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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
http://www.girllostinabook.com/2015/09/review-bellman-black-by-diane.html
I kept waiting for this book to have a point but it never did.
Setterfield's first novel, The Thirteenth Tale, is so, so fantastic. She set the bar very high for herself, and, sadly Bellman & Black fails to clear the bar. That said, this book will definitely appeal to lovers of nineteenth-century novels, because that is what it felt like to read: the pacing is slow, the plot very singular, the atmosphere gloomy. I'm not sure if there is an intended mystery in this book; the resolution made it feel like perhaps there was, but I had correctly guessed this resolution much, much earlier on, so I was left a bit baffled as to whether or not I'd read a "twist," as it were.
Although my memory is spotty of actual content, for some reason I was put in mind of George Eliot's Middlemarch while reading, or a Nathaniel Hawthorne story, only less compelling. I'd say pass over this one in favor of Setterfield's ode to books and a page-turning story, The Thirteenth Tale.
Although my memory is spotty of actual content, for some reason I was put in mind of George Eliot's Middlemarch while reading, or a Nathaniel Hawthorne story, only less compelling. I'd say pass over this one in favor of Setterfield's ode to books and a page-turning story, The Thirteenth Tale.
I liked the characters and the setting, but the plot was a little lacking.
I loved The Thirteenth Tale so much, both for the richness of the story and the beautiful word smithing. With Bellman & Black, the story was not as rich, nor as interesting, but Diane Setterfield's beautiful way with words was still there, her writing style is gorgeous.
I loved The Thirteenth Tale and I was anxiously awaiting Setterfield's 2nd novel. This book was extremely disappointing.
I really enjoyed this book, read it in less than a day. It tugs at the heart strings and makes you think.
William Bellman is a young boy when he and his friends are out in the woods, and Will's catapult (slingshot) manages to kill a rook.
This single moment in the lives of four young boys has repercussions that extend far longer than any of them might have imagined.
Setterfield manages to take what might be a simplistic plot and weave it into and throughout Victorian-era life in such a way that you have to keep putting the book down to process what's happening and try to sort out the real from the imagined. It's not as easy a task as you might think.
The language is rich and spins an immersive experience for the reader, from her descriptions of milling to those of Victorian funerary practices. What might become tedious infodumping in the hands of a less skilled writer are fascinating here, and provide added texture for the story and the characters.
Bellman's inability to escape his past no matter how successful he becomes is tragic and yet draws the reader in, and while you may expect the ending at points, it's thrilling and surprising nonetheless.
I only wish I had time to read it again to hunt down the trail of breadcrumbs.
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
This single moment in the lives of four young boys has repercussions that extend far longer than any of them might have imagined.
Setterfield manages to take what might be a simplistic plot and weave it into and throughout Victorian-era life in such a way that you have to keep putting the book down to process what's happening and try to sort out the real from the imagined. It's not as easy a task as you might think.
The language is rich and spins an immersive experience for the reader, from her descriptions of milling to those of Victorian funerary practices. What might become tedious infodumping in the hands of a less skilled writer are fascinating here, and provide added texture for the story and the characters.
Bellman's inability to escape his past no matter how successful he becomes is tragic and yet draws the reader in, and while you may expect the ending at points, it's thrilling and surprising nonetheless.
I only wish I had time to read it again to hunt down the trail of breadcrumbs.
I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Good read. Different from her last book...I liked the moral of the story.