Reviews

The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid

shallowdepths's review against another edition

2.0

The TV series (Wire in the Blood) is plenty flawed but I love it anyway. This book has its good points but it’s even more flawed than the TV version. It tries for a feminist perspective -- particularly through its focus on a female police officer struggling for respect in a male-dominated profession, which I’m sure is in a lot of these kinds of books -- but sexism and other bigotry is displayed like caricature, while the prejudices of the main characters pass largely without examination. Weird attitude towards gender throughout.

Fails to humanise any queer characters despite their importance in the story. Lazy stereotypes and unnecessary

Spoiler

prison rape

that is quickly glossed over, especially compared to the (expected) detail and focus on torture elsewhere in the book. Quotes at the start of chapters that don’t add anything worthwhile. The sexual tension goes in circles as they keep speaking and thinking the same damn things. Lots of explaining exactly what the characters are thinking instead of letting it come across naturally. In general just not skilled enough writing to fully pull off what it’s going for.

mxinky's review against another edition

2.0

DNF- too gory. More like horror than a true thriller.

caterinaanna's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

happlepider's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Originally came to this one because of the tv series, and having read some of her more recent non-hill/jordan books, and did find this more satisfying than the adapted episode in how it fleshed out the killer's psychology, and that of Dr Hill himself.

laurenmckane's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

2.5

bookmoth's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

unripebanana's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Murder, Homophobia, Torture, Police brutality, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

rojo25's review against another edition

1.0

What a disappointment. Boring. I thought the characters were uninteresting and predictable. Yes, it was gruesome and it had a lot of potential. Every time I started getting into it then it was followed by a bunch of boring nothing.

jbell23's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5