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domigaet's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
alidottie's review against another edition
4.0
I have found a good new (for me) mystery writer!! Excellent writing.
melissa_who_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Once again, an enjoyable book; Duncan and Gemma's lives become more complicated as they investigate Duncan's ex-wife's death - unofficially. In the background of this one is both poetry and the secret lives of Cambridge dons - very good.
billymac1962's review
2.0
Despite this having the highest rating of the first five books in the series, and despite the starred review at Publishers Weekly, I struggled with this one.
I was about 80 pages in and it just wasn't doing it for me, so I decided to give it to 100 and make a decision then, because I do like this author and I'm interested in the two main characters. I was quite thankful to find that, like the others, I finally felt that settled in feeling I had had with the previous books. Unfortunately, that feeling evaporated through the middle of the book and I found myself powering through the final 100 pages.
I didn't care one whit about the mystery, one whit for any of the supporting characters/suspects, and I couldn't be less interested in poetry or poets.
I did care about Kincaid and Gemma, and where their story was going, but this was just enough to keep me curious to see it through, and I was intending to read the sixth book no matter what.
I must say, though, I'm a bit worried about the same thing happening here as it did to me with Louise Penny's novels, which was driving me nuts: in Three Pines, the accommodating nature of a couple of the residents got to be so over the top that it became cloying. I am finding the same thing now with Hazel, Gemma's landlord.
Her constant offering of feeding Toby and Gemma, bathing, babysitting Toby around the clock, and any other kids and creatures Gemma happens to have in tow, is really beginning to make my eyes roll. This isn't enough (yet) to be a deal breaker, but it doesn't help.
Back to the characters: In Mourn Not Your Dead, what I loved was Crombie's development of her whole cast. I don't know what happened here, but I didn't feel like I knew or understood most of the characters in this one. For me, this made the story dull as dishwater.
So, I'm in the same spot I was after book 2: I'm wondering whether to continue. Perhaps the series does ebb and flow...it seems it does from some reviews.
I was about 80 pages in and it just wasn't doing it for me, so I decided to give it to 100 and make a decision then, because I do like this author and I'm interested in the two main characters. I was quite thankful to find that, like the others, I finally felt that settled in feeling I had had with the previous books. Unfortunately, that feeling evaporated through the middle of the book and I found myself powering through the final 100 pages.
I didn't care one whit about the mystery, one whit for any of the supporting characters/suspects, and I couldn't be less interested in poetry or poets.
I did care about Kincaid and Gemma, and where their story was going, but this was just enough to keep me curious to see it through, and I was intending to read the sixth book no matter what.
I must say, though, I'm a bit worried about the same thing happening here as it did to me with Louise Penny's novels, which was driving me nuts: in Three Pines, the accommodating nature of a couple of the residents got to be so over the top that it became cloying. I am finding the same thing now with Hazel, Gemma's landlord.
Her constant offering of feeding Toby and Gemma, bathing, babysitting Toby around the clock, and any other kids and creatures Gemma happens to have in tow, is really beginning to make my eyes roll. This isn't enough (yet) to be a deal breaker, but it doesn't help.
Back to the characters: In Mourn Not Your Dead, what I loved was Crombie's development of her whole cast. I don't know what happened here, but I didn't feel like I knew or understood most of the characters in this one. For me, this made the story dull as dishwater.
So, I'm in the same spot I was after book 2: I'm wondering whether to continue. Perhaps the series does ebb and flow...it seems it does from some reviews.
robinwalter's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The strongest yet. A wonderfully nuanced story weaving mystery and misery with grief and growth.
smittybooks2630's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
pr727's review against another edition
3.0
Awfully long. The characters were difficult to keep straight, especially in the first half of the book. The Duncan-Gemma relationship progresses (finally!). Quite a twist with the introduction of Kit, Duncan's ex-wife's son - to be continued in the next book I assume.
nixieknox's review against another edition
3.0
Usually I don't like the dual timeline but this time, I did. Helped that it was not so far in the past that the same people were involved. Another satisfying mystery.