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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
2.5 stars maybe. It started out okay but I really struggled to get through the last half of the book.
This is one of those quiet books that is as much about a central mystery as it is about... quieter things happening, namely Julia coming into herself. I really loved that aspect—those truly thoughtful moments of self-reflection and growth on her part, and I thought Raybourn did a great job at depicting an unconventional character realistically coming into herself.
There were moments, though, when those parts of description really made the book slow for what it is—a mystery novel—and it was frustrating to go through all of the expository detail, but I’m hoping that was because it is the first book, and that there is less of that in the next books.
Also, I am very excited for Julia and Nicholas to get it on, thanks! (WHY WASN’T THERE A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR KISS!!!!!)
There were moments, though, when those parts of description really made the book slow for what it is—a mystery novel—and it was frustrating to go through all of the expository detail, but I’m hoping that was because it is the first book, and that there is less of that in the next books.
Also, I am very excited for Julia and Nicholas to get it on, thanks! (WHY WASN’T THERE A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR KISS!!!!!)
If you hear about a book that takes place in the Victorian era featuring a female, amateur detective solving a murder mystery with a dash of romance from an extraordinary man, you would think YAY! So many genres, so much fun! This is going to be awesome and intense and fascinating and so many wonderful things. This is going to be the best book ever!
That is not this book. It's not the worst book ever, but it's definitely not good. I personally love historical mysteries with a little romance. Some people don't like the romance part, and that's cool. What's not cool is that Raybourn didn't seem to know which genre she was writing. The first third of the book is pretty much JUST historical fiction. If you wanted to learn about mourning in the Victorian era, this is a great resource for you. Very educational.
The next third of the book is a self-help book, specifically, how to help yourself from being a stupid chick. I'm so sick and tired of authors saying "my heroine is so intelligent" but the heroine almost dies 30 bajillion times because she can't listen to simple instructions. "Don't tell people about the investigation." "Don't go to the gypsy camp." "Don't confront the murderer alone." You can bet she does all of this and more. She even says, on multiple occasions, "how could I be so stupid?" I DON'T KNOW. I WISH YOU WEREN'T. There was no wit, no common sense, and no more $7 in my wallet from buying this at a used book store (thank heavens I didn't pay full price).
Then, the last third was the mystery, but it was such a boring mystery because it was slapped together in a "oh, we have a mystery to solve" kind of way. All of a sudden, the heroine finds all these clues, but even then, things don't pick up. Why? Because the hero has to do all the legwork of figuring out what the clues mean while the heroine JUST SITS AT HOME AND WHINES. "Ew, I have to take care of my sick relative." "Ew, there's a raven in my house." "Ew, my family's so annoying." "Is this dress too daring?" What's daring, is publishing this joke of a book.
Normally, I try to find a silver lining or something that other people might enjoy about this book, but I can't think of anything. Just avoid this book. Avoid this whole series. It is unsatisfying in every way imaginable. The only saving grace was it was well-written, but even that wasn't enough to get this book a mediocre rating.
That is not this book. It's not the worst book ever, but it's definitely not good. I personally love historical mysteries with a little romance. Some people don't like the romance part, and that's cool. What's not cool is that Raybourn didn't seem to know which genre she was writing. The first third of the book is pretty much JUST historical fiction. If you wanted to learn about mourning in the Victorian era, this is a great resource for you. Very educational.
The next third of the book is a self-help book, specifically, how to help yourself from being a stupid chick. I'm so sick and tired of authors saying "my heroine is so intelligent" but the heroine almost dies 30 bajillion times because she can't listen to simple instructions. "Don't tell people about the investigation." "Don't go to the gypsy camp." "Don't confront the murderer alone." You can bet she does all of this and more. She even says, on multiple occasions, "how could I be so stupid?" I DON'T KNOW. I WISH YOU WEREN'T. There was no wit, no common sense, and no more $7 in my wallet from buying this at a used book store (thank heavens I didn't pay full price).
Then, the last third was the mystery, but it was such a boring mystery because it was slapped together in a "oh, we have a mystery to solve" kind of way. All of a sudden, the heroine finds all these clues, but even then, things don't pick up. Why? Because the hero has to do all the legwork of figuring out what the clues mean while the heroine JUST SITS AT HOME AND WHINES. "Ew, I have to take care of my sick relative." "Ew, there's a raven in my house." "Ew, my family's so annoying." "Is this dress too daring?" What's daring, is publishing this joke of a book.
Normally, I try to find a silver lining or something that other people might enjoy about this book, but I can't think of anything. Just avoid this book. Avoid this whole series. It is unsatisfying in every way imaginable. The only saving grace was it was well-written, but even that wasn't enough to get this book a mediocre rating.
This was a fairly enjoyable read, although I found it dragged in places, and it was one of those novels where the characters go to great lengths never to have a frank conversation with one another. I enjoyed the humorous tone, and I liked Julia and Nicholas, but I don't think I'll continue with this series.
Saw the ending coming a mile away but was a good solid read. The narrator (oddly) reminded me of Phaedra from the Kushiel's Dart series. But without all the tattooing.
In my quest to devour all female led historical mysteries, I could not pass up the Lady Julia Grey series.
