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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
This was a mixed bag. The mystery was fine. However the writing to me was rather stilted, and it took me much longer than usual to read. Maybe I prefer more action in my books? Even the relationships seemed staid to me. Be that as it may, I think I'll probably give the second book a try.
I liked the time period, although I didn't feel that the writing or dialogue was completely authentic.
Charles Lenox is a proper Victorian gentleman. The younger son of a titled family, his only duty is to avoid disgracing the family. He occupies his time by daydreaming about travel and solving mysteries. Sherlock Holmes he is not. Most of the time he runs around, bemoaning the weather and his discomfort, bluntly asking suspects if they did it. I kept hoping for his Scotland Yard rival to betray or frame him, but instead, he blandly asks for help. Finally, instead of an earthshaking revelation or daring showdown, the bad guys shows up at the door and confesses everything.
This was such a fun read. It had been recommended for a long time by a dear friend and I finally started to read it over the summer, but lost track of it after the first few chapters. I picked it back up again recently and thoroughly it. The main character and his closest friends are delightful and each very different. The plot kept me guessing until the end, and the historical commentary is very interesting. Set in the winter with much complaining about the cold and snow, and much enjoyment of a warm tea by the fire, it is the perfect book to enjoy in January.
I thought I would love this book. I listened to the audiobook, and I think that might have been part of the problem. The posh, kind-of-snooty accent was clearly supposed to be that of Charles Lenox, but it immediately seemed too fussy.
I wonder if I had read this two years ago, before the Trump era, perhaps I would have enjoyed it more, but as far as I can tell, Lenox is a wealthy man with not much to do. He considers the plight of the poor while doing nothing about it. I was annoyed, and sometimes enraged at him. He's got more money than Croesus, but he can't settle on a pair of boots in a London winter. Criminy, how dumb is this guy? I'm literally rooting against the wealthy folks in this mystery.
His butler and his good friend Jane are vague sketches of people who might be interesting. In fact, knowing more about their point of view might be interesting, although Jane is written as a woman who not-so-secretly pines for Charles and seems to think he's an interesting person, so she might be as bad as him. Perhaps they get more interesting in the series?
I thought at first that it was a comedy, with Lenox being a bumbling kind of Inspector Clouseau, and this was a satire of mystery novels. But I don't think it is. I don't know. I watched the Wonder Boys and didn't realize it was a comedy.
It likely doesn't help that I've been reading the Maisie Dobbs mysteries by Jacqueline Winspear which has all the good mystery aspects, but also has some social commentary, and there are very few bumblers.
Many of my friends liked this, so you might too. I don't think I'll be revisiting the series, though.
I wonder if I had read this two years ago, before the Trump era, perhaps I would have enjoyed it more, but as far as I can tell, Lenox is a wealthy man with not much to do. He considers the plight of the poor while doing nothing about it. I was annoyed, and sometimes enraged at him. He's got more money than Croesus, but he can't settle on a pair of boots in a London winter. Criminy, how dumb is this guy? I'm literally rooting against the wealthy folks in this mystery.
His butler and his good friend Jane are vague sketches of people who might be interesting. In fact, knowing more about their point of view might be interesting, although Jane is written as a woman who not-so-secretly pines for Charles and seems to think he's an interesting person, so she might be as bad as him. Perhaps they get more interesting in the series?
I thought at first that it was a comedy, with Lenox being a bumbling kind of Inspector Clouseau, and this was a satire of mystery novels. But I don't think it is. I don't know. I watched the Wonder Boys and didn't realize it was a comedy.
It likely doesn't help that I've been reading the Maisie Dobbs mysteries by Jacqueline Winspear which has all the good mystery aspects, but also has some social commentary, and there are very few bumblers.
Many of my friends liked this, so you might too. I don't think I'll be revisiting the series, though.
2.5 The atmosphere and food were lovely. The story, meh. And it was way too long.
Good fun. Looking forward to reading the 2nd one in the series.
If you like the mannered mystery set in the Dickensian world, this is for you. Well done, and a sympathetic protagonist too. Plot was interesting, but not surprising. A second book in the series might be more plot driven.
In this first of the series (I understand there are 20 or more of this series) the author seems bound to the conventions of Victorian society and mores. Occasional glimpses into the hard lot of the poor are there to bait the reader, but not to deter from the on-going detective status.
I had hoped for a better story and a more robust detective. If this is based on the author's love of Sherlock Holmes, he fails Conan Doyle in that his protagonist is not the wily and adventurous Sherlock, but rather a bit of a fop. Sherlock, was middle class and wore his class like armor. Sherlock was also more physical, more daring, and definitely more sympathetic to the poor.
Critics have likened this series to those of Doyle, Sayer and Christie. But this is not Sayer, and it's better than Christie and not as good as Doyle. Of course, Sayer is hard to beat for the nuances of class and place. I am sure there a legion of fans who love this series, and I would love to have an audio book of the series. Because I can bet it is wonderful listening.
In this first of the series (I understand there are 20 or more of this series) the author seems bound to the conventions of Victorian society and mores. Occasional glimpses into the hard lot of the poor are there to bait the reader, but not to deter from the on-going detective status.
I had hoped for a better story and a more robust detective. If this is based on the author's love of Sherlock Holmes, he fails Conan Doyle in that his protagonist is not the wily and adventurous Sherlock, but rather a bit of a fop. Sherlock, was middle class and wore his class like armor. Sherlock was also more physical, more daring, and definitely more sympathetic to the poor.
Critics have likened this series to those of Doyle, Sayer and Christie. But this is not Sayer, and it's better than Christie and not as good as Doyle. Of course, Sayer is hard to beat for the nuances of class and place. I am sure there a legion of fans who love this series, and I would love to have an audio book of the series. Because I can bet it is wonderful listening.
medium-paced