Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
I haven't read a well told story in ages. Diane Setterfield will be on my watch list from here on out! Amazing detail.
This was extraordinarily well written and I found it altogether unable to hold my attention. I just don't care how mills are kept, or stores are built, or how black the wool is and how one might find the blackest of the black. I wasn't ever given cause to invest in the characters and the narrative wasn't compelling enough for me.
I skimmed, which I never, ever do, just to get to the end because I wanted to UNDERSTAND what the heck was happening with the gosh darn rooks.
I finished it. I googled it. *shrug* Well. That's it then.
I skimmed, which I never, ever do, just to get to the end because I wanted to UNDERSTAND what the heck was happening with the gosh darn rooks.
I finished it. I googled it. *shrug* Well. That's it then.
This book is very well-written, but poorly described. It is NOT a ghost story. It's more a literary historical fiction piece. If you're looking for a ghost story, you'll be disappointed.
This would have been an excellent short story. As a novel it fails to deliver. Nothing much happens over hundreds of pages. The book description promises a "macabre business partnership" but that never materializes really, either. The book jacket is misleading. Big bummer, as I loved The Thirteenth Tale.
This is a quiet ghost story, in that you don't know it is one until its conclusion; and even then you're only mostly convinced.
Setterfield has an obvious knack for storytelling, as supported by this novel. Though there isn't, in my opinion, a heart-racing plot line, I was always left wanting to know what comes next, especially as it pertained to the next appearance in story by Mr. Black.
Setterfield has an obvious knack for storytelling, as supported by this novel. Though there isn't, in my opinion, a heart-racing plot line, I was always left wanting to know what comes next, especially as it pertained to the next appearance in story by Mr. Black.
I see other editions are entitled Bellman & Black: a Ghost Story. Mine is Bellman & Black: a Novel. Why the change of subtitle?
After The Thirteenth Tale, I was expecting more from this novel. The "ghost" part is quite understated, there wasn't much suspense, and a lot of the second half of the book reminded me of the BBC series "Mr. Selfridge."
After The Thirteenth Tale, I was expecting more from this novel. The "ghost" part is quite understated, there wasn't much suspense, and a lot of the second half of the book reminded me of the BBC series "Mr. Selfridge."
I liked the Raven pieces, they were quite poetic. The rest of the book was just ok. I never connected with any of the characters, and thought that there were missed opportunities with some of the fringe characters. It all seemed a bit vague. I didn't like Thirteenth Tale on the first read either though, so it may be another one that gets better with additional reading. It was a fine read, but not anything that I couldn't put down.
"Death will have his day..."
When he was 10, William Bellman made a bet with his friends that he could hit a rook with a stone from his catapult. As the stone arced through the air, he realised he didn’t want to kill the bird - but too late. The deed was done. And this act of mindless cruelty follows him through his life…
A strange book, this one. The blurb promises a Victorian ghost story, but instead we get a very lengthy and detailed description of one man’s life as he forges a successful career first as the manager of a cloth factory and later as he strikes out to create his own unique emporium in the centre of London. The use of language is skilful, occasionally beautiful, and the story of William’s trials ought to have made it an emotional read, but somehow it fails. Even at the darkest point of the story, I was left entirely unmoved. On consideration, I think this is because William himself is a cold character, who uses work as a shield to protect himself from facing the very human problems life throws at him. It’s clear that we are supposed to assume that William feels strongly, particularly about his family, but nothing in his actions or thoughts shows us that. And I got very tired of hearing about how he saw everything as a calculation, with the constant repetition of the words add, subtract, multiply and divide.
As the book progresses and William becomes ever more successful, richer, and yet retreats more and more from life, this reminded me of the story of Scrooge, prior to his ghostly visitations. But where [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1165518693s/5326.jpg|3097440] has humour, fear and ultimately redemption, Bellman & Black has none of these. William’s story is laid out in a linear fashion, and while the descriptions of the factory and later the emporium have a kind of fascination, in fact nothing much happens; and William’s ghosts, whether real or created by his mind, seem to be an irrelevance. The book is intercut with little bits of information about rooks, but although these are given as if central to the plot, they seemed ultimately pointless – at least to me.
In the end, I regret to say that I found the book dull. The regret is because I felt the quality of the writing was let down by the lack of a strong narrative, a sympathetic lead character and, most of all, an emotional heart to the book. It’s not a particularly long book but it took me a long time to read because it failed to engage or hold my attention. For me, I’m afraid it is another that falls into the category of tons of research - in this case, about manufacturing, retail, and customs surrounding death and burial in Victorian times - being streamed back out at the reader with no real purpose or point. Overall, a disappointment.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When he was 10, William Bellman made a bet with his friends that he could hit a rook with a stone from his catapult. As the stone arced through the air, he realised he didn’t want to kill the bird - but too late. The deed was done. And this act of mindless cruelty follows him through his life…
A strange book, this one. The blurb promises a Victorian ghost story, but instead we get a very lengthy and detailed description of one man’s life as he forges a successful career first as the manager of a cloth factory and later as he strikes out to create his own unique emporium in the centre of London. The use of language is skilful, occasionally beautiful, and the story of William’s trials ought to have made it an emotional read, but somehow it fails. Even at the darkest point of the story, I was left entirely unmoved. On consideration, I think this is because William himself is a cold character, who uses work as a shield to protect himself from facing the very human problems life throws at him. It’s clear that we are supposed to assume that William feels strongly, particularly about his family, but nothing in his actions or thoughts shows us that. And I got very tired of hearing about how he saw everything as a calculation, with the constant repetition of the words add, subtract, multiply and divide.
As the book progresses and William becomes ever more successful, richer, and yet retreats more and more from life, this reminded me of the story of Scrooge, prior to his ghostly visitations. But where [b:A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1165518693s/5326.jpg|3097440] has humour, fear and ultimately redemption, Bellman & Black has none of these. William’s story is laid out in a linear fashion, and while the descriptions of the factory and later the emporium have a kind of fascination, in fact nothing much happens; and William’s ghosts, whether real or created by his mind, seem to be an irrelevance. The book is intercut with little bits of information about rooks, but although these are given as if central to the plot, they seemed ultimately pointless – at least to me.
In the end, I regret to say that I found the book dull. The regret is because I felt the quality of the writing was let down by the lack of a strong narrative, a sympathetic lead character and, most of all, an emotional heart to the book. It’s not a particularly long book but it took me a long time to read because it failed to engage or hold my attention. For me, I’m afraid it is another that falls into the category of tons of research - in this case, about manufacturing, retail, and customs surrounding death and burial in Victorian times - being streamed back out at the reader with no real purpose or point. Overall, a disappointment.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 stars
I'm not quite sure how to review this book. On one hand, I liked the writing, found the characters interesting and felt the plot had potential. But I don't think the story quite held up. I kept waiting for something a bit more momentous to happen and felt a bit let down when it didn't. I also wished the symbolism of the rook was developed a bit more.
I'm not quite sure how to review this book. On one hand, I liked the writing, found the characters interesting and felt the plot had potential. But I don't think the story quite held up. I kept waiting for something a bit more momentous to happen and felt a bit let down when it didn't. I also wished the symbolism of the rook was developed a bit more.