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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
2.5 stars. Some books have a really great first 1/3 or so - you get to know the characters, you become invested in the story, and you can't wait to see what happens. Bellman and Black was like that, only for the whole book. We were being told about the characters and their lives, introduced to their personalities, quirks, and struggles ... and that's all we got. The story never really started or got going. I did read it compulsively because I kept thinking "ok, NOW it's going to start." But it never did. I'm disappointed. This is definitely no Thirteenth Tale.
A strange book, full of dark corners and keen observations. It was not quite what I expected as the follow-up to "The Thirteenth Tale", one of my favorite books from a few years ago.
The story is set in a Victorian England that is not quite the same as the historic one. In this version, birds are the observers, and perhaps arbiters, of a man's fate. The rooks in particular take an interest in the life and loves of William Bellman. As a young boy he is heedless and happy-go-lucky. While playing with friends, he throws a rock at a rook and kills it. He thinks nothing of it, but from that moment his life changes. He has great good fortune in terms of his work life when he is taken into the family business by his uncle who runs the woolen mill. He learns every aspect of the business and it quickly becomes apparent that he has an aptitude for business. He edges out his cousin who is not interested in the family business, and marries a pretty farm girl. But there are times of darkness as people close to him start to die unexpectedly. And at every funeral there is a mysterious mourner in black.
Just as William becomes the most prominent mill-owner in the shire, tragedy strikes, taking the lives of his wife and three of his children. Left with a catatonic daughter and deeply distraught, William again sees the mysterious man in black. After a hallucinatory night, he decides to move into a different business. William sets out to build a firm centered around catering to the needs of people in mourning. He builds an emporium for death, offering everything from black-lined stationery to caskets. Christened Bellman and Black, it is an instant success. William imagines that the man in black is his silent partner, and sets aside a portion of the profits for him. But as he becomes more successful, he also withdraws from life, leaving behind his only remaining child.
Setterfield fills the book with details that give the story texture and depth. The descriptions of work at the mill reflect the industrial revolution as the mill moves from a locally owned artisan employer to a major player in the British cloth trade. The later section about creating Bellman and Black reflects the Victorian obsession with ostentatious displays of mourning and the rise of the great stores such as Harrod's and John Lewis.
The story is probably too quirky and dark to be appealing to many readers. It is truly the story of one man, and few of the other characters are fleshed out. I yearned to know more about his surviving daughter Dora, who carves out an independent life for herself. The story has the tone of a folk tale, framed with lore and legends about rooks. If you enjoy a darkly gleaming tale of fate, "Bellman and Black" might be a good choice for you.
The story is set in a Victorian England that is not quite the same as the historic one. In this version, birds are the observers, and perhaps arbiters, of a man's fate. The rooks in particular take an interest in the life and loves of William Bellman. As a young boy he is heedless and happy-go-lucky. While playing with friends, he throws a rock at a rook and kills it. He thinks nothing of it, but from that moment his life changes. He has great good fortune in terms of his work life when he is taken into the family business by his uncle who runs the woolen mill. He learns every aspect of the business and it quickly becomes apparent that he has an aptitude for business. He edges out his cousin who is not interested in the family business, and marries a pretty farm girl. But there are times of darkness as people close to him start to die unexpectedly. And at every funeral there is a mysterious mourner in black.
Just as William becomes the most prominent mill-owner in the shire, tragedy strikes, taking the lives of his wife and three of his children. Left with a catatonic daughter and deeply distraught, William again sees the mysterious man in black. After a hallucinatory night, he decides to move into a different business. William sets out to build a firm centered around catering to the needs of people in mourning. He builds an emporium for death, offering everything from black-lined stationery to caskets. Christened Bellman and Black, it is an instant success. William imagines that the man in black is his silent partner, and sets aside a portion of the profits for him. But as he becomes more successful, he also withdraws from life, leaving behind his only remaining child.
Setterfield fills the book with details that give the story texture and depth. The descriptions of work at the mill reflect the industrial revolution as the mill moves from a locally owned artisan employer to a major player in the British cloth trade. The later section about creating Bellman and Black reflects the Victorian obsession with ostentatious displays of mourning and the rise of the great stores such as Harrod's and John Lewis.
The story is probably too quirky and dark to be appealing to many readers. It is truly the story of one man, and few of the other characters are fleshed out. I yearned to know more about his surviving daughter Dora, who carves out an independent life for herself. The story has the tone of a folk tale, framed with lore and legends about rooks. If you enjoy a darkly gleaming tale of fate, "Bellman and Black" might be a good choice for you.
Eerie and atmospheric, I thoroughly enjoyed this Gothic tale from Diane Setterfield. I don't know if I'd call it a ghost story, but there is a sense of the paranormal weaved throughout. There's something about Diane's writing that is just delicious.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
if you loved the thirteenth tale as I did this book will disappoint. I skipped along the final half just to see what the suspense was based on and what happened.
I had high hopes for this book as The Thirteenth Tale is one of my favorite books of all time, but I was disappointed in this one. It was slow-paced and not what I thought it was going to be. The small twist at the end redeemed it a bit.
Disappointing. I really enjoyed The 13th Tale so had high hopes for this, and it just didn't pan out. I just didn't care about the characters or the story. And it's most definitely not a ghost story.
beautifully sad
I rushed through this book (short term loan at the library).
dearly want to go back to it, to understand the misunderstandings.
I rushed through this book (short term loan at the library).
dearly want to go back to it, to understand the misunderstandings.
I was really excited about this book since I loved her first one and I was interested for awhile. However about halfway through it seemed like there wasn't much of a story anymore and the ending was predictable/boring.
Diane Setterfield's writing is different then most I read, but draws me in by its beauty & elegance. I don't often say this about a book, but this one was too long. I loved "The Thirteenth Tale" & wanted to love this one as much, but by the time I was 60-70% through, I found myself wondering when it would end. I'll still read anything else she writes.