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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
4 stars - It was great. I loved it.
Being very acquainted with Tudor history significantly added to my enjoyment of this novel, but I fear readers who are not will lose a lot of its witty nuance.
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Favorite Quote: Perhaps a series of small satisfactions scattered like sequins over the texture of everyday life was of greater worth than the academic satisfaction of owning a collection of fine objects at the back of a drawer.
First Sentence: Grant lay on his high white cot and stared at the ceiling.
Being very acquainted with Tudor history significantly added to my enjoyment of this novel, but I fear readers who are not will lose a lot of its witty nuance.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: Perhaps a series of small satisfactions scattered like sequins over the texture of everyday life was of greater worth than the academic satisfaction of owning a collection of fine objects at the back of a drawer.
First Sentence: Grant lay on his high white cot and stared at the ceiling.
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
This gets points for the acerbic, witty style and the audacity of its premise--a protagonist who spends the entire book in bed, piecing together a 400 year old mystery. It loses points for, ultimately, being about as interesting as that premise sounds. The suggestion (made on the front cover) that it is one of the best mysteries ever written is laughable. It's clever, and I can see the appeal, but no way.
informative
mysterious
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
felt like it was trying to be amusing in a cynical way but just made me annoyed
I'm abashed to rate this best-regarded of Tey's mysteries a mere three stars—and I a history lover!—but honesty compels. Grant discussing 15th century politicking with his hospital visitors is just so very dry compared to the rich characterization that enlivens her other works. Give me Miss Pym Disposes or A Shilling For Candles any day of the week. I know it's meant to be one of the greatest mystery novels of the 20th century, but de gustibus &c.
Let me tell you about my one and only experience of being in a book club.
About twenty five years ago, a group of friends & friends-of-friends found out there was a government run group that would supply book clubs with the books & other materials they needed to run a monthly discussion. We all eagerly selected books we wanted to read, but, naively, most of us chose works by Margaret Atwood, Fay Weldon Isabel Allende and other popular writers of the day. Unfortunately, these works were being selected by every other book club in the country.But one woman wanted to read dreary, Russian classics. So that is what we were sent. Every. Single. Month. By the end of my time with this group, I couldn't even be bothered cracking the selections open.
The two exceptions to this were this book & a modern New Zealand classic, [b:Season Of The Jew|2215602|Season Of The Jew (New Zealand Wars, #1)|Maurice Shadbolt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345498857s/2215602.jpg|2221390]. Both of these books produced animated, thoughtful discussions & the women leading the reads did heaps of extra research. It was nice seeing what fun being part of a real life book club could be like, but I didn't join another one until I became a member of Goodreads. Online book clubs really work for me! If I can't get hold of (or don't like a choice) I don't read it.
This book remains an all time favourite, although I would now consider [b:Brat Farrar|243397|Brat Farrar|Josephine Tey|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1431290764s/243397.jpg|67009121] as the best Tey I have read.
A bored Inspector Grant, hospitalised with a broken leg (you certainly wouldn't be in hospital for a lengthy convalescence for that in modern NZ!) with the help of some friends decided to investigate the disappearance of The Princes in the Tower like it was a modern police case. The original premise -that someone with as nice a face as Richard III couldn't be a murderer- well I could show you some baby faced modern NZ murderers. I'm not sure the timeline and all the reasoning worked for me, but I am happy to keep an open mind and The premise was really original and worked well.
The title? From an old proverb;
About twenty five years ago, a group of friends & friends-of-friends found out there was a government run group that would supply book clubs with the books & other materials they needed to run a monthly discussion. We all eagerly selected books we wanted to read, but, naively, most of us chose works by Margaret Atwood, Fay Weldon Isabel Allende and other popular writers of the day. Unfortunately, these works were being selected by every other book club in the country.But one woman wanted to read dreary, Russian classics. So that is what we were sent. Every. Single. Month. By the end of my time with this group, I couldn't even be bothered cracking the selections open.
The two exceptions to this were this book & a modern New Zealand classic, [b:Season Of The Jew|2215602|Season Of The Jew (New Zealand Wars, #1)|Maurice Shadbolt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1345498857s/2215602.jpg|2221390]. Both of these books produced animated, thoughtful discussions & the women leading the reads did heaps of extra research. It was nice seeing what fun being part of a real life book club could be like, but I didn't join another one until I became a member of Goodreads. Online book clubs really work for me! If I can't get hold of (or don't like a choice) I don't read it.
This book remains an all time favourite, although I would now consider [b:Brat Farrar|243397|Brat Farrar|Josephine Tey|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1431290764s/243397.jpg|67009121] as the best Tey I have read.
A bored Inspector Grant, hospitalised with a broken leg (you certainly wouldn't be in hospital for a lengthy convalescence for that in modern NZ!) with the help of some friends decided to investigate the disappearance of The Princes in the Tower like it was a modern police case. The original premise -that someone with as nice a face as Richard III couldn't be a murderer- well I could show you some baby faced modern NZ murderers. I'm not sure the timeline and all the reasoning worked for me, but I am happy to keep an open mind and
Spoiler
believe badly of Henry the VII!The title? From an old proverb;
Truth is the Daughter of Time.
funny
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
The first Tey I read, age twelve or thirteen. Wouldn't have been able to describe the joy of it at the time. Not sure I can now.
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
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:
Complicated