, getting to know Cormoran and Robin and watching them work out the solution.

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jhbandcats's review against another edition

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adventurous dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This first novel in the Cormoran Strike series isn’t as strong as the later ones but it’s deftly told with Rowling’s signature complexity. Neither main character is particularly likable at first but they grow on the reader. Strike’s stubborn tenacity is both a weakness and a strength - it enables his success as an investigator even as it dooms his love life.

I’m rereading the entire series after having just finished the newest book. I wanted to immerse myself in Strike and Robin’s world and read straight through starting at the beginning. If you like dense, intellectual mysteries, try this series.

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