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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I have no idea how this book is so highly rated. It had potential at the beginning, and the actual reveal of the killer was pretty good, it was just everything in the middle that was deeply problematic.
Examples:
-Only respected people are straight, white, cis, men
-Main character is literally homophobic and everyone knows it, and yet he faces no consequences
-Sole feminist character is portrayed through the sexist male-gaze; man-hater, rude, unattractive, delusional, self absorbed
-Main female character has a good career yes, but she is portrayed as useless and incapable at it
-A character in a wheelchair faces prejudice from the narrator
-There was an incorrect use of the word Tourettes- it is NOT 'just swearing a lot'
This whole book just felt like it was written by a straight, white, cis, man for other straight, white, cis men that only care about straight, white, cis, men. And that is not exactly my type of read.
Examples:
-Only respected people are straight, white, cis, men
-Main character is literally homophobic and everyone knows it, and yet he faces no consequences
-Sole feminist character is portrayed through the sexist male-gaze; man-hater, rude, unattractive, delusional, self absorbed
-Main female character has a good career yes, but she is portrayed as useless and incapable at it
-A character in a wheelchair faces prejudice from the narrator
-There was an incorrect use of the word Tourettes- it is NOT 'just swearing a lot'
This whole book just felt like it was written by a straight, white, cis, man for other straight, white, cis men that only care about straight, white, cis, men. And that is not exactly my type of read.
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I like Horowitz's mystery thrillers, and this didn't disappoint. I like how there were multiple ways this could have resolved, but the ultimate solution drew on so many small details I was only pulling together moments before it was done for me which I think is perfect. The clues are all there, unfortunately I'm more of a Horowitz than a Hawthorne and struggle to recognise them!
i really like the banter between the two h’s. i def got tricked w the mystery on this one! should’ve known it wasn’t going to be easy.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This modern Sherlock Holmes story had a well-crafted plot that kept me guessing, though at times the callbacks to the original source material could feel trite. My biggest problem with it, though, was that the author is the type who feels the need to rate the attractiveness of every woman, unnecessarily comment on the race or ability of many characters, and invoke homophobia in his main character. While you can tell it’s intended to make the character more human, flawed, and multidimensional, it just feels like having a conversation with one of my tone-deaf boomer parents instead. It’s only a few years old, but it reads as one written longer ago and rubbed me the wrong way in a lot of places…
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I want to like Hawthorne, but the weird insertion of him being homophobic prevents me from loving him fully... Which also feels weird because he doesn't seem like he would be? Really it's Horowitz choosing to randomly insert so many comments about homophobia, not to mention his descriptions of characters always including their race, ethnicity, and, if they're a woman, their weight and attractiveness. I actually think my least favorite character in this book/series is the narrator (which just so happens to be Horowitz himself), though I do love the meta aspect of it all.
Horowitz introduces so many characters in this book that he never developed any of them. The two characters with the most page-time are women whom the narrator has decided are entirely unlikeable to him; therefore, since he's also the author of the book, he exclusive depicts them through unfavorable lenses & consistently harps on them every time they're on the page. The narrator also "isn't sure" whether he likes the Sherlock of the book. So..... Who am I supposed to like here? Just Horowitz? A bit bizarre.
Horowitz introduces so many characters in this book that he never developed any of them. The two characters with the most page-time are women whom the narrator has decided are entirely unlikeable to him; therefore, since he's also the author of the book, he exclusive depicts them through unfavorable lenses & consistently harps on them every time they're on the page. The narrator also "isn't sure" whether he likes the Sherlock of the book. So..... Who am I supposed to like here? Just Horowitz? A bit bizarre.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Literally gives of the biggest hint in the very beginning. It simply clever that we don’t realise it until the end.
Audio.
A modern day “Sherlock and Holmes” Whodunnit.
Love the smart banter between the characters, the hidden clues given throughout the read and the final detailed description of the crime.
A modern day “Sherlock and Holmes” Whodunnit.
Love the smart banter between the characters, the hidden clues given throughout the read and the final detailed description of the crime.