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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Having enjoyed the first of Galbraith/Rowling's Stike books and finding it a pretty compelling page-turner, I thought I'd give the sequel a go. I actually imagined it as the perfect antidote to the slogged-through-it blues that Oscar and Lucinda gave me, but remedied that with David Sedaris. The stage is set when Owen Quine, a controversial writer who has dropped a salacious and provocative manuscript, disappears. Strike is employed by his wife to bring him home, but it soon emerges that he has been murdered in the self-same gruesome style inflicted on his stand-in character in the book. With his wife on the hook for it, Strike strives to prove her innocence.
For the most part Rowling pulls off a pretty engaging book again, however I feel like she ran away with herself this time. The plot is far more convoluted than it needs to be, and the interviewing and re-interviewing with each of the seven suspects was far too lengthy for a book without a great deal of substance. Like a lot of stories, it sagged in the middle, but usually in detective fiction the procedural part itself is quite engrossing. Galbrowling seems to have forgotten to mix things up, and the expected tricks-of-the-trade are mostly absent (leaving plenty of room for more interviews!).
The ending was a tad flimsy. No real motivation is given for the murder and we aren't privy to Strike's thought-process. Again, something has been missed here. It is quite usual in this genre for the reader to be quite mystified until Poirot gathers everyone in the drawing room; but Galbrowling has forgotten to include the explanation of how it all fell into place. Strike just figures it out I guess. Ok, maybe there's some verisimilitude in that, but it doesn't make a great ending. Strangely enough too, some of the sentences are quite poorly worded, and I'm sure I found one that didn't make sense at all! Galbrowling needs a better editor. I know it's got more than a little whiff of pulp fiction about it, and I certainly don't take it seriously, but some solid sentence structure is writing 101 surely?
The book had its qualities though. The building of the relationship between Strike and his assistant Robin works, as does her rocky relationship with her fiancé. Strike's ridiculous history is played with and some parts are actually relatable. And at least this time the characters have some sensible names, unlike those of the last book that could have come straight from Hogwarts (Hang on, maybe I'm onto something there - perhaps the bizarre names hint at a shared universe!).
I must have found myself enjoying the book because it's nearly 600 pages and I got through it in less than a fortnight! I certainly found myself keen to pick it up. Will I read the next instalment? I can't say I am as enthusiastic as I was after the last one, but I'm curious enough to give it most of my attention. But only if it's shorter!
For the most part Rowling pulls off a pretty engaging book again, however I feel like she ran away with herself this time. The plot is far more convoluted than it needs to be, and the interviewing and re-interviewing with each of the seven suspects was far too lengthy for a book without a great deal of substance. Like a lot of stories, it sagged in the middle, but usually in detective fiction the procedural part itself is quite engrossing. Galbrowling seems to have forgotten to mix things up, and the expected tricks-of-the-trade are mostly absent (leaving plenty of room for more interviews!).
The ending was a tad flimsy. No real motivation is given for the murder and we aren't privy to Strike's thought-process. Again, something has been missed here. It is quite usual in this genre for the reader to be quite mystified until Poirot gathers everyone in the drawing room; but Galbrowling has forgotten to include the explanation of how it all fell into place. Strike just figures it out I guess. Ok, maybe there's some verisimilitude in that, but it doesn't make a great ending. Strangely enough too, some of the sentences are quite poorly worded, and I'm sure I found one that didn't make sense at all! Galbrowling needs a better editor. I know it's got more than a little whiff of pulp fiction about it, and I certainly don't take it seriously, but some solid sentence structure is writing 101 surely?
The book had its qualities though. The building of the relationship between Strike and his assistant Robin works, as does her rocky relationship with her fiancé. Strike's ridiculous history is played with and some parts are actually relatable. And at least this time the characters have some sensible names, unlike those of the last book that could have come straight from Hogwarts (Hang on, maybe I'm onto something there - perhaps the bizarre names hint at a shared universe!).
I must have found myself enjoying the book because it's nearly 600 pages and I got through it in less than a fortnight! I certainly found myself keen to pick it up. Will I read the next instalment? I can't say I am as enthusiastic as I was after the last one, but I'm curious enough to give it most of my attention. But only if it's shorter!
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
Mais um caso sensacional de Strike e Robin, como eu adoro esses personagens, amei o aprofundamento na vida pessoal deles e o mistério da vez também foi bem envolvente e interessante.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Average crime book only.
Though the characterization of the protagonist is good, the crime and plot to solve the crime is too cliche. Also, there are details of other cases Strike is solving which is kinda filler for the book that irritated me from time to time.
J.K.Rowling could have better sticked with Harry Potter series.
From the review, it seems the series got better after book II but with them averaging 800 pages a book, not looking forward to take up the series in near future.
It's of a odd book where the character is better developed than the plot.
