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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
4.5 shining stars 🌟
Thrillers/crime are not my go to genre as I usually find the characters cliched or the writing poor.
This book is so much more than a straightforward whodunnit and the prose is beautiful as are the descriptions of the Isle of Lewis.
I am immediately moving onto book 2 in this trilogy. How have I not discovered this author before?!
Thrillers/crime are not my go to genre as I usually find the characters cliched or the writing poor.
This book is so much more than a straightforward whodunnit and the prose is beautiful as are the descriptions of the Isle of Lewis.
I am immediately moving onto book 2 in this trilogy. How have I not discovered this author before?!
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved this dark Scottish ominous murder mystery. Read it over 2 days. Some of the best character development I've read in a long time. You know these people right from their raise. This novel sets up for the 2nd book in the trilogy perfectly.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I like reading books that are set in/around the Highlands/Islands/West Coast of Scotland, so I was keen to start reading the first of the Lewis Trilogy.
DI Fin Macleod was born on the Isle of Lewis, but had left when he was 18. Investigating a murder in Edinburgh, he is sent back to Lewis when a man is killed in similar circumstances. However, although the murder investigation rolls along in the background, the novel is more about Fin's journey back into his past.
It took me a few days to get into it, but then I really enjoyed this novel. The chapters alternated between what was happening in the present day, and Fin's memories of his life on the island as he grew up. There was a lot of history there, which was revealed slowly, so it was a real page-turner, wanting to get to the next revelation.
I did think that Fin had had an exceptionally bleak, unhappy life, which was quite depressing. When the book begins, he is leaving for Lewis and effectively walking out on his marriage, just four weeks after his son had died. This was only referred to a handful of times throughout the rest of the novel, and I couldn't understand how Fin had seemingly come to terms with his son's death so quickly.
The killer wasn't too difficult to guess, in the end, and that part of the story was possibly a bit of an anti-climax. There was a big twist too which to be honest seemed a bit too convenient to me, as there had been no hint of it at all up until that point, as far as I was concerned.
Overall though, I did enjoy this novel. I've already got book two of the trilogy, so I'm looking forwards to reading that.
DI Fin Macleod was born on the Isle of Lewis, but had left when he was 18. Investigating a murder in Edinburgh, he is sent back to Lewis when a man is killed in similar circumstances. However, although the murder investigation rolls along in the background, the novel is more about Fin's journey back into his past.
It took me a few days to get into it, but then I really enjoyed this novel. The chapters alternated between what was happening in the present day, and Fin's memories of his life on the island as he grew up. There was a lot of history there, which was revealed slowly, so it was a real page-turner, wanting to get to the next revelation.
I did think that Fin had had an exceptionally bleak, unhappy life, which was quite depressing. When the book begins, he is leaving for Lewis and effectively walking out on his marriage, just four weeks after his son had died. This was only referred to a handful of times throughout the rest of the novel, and I couldn't understand how Fin had seemingly come to terms with his son's death so quickly.
The killer wasn't too difficult to guess, in the end, and that part of the story was possibly a bit of an anti-climax. There was a big twist too which to be honest seemed a bit too convenient to me, as there had been no hint of it at all up until that point, as far as I was concerned.
Overall though, I did enjoy this novel. I've already got book two of the trilogy, so I'm looking forwards to reading that.
dark
slow-paced
Intriguing and atmospheric crime novel set on the Island of Lewis. The crime is really secondary to the mysteries of the detective's past and the portrait of the island itself. There were some elements of the plot that I felt were a little contrived but it was an involving read.
I'm very tempted to give this book 5 stars, and I can absolutely see why others would. I think I lean toward 4 only because of personal preference and other books I loved more.
This is an excellently written, masterful combination of crime novel and literary fiction. The characters are vivid, and the emotions are raw. I enjoyed the shifting point of view, as we drove more into Fin's past and the history of the island. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy immensely.
This is an excellently written, masterful combination of crime novel and literary fiction. The characters are vivid, and the emotions are raw. I enjoyed the shifting point of view, as we drove more into Fin's past and the history of the island. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy immensely.
dark
mysterious
medium-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
I bought this trilogy for my Husband because we were visiting the Isle of Lewis. The cottage we are holidaying at had a copy and I dived in too despite it not being my usual genre.
I think staying in the island and even on one of the roads mentioned several times has helped immerse me into the story even more, the author did a good job of describing the coast, villages and feel of the Island. Had I not been here I don't think I would have been that hooked.
I feel like the murder took a back burner to the trauma and was wrapped up fairly quickly at the end but the flashbacks and lead up to the end are important.
I don't feel like concussion causing someone to forget a decade of child abuse is very realistic, I'd of enjoyed the story more if that hadn't been part of it. I also feel the lack of discussion about the death of the 8yo son felt lazy I would have preferred it if there wasn't such a large and detailed section of the book to be about the out dated practice of guga (baby gannet birds) hunting. I think this was focused on too much, possibly to get the islanders on the authors side. Museums and gift shops stock it 14 years later.
All in all it was well written and the attention to detail about the island was written very well. A couple of tweaks and it would have been an easy 5.
I think staying in the island and even on one of the roads mentioned several times has helped immerse me into the story even more, the author did a good job of describing the coast, villages and feel of the Island. Had I not been here I don't think I would have been that hooked.
I feel like the murder took a back burner to the trauma and was wrapped up fairly quickly at the end but the flashbacks and lead up to the end are important.
All in all it was well written and the attention to detail about the island was written very well. A couple of tweaks and it would have been an easy 5.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness
Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape