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joecam79's review
3.0
3.5*
Strange Fascination brings to a close Syd Moore’s“Essex Witch Museum” trilogy. The overarching story which links the three novels features as protagonist Rosie Strange, a sceptical, feisty benefit fraud inspector who unexpectedly inherits from her grandfather Septimus the eponymous witch museum in the small village of Adders Fork. This strange (ahem) legacy will lead Rosie to discover long-buried secrets related to her family and to rethink her ideas about the supernatural. Each of the instalments in the trilogy also sees Rosie and the museum's curator Sam Stone ending up embroiled in a criminal investigation with occult overtones. In "Strange Fascination", the 'mystery' revolves around the Blackly Be boulder, said to mark the final resting place of a notorious witch. Against the villagers' better judgment, developers try to move the boulder, leading to a flurry of otherworldly phenomena. And a very real murder.
I had enjoyed reading [b:Strange Sight|33376822|Strange Sight (Essex Witches, #2)|Syd Moore|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1489119429s/33376822.jpg|54117884] - the trilogy's second volume - and had particularly liked the well-judged balance between ingredients of supernatural fiction and the "whodunnit". In comparison, I found this instalment rather disappointing. I felt that the action took rather longer to take off, and whilst Rosie's narrative voice is as witty and endearing as ever, the constant attempt at humour drains the tension out of what could have been genuinely scary episodes. This was less evident in the previous novel, whose emphasis was more on the "crime" than on the "supernatural" element.
On the other hand, this novel cannot be fairly considered on its own, but is best assessed in the light of its predecessors. In this regard, Strange Fascination is undoubtedly effective. It teases out the secrets and enigmas of Rosie's ancestors and, thanks to some imaginative plotting, ties up all the loose ends and red herrings planted in the previous novels. Lovers of history and folklore will also enjoy the references to history of witchcraft and folk beliefs, subtly woven into plot.
laragato's review
1.0
UPDATE Feb 25 2019
It's been two weeks since I read this and I already forgot what the mystery was, which to me goes to show that it's just not a very good one. Rather forgettable. All I can remember is how much I hated reading this. So, I'm taking off a star because frankly, it does not deserve it. I don't know what I was thinking.
ORIGINAL REVIEW Feb 12 2019
I realize my opinion is an unpopular one, given the glowing reviews and star ratings this book has, but I really can't help myself. I also want to add that I haven't read the previous books (and I don't think I will after this), and thus I'm not sure if the issues I had with this book are due to my having skipped two volumes, although I don't think so.
Strange Fascination straight up sucked.
I picked it up because it seemed promising. A paranormal mystery. Witches. Essex. Great reviews. Beautiful cover. It checked quite a bit of my boxes. Unfortunately, it was a big disappointment.
Now, I'm giving it 2 stars because the mystery at the heart of the story was engaging enough and it helped me power through until the end, even though there's a big part of me that wants to give it only 1. It would be unfair.
There are so many things wrong with this book that I don't know where to start. Let me give it a try.
First of all, did the editor fall asleep when reading this? There are way too many typos, missing commas and spaces and ridiculous grammatical errors in Strange Fascination, and frankly, they were a bit distracting. It takes you out of the story, and I felt a little bit cheated that I was presented with an unfinished version of the novel. I mean, at least that's what it feels like.
Second, I legit thought Syd Moore was a guy up until I started reading reviews, and I'll explain why. It's written from a first person female perspective, and it felt so absolutely unrealistic that I was convinced the author just didn't know how girls think. Rosie "flutters her eyelashes" way too often, and cares way too much about the exclusivity of footwear, and thinks too much about how hot Sam is. And that would have been all well and good if she was portrayed as... that type of character, but instead we are supposed to believe she's a strong independent woman, a feminist, a tough cookie. Come on. I was so annoyed at her that I wanted to scream into a pillow every time I turned the page.
Third, the "romance". Oh. My. God. Why, why do you need to bring up Sam's six pack - which apparently you can see through a tight shirt? - when you're going through new clues? It defuses every ounce of tension and suspense and cheapens the plot. And frankly, it trivializes the character of Sam.
Sam. Oh, Sam. The hunk of beef with brains. He's supposed to hold all the knowledge in the universe about History and witches and yet is okay with Rosie opening a chest that's been buried for hundreds of years without the proper care for its conservation? It almost seems as if Ms. Moore only gave him the exact knowledge to advance the plot, and nothing more. But that doesn't matter, right? His only job is to be a piece of eye candy for Rosie to stare at.
Rosie. Jesus, talk about annoying. This could be an issue with the writing rather than her character, but it seems like all she thinks, or says, is just a way to fill up space. To be funny for the sake of funny. It seems rather strident and forced. And as I understand it (again, this is the only book I've read in the series), Sam is the brains in this story. She had no prior knowledge of Essex's witchy History and such, and yet, people keep asking for her advice? For her help? And she talks like she actually knows what she's talking about and ugh. I mean, what's the matter with you? People accuse you of things and demand you take care of the sudden witch problems and you just sit there and take it? You're "too shocked" to say anything other than "is that so"? For the love of God.
This book sucked. It sucked, it sucked. I don't DNF books as a rule, because I want to give them an honest effort before deciding whether I liked them or not, but I almost abandoned my rule multiple times. I'm so happy it's over.
PS. I apologize if you liked this book and this review made you angry. I'm very happy that you were able to enjoy it and frankly, kind of jealous. It was not for me, although I wish it was. It was so promising.