Though the characterization of the protagonist is good, the crime and plot to solve the crime is too cliche. Also, there are details of other cases Strike is solving which is kinda filler for the book that irritated me from time to time.
J.K.Rowling could have better sticked with Harry Potter series.
From the review, it seems the series got better after book II but with them averaging 800 pages a book, not looking forward to take up the series in near future.
It's of a odd book where the character is better developed than the plot.
خب، رولینگ واقعا نویسندهی خوبیه و جنایینویس بدی هم نیست. توی این کتاب به نظر من پیشرفتش نسبت به کتاب اول به وضوح مشخص بود. طرح داستان پیچیدهتر بود، خلاقانهتر بود و بیشتر به خواننده سرنخ میداد که سعی کنه خودش استنتاج کنه. حتی روایت رو جوری پیش برد که مدام توی شک بودم که مجرم کیه. این حتی توی انتخاب کلماتش هم به وضوح مشخص بود. کلماتی که واقعا هوشمندانه انتخاب شده بود، بر مبنای واقعیت هم بود، ولی ذهن خواننده رو گمراه میکرد. به همین دلیل از نظر معمایی و کارآگاهی -گرچه به نظرم نقاط ضعف هم داشت- بهش نمرهی کامل میدم.
اما یک ایراد از کتاب قبلی هنوز پابرجا بود و اون هم پرداختن به حواشیه. البته که رولینگ فقط یک داستان جنایی روایت نمیکنه و کنارش یه روایت روانشناسانه از رابطههای کورمورن و رابین هم داره، که بد هم نیست و میتونه منحصر به فرد باشه، اما زیادی به این موضوعات میپردازه. یا این روابط و اتفاقاتش رو نمیتونه اونقدر پر اتفاق و جذاب کنه که خواننده جذبش بشه. همین باعث شده بود که بعضی جاها داستان بدجوری دچار سکته بشه. اما توی سی درصد پایانی تقریبا تمام و کمال به ماجرای اصلی پرداخته و یک سری هم به روابط کورمورن و رابین زده و این خوب بود.
پ.ن 1: برام جالب بود که هزینهی حمل و نقل توی انگلیس چقدر گرونه. کلا این مجموعه از نظر پرداخت به جزئیات اینجوری خیلی واقعنگرانه و خوبه و میتونه دید خوبی از جامعهای بده که در حال توصیفشه.
پ.ن 2: از لذتهای دیگهی کتاب برای من طرفداری کورمورن از آرسنال بود.
پ.ن 3: امتیازم به کتاب چیزی حدود 4.3 و ایناست، ولی به بالا گردش میکنم.
اما یک ایراد از کتاب قبلی هنوز پابرجا بود و اون هم پرداختن به حواشیه. البته که رولینگ فقط یک داستان جنایی روایت نمیکنه و کنارش یه روایت روانشناسانه از رابطههای کورمورن و رابین هم داره، که بد هم نیست و میتونه منحصر به فرد باشه، اما زیادی به این موضوعات میپردازه. یا این روابط و اتفاقاتش رو نمیتونه اونقدر پر اتفاق و جذاب کنه که خواننده جذبش بشه. همین باعث شده بود که بعضی جاها داستان بدجوری دچار سکته بشه. اما توی سی درصد پایانی تقریبا تمام و کمال به ماجرای اصلی پرداخته و یک سری هم به روابط کورمورن و رابین زده و این خوب بود.
پ.ن 1: برام جالب بود که هزینهی حمل و نقل توی انگلیس چقدر گرونه. کلا این مجموعه از نظر پرداخت به جزئیات اینجوری خیلی واقعنگرانه و خوبه و میتونه دید خوبی از جامعهای بده که در حال توصیفشه.
پ.ن 2: از لذتهای دیگهی کتاب برای من طرفداری کورمورن از آرسنال بود.
پ.ن 3: امتیازم به کتاب چیزی حدود 4.3 و ایناست، ولی به بالا گردش میکنم.
Although Book 1 of the Cormoran Strike series, The Cuckoo’s Calling, was an adequate, formulaic detective mystery with likable main characters, I was far from impressed. I decided (and stated in my review) that I wouldn’t be reading any more of Rowling’s (writing as Robert Galbraith) Cormoran Strike series. However, Mona's review of The Silkworm convinced me to give it another try, and I’m glad I did.
This time, the setting of the publishing world was obviously in Rowling’s wheelhouse and was much more believable than her previous depiction of the fashion and music industries. Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin continue to develop and become more compelling. The plot was twisty-turny with an intriguing mystery and very interesting supporting characters.
Now I’m hooked on this series and will definitely be reading the next book.
This time, the setting of the publishing world was obviously in Rowling’s wheelhouse and was much more believable than her previous depiction of the fashion and music industries. Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin continue to develop and become more compelling. The plot was twisty-turny with an intriguing mystery and very interesting supporting characters.
Now I’m hooked on this series and will definitely be reading the next book.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
Yes