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kappafrog's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The third installation of the Shady Hollow book was cosy as usual, but I didn't feel the charm as much as before. A lot of time is spent explaining mundane tasks like ordering coffee or running errands. For some people that is probably part of the appeal, but for me in this one, it was starting to feel like filler to pad out a plot that wasn't enough to fill a whole book. I've never liked the Orville/Vera romance and was also bored by how much more attention it got in this book. Orville is just not that interesting a character to centre a whole subplot around.
The mystery was so obvious in this one. The little "gotcha" with "he's dead, but no actually, he's a twin" didn't work that well. It seemed obvious from the beginning that he was an identical twin!
As usual, Shady Hollow is a pleasant place to spend time in. Seeing the town in fall was pleasant and cosy. The side characters were good - I liked how much Heidegger we got in this one. I always enjoy Lenore and would like to see more of her in the future - she could hold a side plot much better than Orville. Mirror Lake and Highbrow were nice new settings - I particularly liked the bar in Highbrow. But the series is starting to lose me a little with obvious plots and a boring romance.
Oh, one last thing that really bugged me: The reference to smudging with sage. I get that we are suspending our disbelief about animals who live in a world kind of like ours - I normally love that part of the books and don't worry too much about the worldbuilding. But now the Shady Hollow residents appropriate sacred Native American practices? I could have really lived without that. Now I'm wondering, are the Shady Hollow animals all settlers on Native land too? But then, are the species native to North America meant to represent Native people assimilated to Euro-American society? Probably not - which is why it was stupid to put this in the book, as the authors clearly didn't think it through.
As usual, Shady Hollow is a pleasant place to spend time in. Seeing the town in fall was pleasant and cosy. The side characters were good - I liked how much Heidegger we got in this one. I always enjoy Lenore and would like to see more of her in the future - she could hold a side plot much better than Orville. Mirror Lake and Highbrow were nice new settings - I particularly liked the bar in Highbrow. But the series is starting to lose me a little with obvious plots and a boring romance.
Oh, one last thing that really bugged me: The reference to smudging with sage. I get that we are suspending our disbelief about animals who live in a world kind of like ours - I normally love that part of the books and don't worry too much about the worldbuilding. But now the Shady Hollow residents appropriate sacred Native American practices? I could have really lived without that. Now I'm wondering, are the Shady Hollow animals all settlers on Native land too? But then, are the species native to North America meant to represent Native people assimilated to Euro-American society? Probably not - which is why it was stupid to put this in the book, as the authors clearly didn't think it through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Classism, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting
Minor: Grief, Medical content, Mental illness, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
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