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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This one might be my least favorite so far, which is funny because I thought (having seen the season that's based on it) that I'd like it more. And of course I did very much enjoy it still, but it felt more disjointed than some of the others. It had a bit of a slow start, taking a while to get into the Cartwright side of things, and it wrapped up very fast at the end, especially where River is concerned. I felt like his story was extremely unresolved, but I suppose maybe we'll get more next book. Still, I'd have liked to see some of his emotional fallout. Getting David Cartwright's POV early was great, the way Herron portrayed his dementia was compelling, and that's another thing I'd have liked more of at the end. Finally, I obviously knew it was coming but Marcus' death felt cheap. I definitely prefer what they did on the show, with the side plot about the gun and the fact that him fighting back allowed most of them to survive.
All in all, still a compelling read, but not quite as good as the rest. I think the show did a good job of fleshing out the parts that were a little wonky, actually.
All in all, still a compelling read, but not quite as good as the rest. I think the show did a good job of fleshing out the parts that were a little wonky, actually.
These get better and better, I look forward to every one but don’t want to finish them too soon
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
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
My favourite of the series so far - somehow these books only keep getting better. I enjoyed the return of past characters and found new favourites too. This was the best premise yet and I thought the storyline with River's grandfather was handled with care and grace.
Haven't been let down by Mick Herron yet.
Herron's great at doing real nesting doll stuff and there's not a whole lot of that in this one but he keeps all of the characters interesting and the stakes just high enough for you to care about. I love the griminess of Slough House, that the series shows some sympathy for the drop outs and losers, and the way he's able to layer his dialogue so that there's constant Always Sunny style crosstalking whenever the Slough House crew is gathered.
There's a great scene with
Also I'm pretty sure that the 'handkerchief' Whelan sees Jackson Lamb use in the dimly lit office is actually the wayward sock Jackson Lamb kept stuffing into his pocket throughout the novel.
A really great worldbuilding trick I envy him is how he has two worlds living nested one inside the other: there’s the outer, official world, where things have officious, bureaucratic names. Then there’s the inner, in-the-know world, for the initiates, with an organizing strategy that can be comprehended: how MI5 is divided into the dogs (internal security, who police their own), the weasels (cyber surveillance), the Slow Horses (fuck ups who don’t belong but can’t be fired), etc.
Herron's great at doing real nesting doll stuff and there's not a whole lot of that in this one but he keeps all of the characters interesting and the stakes just high enough for you to care about. I love the griminess of Slough House, that the series shows some sympathy for the drop outs and losers, and the way he's able to layer his dialogue so that there's constant Always Sunny style crosstalking whenever the Slough House crew is gathered.
There's a great scene with
Spoiler
some pretty obvious lost father stuff and it's been foreshadowed enough that you know it's coming and the whole while I've been dreading it because how is he gonna pull it off in an interesting way? Gonna be a totally boring chapter. Herron beat for beat steals the Vader-Luke reveal from TESB and it just ends up perfect.Also I'm pretty sure that the 'handkerchief' Whelan sees Jackson Lamb use in the dimly lit office is actually the wayward sock Jackson Lamb kept stuffing into his pocket throughout the novel.
A really great worldbuilding trick I envy him is how he has two worlds living nested one inside the other: there’s the outer, official world, where things have officious, bureaucratic names. Then there’s the inner, in-the-know world, for the initiates, with an organizing strategy that can be comprehended: how MI5 is divided into the dogs (internal security, who police their own), the weasels (cyber surveillance), the Slow Horses (fuck ups who don’t belong but can’t be fired), etc.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-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
This one was a super slow burn, but climax at the end crescendoed really nicely. Loving this series and all its characters.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Fast listen