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2.89 AVERAGE
2.89 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
This is a murder mystery, and I may be biased because it's not usually my favorite genre to read, but I thought this book was OK. Would I reccomend it to others? Probably not...
However, this book is very well written and is easy to follow. I really enjoyed the Austrian history and Hungarian/ Gypsy folklore that is incorporated into almost every page.
The 2 main characters, a husband inspector and a superstitious wife, are both investigating the murder of a young woman named Dora, using 2 different methods (scientific vs. intuitive). What irritated me the most is that it got very tedious in the 2nd half to 2nd third of the book because it seemed like neither method was working at all. All the clues had hit a point where they seemed to be completely useless and lead nowhere. Having said that, there were soo many loose ends throughout the book too that I would love to have seen resolved/concluded.
Okay so... the ending... What?? The book took an interesting left turn into the supernatural that I did NOT expect, even with all the folklore throughout the book. Im not really sure how I feel about this ending either.
However, this book is very well written and is easy to follow. I really enjoyed the Austrian history and Hungarian/ Gypsy folklore that is incorporated into almost every page.
The 2 main characters, a husband inspector and a superstitious wife, are both investigating the murder of a young woman named Dora, using 2 different methods (scientific vs. intuitive). What irritated me the most is that it got very tedious in the 2nd half to 2nd third of the book because it seemed like neither method was working at all. All the clues had hit a point where they seemed to be completely useless and lead nowhere. Having said that, there were soo many loose ends throughout the book too that I would love to have seen resolved/concluded.
Okay so... the ending... What?? The book took an interesting left turn into the supernatural that I did NOT expect, even with all the folklore throughout the book. Im not really sure how I feel about this ending either.
In all honesty, I did not love this. I found the characters to be dull and monotonous, along with the writing. The plot had great potential, but I do not believe that it delivered. I also believe that the reveal of the suspenseful mystery was done in a very feeble manner. As much as I hate to say so, I would not recommend the is novel.
For some context, I found this novel on a list titled 'Books Similar to Those of Donna Tartt'. As many of my friends on the site know, I adore and praise Tartt's writing and take any opportunity to say so (this one included). Out of all of the books on the list, this one seemed the most compelling. I am rather disappointed to say that this novel was very far from Tartt's fabulous writing. Perhaps it was just not for me.
For some context, I found this novel on a list titled 'Books Similar to Those of Donna Tartt'. As many of my friends on the site know, I adore and praise Tartt's writing and take any opportunity to say so (this one included). Out of all of the books on the list, this one seemed the most compelling. I am rather disappointed to say that this novel was very far from Tartt's fabulous writing. Perhaps it was just not for me.
An enjoyable book that’s never quite what it seems. Shields has masked an interesting psycho-social-sexual exploration under the ruse of a murder mystery. While the murder is certainly the driving force of the plot, Shields is playing in deeper waters and uses the intrigue to ruminate on other issues. Many have complained about the book’s ending and if you’re reading it strictly as a murder mystery then I can see where they’re coming from. But by the end of the book the mystery had, in my mind, taken a backseat to her other themes, and the ending perfectly fit within those constructs.
Gah. I do not like this book. It's so stuffy and full of itself. I've gone through several mystery phases in life (JA Jance, MC Beaton, etc) but this is the only murder mystery that I really don't give a crap about solving. Who cares.
I brought it on vacation and avoided it until I really had nothing else to do. Slogged through a good half of it, but now that I'm home and have access to many more enjoyable books, I will probably never finish it.
I brought it on vacation and avoided it until I really had nothing else to do. Slogged through a good half of it, but now that I'm home and have access to many more enjoyable books, I will probably never finish it.
Way too many plot holes, dead ends, and useless details. It took quite a bit of dedication to finish (despite being a thin book) and the end did not justify the effort.