Reviews

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

loewinzahn's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

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

4.0

selina__gilbert__'s review against another edition

Honestly, just kind of boring. 

aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-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

5.0

emma_fukar's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

jflem's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.5

miss_kristen's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

jocelynsantos's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

pranjuli's review against another edition

lighthearted relaxing medium-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

3.0

Aggressively average. Something that you can just listen to when you want some stories told to you while you are doing some boring work, something like that. They are simplistic in the extreme, and the world is just too straight forward. If you're looking for quality reading experience, I am afraid this isn't going to be one. 

The characters are one-dimesnional, sexist, body-shamers and outdated. One can clearly see that stamp of 'black female characters written by a white man' everywhere. If the premise wasn't set in Botswana and instead in some white country, or somewhere even a little bit known, one wouldn't even have heard about this series of books. It works only because most people in the world outside Botswana know nothing about Botswana. The titles of each mystery are probably the most interesting part of them. 

candydang's review against another edition

5.0

A delight

mdg1502's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0