Scan barcode
frooml's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
5.0
desolation73's review against another edition
4.0
So I picked an 800 page chunker as my first book of 2023, the last of the mostly wonderful Shardlake books at times dragged and at times had the same magic that the books before it had. The writer CJ Sansom wrote this book at the same time as fighting cancer which he is still poorly with and even lived in Norwich where the majority of the book is set to research and plot the book accurately. I suppose the book has two stories running through it with the historical elements of the winning over the murder plot also running through the book.
Discovering CJ Sansom's first book Dissolution was amazing because I really didnt think Id read historical fiction and it allowed me to explore different genres of literature and the whole series has been a revelation I do think this book is the weakest book of this 7 book series but if it is his final book it is a fitting conclusion to a fine series which changed my reading tastes forever.
Discovering CJ Sansom's first book Dissolution was amazing because I really didnt think Id read historical fiction and it allowed me to explore different genres of literature and the whole series has been a revelation I do think this book is the weakest book of this 7 book series but if it is his final book it is a fitting conclusion to a fine series which changed my reading tastes forever.
manhattanmike's review against another edition
5.0
So enjoyable! A real treat of a masterclass of narration, interweaving a fictional murder for Shardlake to solve, with the real historical events of Norwich in 1549. The best in the series! Great characterisation with some fabulous villains (yes twins, I’m looking at you!).
didactylos's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
And so thee series ends, triumphantly brought to a close.
tvrandhavane's review against another edition
3.0
This book is too long! Oh, that's not all bad, Sansom definitely has something to say and I can see how it can make a good read. Many people who are interested in the day-to-day life of the Tudor era will like this book and will give it 5 stars. I personally found the details a bit too much and given the length of the book, a bit unnecessary. A more concise version would've been more enjoyable. Another issue that I faced was that Sansom wanted to bind one mystery (fiction) into an actual historical event and for the first time, couldn't manage it quite smoothly. However, that would have been a minor issue if the book was smaller. Given its current length, it's just not worth the time I needed to put in (37 hrs audiobook). I give it three stars for building a convincing picture of the Tudor era.
mirandaaaa's review against another edition
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Not so subtle flex but I managed to read this wedge without breaking the spine at all. Also petition for ‘churl’ to become popular as an insult again please.
I love the characterisation of everyone in this series. Despite it being 800+ pages long, which made me a little apprehensive, due to Sansom’s writing you get quickly immersed and the pages whizz by. I really like that throughout the series you gain a more developed understanding of all the characters and those that appear in previous books don’t just disappear once ended. Reading this, felt like coming back to some old friends and I really like the way Sansom has achieved this. They are all highly plausible and complex characters which is very clever indeed and I am a little sad that I have finally finished the series, mayhaps a reread now??
In itself, without the connection to the characters and the series the book was pretty meh. It isn’t nearly as good as the previous ones with a combination of political retelling and the classic murder which made it fall a bit flat. It felt like Sansom, at times, forgot that a murder case was playing out and then quickly added stuff in. Also, the final ‘reveal’ fell flat, it was like politics politics oh yeah btw I figured out who it was and that was kind of it?? Rather rushed the lady doth thinks.
I also felt like Matthew Shardlake was used as a way to describe the little written about Kett’s rebellion. Which is worthy but it did feel like he was placed there rather tenuously by Sansom and there were times in the book where it felt rather tell don’t show. Difficult to describe but it just felt stilted.
In all for fans of Shardlake, a good immersion into the world but if placed outside of the series a bit flat albeit still enjoyable.
I love the characterisation of everyone in this series. Despite it being 800+ pages long, which made me a little apprehensive, due to Sansom’s writing you get quickly immersed and the pages whizz by. I really like that throughout the series you gain a more developed understanding of all the characters and those that appear in previous books don’t just disappear once ended. Reading this, felt like coming back to some old friends and I really like the way Sansom has achieved this. They are all highly plausible and complex characters which is very clever indeed and I am a little sad that I have finally finished the series, mayhaps a reread now??
In itself, without the connection to the characters and the series the book was pretty meh. It isn’t nearly as good as the previous ones with a combination of political retelling and the classic murder which made it fall a bit flat. It felt like Sansom, at times, forgot that a murder case was playing out and then quickly added stuff in. Also, the final ‘reveal’ fell flat, it was like politics politics oh yeah btw I figured out who it was and that was kind of it?? Rather rushed the lady doth thinks.
I also felt like Matthew Shardlake was used as a way to describe the little written about Kett’s rebellion. Which is worthy but it did feel like he was placed there rather tenuously by Sansom and there were times in the book where it felt rather tell don’t show. Difficult to describe but it just felt stilted.
In all for fans of Shardlake, a good immersion into the world but if placed outside of the series a bit flat albeit still enjoyable.
isabookabel's review against another edition
Went home and left book at wrong house.
m1nature's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Rape and Sexual violence
kingarooski's review against another edition
3.0
Further adventures of Matthew Shardlake during the Norwich rebellion 1549. I enjoyed this book, although it was rather long. The historical detail was admirable, though the essay at the end was a bit too much. I was also happy not to have to read/listen to more haughty and arrogant utterances from Sir Richard Rich, but found the Boleyn twins just as irritating. I suppose that's the reaction the author would have wanted. Jack Barack was in true form, though and I found myself growing more fond of Nicholas Overton.
I love, love the narration by Steven Crossley, though. I think my whole enjoyment of the Shardlake novels has been increased by his performances throughout the series.
I wonder if we will have more of Matthew Shardlake's adventures in the future.
I love, love the narration by Steven Crossley, though. I think my whole enjoyment of the Shardlake novels has been increased by his performances throughout the series.
I wonder if we will have more of Matthew Shardlake's adventures in the future.