Reviews

The Mermaids Singing by Val McDermid

notathome's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

2.5

charjae's review against another edition

Too much gore and torture

jfictitional's review against another edition

3.0

I watched the TV show this series inspired first, and I must say they did an excellent job of streamlining it. The book certainly has its merits - the plot is well thought-out, the murders sufficiently horrifying (the descriptions are incredibly graphic), and the business of profiling the killer is fascinating. However, I found the pacing awkward (although the back-and-forth structure ultimately works), and the dialogue can be excessively talky, especially at the climax (a point at which the adaptation is far superior). I felt as if too many things were being made explicit, basically hand-holding. This being the first novel in the series, I can forgive most of these flaws; however, after reading the following two novels I find this the only one I would consider all that great. Val McDermid is clearly a talented writer, but I think her style of Tartan Noir is simply not for me.

martyna's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

chartsh's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-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? No

3.25

shallowdepths's review against another edition

2.0

The TV series (Wire in the Blood) is plenty flawed but I love it anyway. This book has its good points but it’s even more flawed than the TV version. It tries for a feminist perspective -- particularly through its focus on a female police officer struggling for respect in a male-dominated profession, which I’m sure is in a lot of these kinds of books -- but sexism and other bigotry is displayed like caricature, while the prejudices of the main characters pass largely without examination. Weird attitude towards gender throughout.

Fails to humanise any queer characters despite their importance in the story. Lazy stereotypes and unnecessary

Spoiler

prison rape

that is quickly glossed over, especially compared to the (expected) detail and focus on torture elsewhere in the book. Quotes at the start of chapters that don’t add anything worthwhile. The sexual tension goes in circles as they keep speaking and thinking the same damn things. Lots of explaining exactly what the characters are thinking instead of letting it come across naturally. In general just not skilled enough writing to fully pull off what it’s going for.

mxinky's review against another edition

2.0

DNF- too gory. More like horror than a true thriller.

caterinaanna's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

aspygirlsmom_1995's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

happlepider's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Originally came to this one because of the tv series, and having read some of her more recent non-hill/jordan books, and did find this more satisfying than the adapted episode in how it fleshed out the killer's psychology, and that of Dr Hill himself.