It's been two weeks since I read this and I already forgot what the mystery was, which to me goes to show that it's just not a very good one. Rather forgettable. All I can remember is how much I hated reading this. So, I'm taking off a star because frankly, it does not deserve it. I don't know what I was thinking.
ORIGINAL REVIEW Feb 12 2019
I realize my opinion is an unpopular one, given the glowing reviews and star ratings this book has, but I really can't help myself. I also want to add that I haven't read the previous books (and I don't think I will after this), and thus I'm not sure if the issues I had with this book are due to my having skipped two volumes, although I don't think so.
Strange Fascination straight up sucked.
I picked it up because it seemed promising. A paranormal mystery. Witches. Essex. Great reviews. Beautiful cover. It checked quite a bit of my boxes. Unfortunately, it was a big disappointment.
Now, I'm giving it 2 stars because the mystery at the heart of the story was engaging enough and it helped me power through until the end, even though there's a big part of me that wants to give it only 1. It would be unfair.
There are so many things wrong with this book that I don't know where to start. Let me give it a try.
First of all, did the editor fall asleep when reading this? There are way too many typos, missing commas and spaces and ridiculous grammatical errors in Strange Fascination, and frankly, they were a bit distracting. It takes you out of the story, and I felt a little bit cheated that I was presented with an unfinished version of the novel. I mean, at least that's what it feels like.
Second, I legit thought Syd Moore was a guy up until I started reading reviews, and I'll explain why. It's written from a first person female perspective, and it felt so absolutely unrealistic that I was convinced the author just didn't know how girls think. Rosie "flutters her eyelashes" way too often, and cares way too much about the exclusivity of footwear, and thinks too much about how hot Sam is. And that would have been all well and good if she was portrayed as... that type of character, but instead we are supposed to believe she's a strong independent woman, a feminist, a tough cookie. Come on. I was so annoyed at her that I wanted to scream into a pillow every time I turned the page.
Third, the "romance". Oh. My. God. Why, why do you need to bring up Sam's six pack - which apparently you can see through a tight shirt? - when you're going through new clues? It defuses every ounce of tension and suspense and cheapens the plot. And frankly, it trivializes the character of Sam.
Sam. Oh, Sam. The hunk of beef with brains. He's supposed to hold all the knowledge in the universe about History and witches and yet is okay with Rosie opening a chest that's been buried for hundreds of years without the proper care for its conservation?
Spoiler
Doesn't know that black people lived in Britain in the 1600s?Rosie. Jesus, talk about annoying. This could be an issue with the writing rather than her character, but it seems like all she thinks, or says, is just a way to fill up space. To be funny for the sake of funny. It seems rather strident and forced. And as I understand it (again, this is the only book I've read in the series), Sam is the brains in this story. She had no prior knowledge of Essex's witchy History and such, and yet, people keep asking for her advice? For her help? And she talks like she actually knows what she's talking about and ugh. I mean, what's the matter with you? People accuse you of things and demand you take care of the sudden witch problems and you just sit there and take it? You're "too shocked" to say anything other than "is that so"? For the love of God.
This book sucked. It sucked, it sucked. I don't DNF books as a rule, because I want to give them an honest effort before deciding whether I liked them or not, but I almost abandoned my rule multiple times. I'm so happy it's over.
PS. I apologize if you liked this book and this review made you angry. I'm very happy that you were able to enjoy it and frankly, kind of jealous. It was not for me, although I wish it was. It was so promising.
columnclub's review
adventurous
mysterious
4.75
The longest of the three 'Essex Witch Museum Mystery' books, the plot is more to do with Rosie's family background than it really is to do with the Blackly Be boulder and the treasure hoard, but I liked that. Normally I'm bored when I'm expecting a book to have a quickly paced plot and it doesn't, but this book pulled it off for me - and some of the twists and turns still caught me by surprise.
The third in the series, with the fourth coming out in October, 'Strange Fascination' seems to me to be the one in which the characters and background are really allowed to be fleshed out and developed. More for Rosie than Sam, but Sam's own background will undoubtedly be fleshed out later in the series - and in this book, we finally meet Rosie's friend Cerise, an entertaining character who was worth the wait. The book also relocates the series to Adder's Fork, which was a strong move; the local charm comes through far more strongly in the writing than the intrigue of London did in the second book.
Overall, 'Strange Fascination' gives itself the time to really delve into a local drama, both past and present, and the extra time spent pays off. The characters are as funny and endearing as always, and I finished the book liking Rosie more than I had for the other two. If you're reading the books for Sam, you'll probably be disappointed, but if you enjoyed the Witch Museum itself and all its mysteries, 'Strange Fascination' is a fantastic addition to the series.
The third in the series, with the fourth coming out in October, 'Strange Fascination' seems to me to be the one in which the characters and background are really allowed to be fleshed out and developed. More for Rosie than Sam, but Sam's own background will undoubtedly be fleshed out later in the series - and in this book, we finally meet Rosie's friend Cerise, an entertaining character who was worth the wait. The book also relocates the series to Adder's Fork, which was a strong move; the local charm comes through far more strongly in the writing than the intrigue of London did in the second book.
Overall, 'Strange Fascination' gives itself the time to really delve into a local drama, both past and present, and the extra time spent pays off. The characters are as funny and endearing as always, and I finished the book liking Rosie more than I had for the other two. If you're reading the books for Sam, you'll probably be disappointed, but if you enjoyed the Witch Museum itself and all its mysteries, 'Strange Fascination' is a fantastic addition to the series.
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