Reviews

Mr Bowling Buys a Newspaper by Donald Henderson

jufira42's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

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

4.0

bobbedh's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

rumbledethumps's review

4.0

What an odd, fascinating book. I have never read anything like it. It feels like a mix of Notes from Underground, Crime and Punishment, American Psycho, and noir.

Its changes in perspective can be dizzying, sometimes occurring within the same paragraph. There are things casually mentioned, then casually mentioned again 60 pages later which completely changes your understanding of a character, that I feel like I need to re-read it to fully understand what Henderson has done. It is not a surprise that, according to the blurb on the cover, Raymond Chandler read it over half a dozen times.

notallbooks_mp's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.5

beckylouise2904's review

3.0

I couldn't really get into this, shame as I love the idea of it! Bit of a struggle to finish, I'm sure I'll revisit it again as some point!

astrochem's review

dark funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.75

readrillslow's review

4.0

I was expecting "hard-boiled," but it was more literary than that. A psychological portrait, full of daydreaming and passages of very beautiful writing. I can see why Raymond Chandler read it six times. I don't know that I caught everything the first time.
Loved the mid-century British colloquialisms.

tysuckz's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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? Yes

3.75

Honestly was around a 2.75 until the end. I didn't really like the way it was written but was enjoying the plot a lot. 

I didn't imagine myself rooting for a murderer when I picked up this book, but somehow I felt a deep sympathy for him even after all the horrible details of his actions. Feels weird to have that kind of compassion for a terrible person. But Henderson made me want the best for Mr Bowling despite it all! I'm glad it ended the way it did, it was most certainly not the way I thought it would end! But I'm glad it did end that way. 

nobodyatall's review against another edition

A fun enjoyable read but just couldn’t be bothered to finish it. I dunno

bthegood's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

3.0

Premise great - Mr. Bowling kills people and wants to get caught, he buys a newspaper each day to see if his crime is in it, then things change and he doesn't want to get caught - so he has to shift his strategy.  The writing style was off for me -