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angus_mckeogh's review
2.0
Just okay. The Quirke series has went to the well one too many times with another plot based around birth and abortions in Dublin. Plus Quirke wasn't even situated to be exploring anything due to his position in this book. A little tired overall.
alternate_endings's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
krobart's review
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
4.0
An investigator with a drinking problem is such a cliché, but otherwise I find this series set in 1950s Dublin to be well written and interesting. See this link for my complete review: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2024/02/22/review-2318-elegy-for-april/
Content Warnings
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Incest
wsk56's review against another edition
3.0
Benjamin Black's (AKA John Banville) third book in the Quirke series finds Quirke just out of rehab for alcoholism. His daughter Pheobe comes to him concerned that she has not seen or heard from her friend April, whom she is fairly close to and speaks to daily. The story unfolds slowly and we learn more about Quirke, Pheobe and her friends. The suspense builds as Quirke and Hackett confront April's family, who don't seem to care what has happened to her, and that they have disowned for her wild lifestyle. Black describes 1950's Dublin as a city of beauty and atmosphere, but also prejudice, class and religious divides and conservative social mores. You will want to keep reading late into the night to find out how this one ends.
johnnyforeign's review
3.0
I've read Quirkes 1 (Christine Falls), 2 (The Silver Swan), and 3 (Elegy for April). I really liked #1 a lot, #2 slightly less, and #3 not so much. Quirke is a rather cheerless, dreary character. Depressed, alcoholic, and taciturn: there's not much to love. Moreover, Elegy for April seemed to be more about messy interpersonal relationships than about detecting. I like a lot of sleuthing in my mysteries, and Elegy for April just doesn't have that. I don't think I will continue with the series.
rakg7's review
2.0
Do you know what was more interesting than this book? Everything. I stopped reading this book part way through to read another book. Also, I had to tear myself away from the internet many times to force myself to read this book because more interesting things include: FB, pinterest, blogs, gifs, online shopping, online TV, buzzfeed, the list goes on.
There was way too much attempt at character development in this book. Which would have been okay if it wasn’t all completely pointless. As a mystery book this was awful. As a novel it was okay. It’s like the author couldn’t decide what he was trying to write though and seeing as how I was hoping for a mystery this did not meet my standards. I'm being harsh but I'm just annoyed at how much time I spent reading this blah of a book.
There was way too much attempt at character development in this book. Which would have been okay if it wasn’t all completely pointless. As a mystery book this was awful. As a novel it was okay. It’s like the author couldn’t decide what he was trying to write though and seeing as how I was hoping for a mystery this did not meet my standards. I'm being harsh but I'm just annoyed at how much time I spent reading this blah of a book.
laurelwingcaston's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jefecarpenter's review
lots of Irish insider character stuff; a bit too much for me.
caroparr's review
5.0
So well written, and it's always good to recognize a street the character is walking down as one you've just walked down yourself. Quirke may sound like a stereotype, but read this and you'll find him a real and changeable character.