I enjoyed this, but as in every first book of a series much of it was scene setting and character introductions. First and foremost we are in the midst of the most liberal family in all of England, and their "indiscretions" are forgiven because of their rank and wealth...ok I'll give them that. I was trying very hard to warm up to Lady Julia, and I did very much like her, but their are times that I was shocked at how well she took everything. I get angry when an internet browser takes too long to load, if I was handed all the overwhelming shit that she was thrown I would have been LIVID. I can understand how the author spun it, but I just felt that Lady Julia was being given such passion and strength of a feminist minority at the time but then fell flat.
Having said that the side characters are fantastic. My favorite is Fleur....that minx! (I have no idea if I used that word correctly, but I adore her). Her story about her husband who sold the bed while she was in it....but she forgives him because at the time her and her lover were in it....classic...if I had a penny for every time that happened... :)
(in case you were wondering, I would have zero pennies).
Its a fun series and I can understand why it has loyal followers. Will definitely continue.
I enjoyed this, but as in every first book of a series much of it was scene setting and character introductions. First and foremost we are in the midst of the most liberal family in all of England, and their "indiscretions" are forgiven because of their rank and wealth...ok I'll give them that. I was trying very hard to warm up to Lady Julia, and I did very much like her, but their are times that I was shocked at how well she took everything. I get angry when an internet browser takes too long to load, if I was handed all the overwhelming shit that she was thrown I would have been LIVID. I can understand how the author spun it, but I just felt that Lady Julia was being given such passion and strength of a feminist minority at the time but then fell flat.
Having said that the side characters are fantastic. My favorite is Fleur....that minx! (I have no idea if I used that word correctly, but I adore her). Her story about her husband who sold the bed while she was in it....but she forgives him because at the time her and her lover were in it....classic...if I had a penny for every time that happened... :)
(in case you were wondering, I would have zero pennies).
Its a fun series and I can understand why it has loyal followers. Will definitely continue.
This was perfectly fine, but I don’t feel the need to read the sequels
Si Lady Julia Grey, bien que tout à fait charmante, est presque totalement inutile en matière d'investigation, elle constitue un protagoniste attirant parce qu'imparfait. Par opposition, la part masculine du duo d'enquêteurs est tout à fait décevante. Comment peut-on se prendre d'affection pour Nicholas Brisbane, un personnage qui semble posséder tous les talents, mais pas une once de réalisme? Le fait qu'il tombe dans le cliché du brun ténébreux taciturne ne lui apporte en rien le capital sympathie qui accompagne les anti-héros.
Cela étant dit, la lecture est prenante. Et même si l'intrigue reste entièrement classique, les indices sont amenés avec fluidité et le cheminement est très agréable. De toute façon, dans les romans policiers, le voyage est aussi important que la destination! En ce qui concerne le défaut habituel de ce type d'oeuvres, "Silent in the Grave" remporte la palme de l'anachronisme, étant donné la très grande modernité morale des personnages, tout à fait contraire au puritanisme victorien. Un défaut qui semble dans les premiers chapitres bien inoffensif. C'est sans compter l'écoeurement provoqué par un trop plein de sentiments bien pensants, de féminisme, de cosmopolitisme et autres grands idéaux en -isme.
C'est selon moi le tort majeur du roman. Ça et le côté un peu ridicule de la relation entre les deux protagonistes, qui est l'apanage des policiers historiques à destination d'un public féminin. Il faut tout de même le reconnaître, "Silent un the Grave" est plus solide et bien plus abouti que ce que j'ai pu lire ces derniers temps dans ce genre.
Toute la séduction de l'oeuvre se trouve en fait dans l'écriture de l'auteur, pleine d'humour et de prétention artificielle (bien que je n'approuve pas entièrement l'érudition un poil forcée qui la pousse à citer Shakespeare à tout bout de champ). On note également une galerie de personnages secondaires très attachants, dont j'attends beaucoup dans les prochains tomes.
Cela étant dit, la lecture est prenante. Et même si l'intrigue reste entièrement classique, les indices sont amenés avec fluidité et le cheminement est très agréable. De toute façon, dans les romans policiers, le voyage est aussi important que la destination! En ce qui concerne le défaut habituel de ce type d'oeuvres, "Silent in the Grave" remporte la palme de l'anachronisme, étant donné la très grande modernité morale des personnages, tout à fait contraire au puritanisme victorien. Un défaut qui semble dans les premiers chapitres bien inoffensif. C'est sans compter l'écoeurement provoqué par un trop plein de sentiments bien pensants, de féminisme, de cosmopolitisme et autres grands idéaux en -isme.
C'est selon moi le tort majeur du roman. Ça et le côté un peu ridicule de la relation entre les deux protagonistes, qui est l'apanage des policiers historiques à destination d'un public féminin. Il faut tout de même le reconnaître, "Silent un the Grave" est plus solide et bien plus abouti que ce que j'ai pu lire ces derniers temps dans ce genre.
Toute la séduction de l'oeuvre se trouve en fait dans l'écriture de l'auteur, pleine d'humour et de prétention artificielle (bien que je n'approuve pas entièrement l'érudition un poil forcée qui la pousse à citer Shakespeare à tout bout de champ). On note également une galerie de personnages secondaires très attachants, dont j'attends beaucoup dans les prochains tomes.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes