Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
LP is such a complicated figure in my life. I've read 12 of her books now and I enjoy them but she still drives me batshit insane. Like I really don't understand the casual racism as a joke towards the sole Black character in her books. It's not funny and it will never be funny-- and yet she just keeps doing it. Why? Not a hot take: this kind of "joke" is only funny to a white author and a certain subsection of her audience. I feel similarly about her rampant homophobia. I know she's absolutely one of those insufferable people who feel victimized because "people just can't take a joke anymore". Please explain to me how systematic oppression is hilarious? I'll wait.
...And yet. There were some really beautiful passage in this one. I cried at least once and laughed out loud at least twice. I dunno...it's complicated.
...And yet. There were some really beautiful passage in this one. I cried at least once and laughed out loud at least twice. I dunno...it's complicated.
Interesting plot, good combination of old and new characters. Highly recommended.
I liked how the reader got reacquainted with Gamache because book 11 I still do not know who that was.
Though the story was a bit too "hallmark" for my tastes I love learning more about 3 Pines the village as it has turned into a character for me.
Though the story was a bit too "hallmark" for my tastes I love learning more about 3 Pines the village as it has turned into a character for me.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Finding your way or finding the road back is the metaphor in this visit to Three Pines. One murder and three mysteries both current and historical are all intertwined in a satisfying but perhaps too neat way.
dark
mysterious
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:
Yes
This is one of my favorites in this series so far, right up there with #5 and #9. It gave me everything that I like about this series with very little of what I don't. A lot of authors by book twelve are just turning the cogs, phoning it in, and things can get stale. Penny at the very least seems to know how to keep things feeling fresh and new, and yet still give you the comfort of returning to check in with the characters.
I particularly liked the setting of this one, which split its time between Three Pines (where for once a murder wasn't shoehorned in, and the connection to the mystery was an organic, believable one) and the Sûreté training academy that Gamache has come out of retirement to run. And by run, I mean clean up from the corrupt mess it currently is.
In addition to Gamache and the Three Pines crew, we also get POV from one of the cadets, a surly girl who everyone is surprised Gamache let into the academy. All the various threads in this one come together very nicely, and for me at least, the mystery walked the line of just being good enough to solve, but still managed to be surprising. As the ominous title might also hint at, it manages to be personal as well. Can't believe I'm already to book thirteen!
[4.5 stars]
I particularly liked the setting of this one, which split its time between Three Pines (where for once a murder wasn't shoehorned in, and the connection to the mystery was an organic, believable one) and the Sûreté training academy that Gamache has come out of retirement to run. And by run, I mean clean up from the corrupt mess it currently is.
In addition to Gamache and the Three Pines crew, we also get POV from one of the cadets, a surly girl who everyone is surprised Gamache let into the academy. All the various threads in this one come together very nicely, and for me at least, the mystery walked the line of just being good enough to solve, but still managed to be surprising. As the ominous title might also hint at, it manages to be personal as well. Can't believe I'm already to book thirteen!
[4.5 stars]
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the main plot but was ehhh on the map plot.