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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
slow-paced
So many reviews say that this book is such a disappointment if you compare it to Diane Setterfield's debut novel - [b:The Thirteenth Tale|40440|The Thirteenth Tale|Diane Setterfield|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346267826s/40440.jpg|849453], and that is true, but mainly, what is the point in comparing it to her debut novel? Why her debut novel? You could compare it to any novel. The main problem with this book is, it shouldn't be marketed as a ghost story, or at least, not the typical one. Readers will feel misled, consequently disappointed.
I was almost afraid going into this book because of the negative reviews but, although it was slow and uneventful in the beginning, it became more interesting later on. This is one of those books that tells pretty much the entire life story of the protagonist, so if you're into books that only capture a shorter period of their life then no, this isn't that kind of book.
I can understand why some people will find it unrealistic, and the 'events' that keep happening are, but it /is/ meant to be a ghost story so, it's not really meant to be realistic.
Sidenote: during the sequential period of William's life when he started "Bellman & Black", I don't know if I'm the only one but I was reminded of [b:Fight Club|5759|Fight Club|Chuck Palahniuk|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357128997s/5759.jpg|68729], which is SO STRANGE to me. I think it's because of the way he interacted with the employees, and just, how he kept things in order, how he could just keep working, how it became his life. But of course the books are very different.
The ending really brought the quality up for me, I really like the message :) It left me with sophistication? That this book is worthwhile, it's not a mere 'ghost story' but can relate to life in general. I don't know, it was just a nice ending.
I was almost afraid going into this book because of the negative reviews but, although it was slow and uneventful in the beginning, it became more interesting later on. This is one of those books that tells pretty much the entire life story of the protagonist, so if you're into books that only capture a shorter period of their life then no, this isn't that kind of book.
I can understand why some people will find it unrealistic, and the 'events' that keep happening are, but it /is/ meant to be a ghost story so, it's not really meant to be realistic.
Sidenote: during the sequential period of William's life when he started "Bellman & Black", I don't know if I'm the only one but I was reminded of [b:Fight Club|5759|Fight Club|Chuck Palahniuk|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357128997s/5759.jpg|68729], which is SO STRANGE to me. I think it's because of the way he interacted with the employees, and just, how he kept things in order, how he could just keep working, how it became his life. But of course the books are very different.
The ending really brought the quality up for me, I really like the message :) It left me with sophistication? That this book is worthwhile, it's not a mere 'ghost story' but can relate to life in general. I don't know, it was just a nice ending.
Ummmmm, I really don't even know what to say about this book other than I had huge expectations for it since I loved The Thirteenth Tale so much....and I was completely underwhelmed. It started very slowly, picked up in the middle, and I was somewhat hopeful that the ending could be saved and I would like it a lot more overall, but the end fell very flat for me. The main character, William Bellman, was a macabre version of Ebenezer Scrooge. I will most likely read the author's next novel with hopes that she can redeem herself a bit.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3,5
Ciekawa opowieść z niesamowitym klimatem, który jednak nie zawsze wystarcza, żeby niektóre fragmenty się nie dłużyły.
Ciekawa opowieść z niesamowitym klimatem, który jednak nie zawsze wystarcza, żeby niektóre fragmenty się nie dłużyły.
This review was previously posted on my blog @ http://lbrychic.blogspot.com
This was my first time reading this author. Ms. Setterfield also wrote the best selling novel, The Thirteenth Tale. This is going to be short just because I don't really know what to say about this book.
In all honesty, I mistakenly requested it from Netgalley and couldn't reverse the request. So I figured I'd give it my best shot and submit a short honest review. I will see about getting this added to my (public) library's collection.
Overall, the book was good but kind of depressing. The story is based in Early England.
Go to my blog to see the rest to avoid any spoiler like references here.
This was my first time reading this author. Ms. Setterfield also wrote the best selling novel, The Thirteenth Tale. This is going to be short just because I don't really know what to say about this book.
In all honesty, I mistakenly requested it from Netgalley and couldn't reverse the request. So I figured I'd give it my best shot and submit a short honest review. I will see about getting this added to my (public) library's collection.
Overall, the book was good but kind of depressing. The story is based in Early England.
Go to my blog to see the rest to avoid any spoiler like references here.
Bellman & Black is bloody brilliant. I was nearly put off by the fact that it's described as a ghost story (that's me for you - I can be a bit of a snob about genre fiction). It's much more than that though, the writing is bewitching and the historical detail is fascinating.
General spoilers throughout. You’ve been warned. (Picture a big black bird giving you the stinkeye from a nearby branch.)
Any book that makes me think this much about it after I’ve finished earns an automatic three stars, whether or not it was completely to my taste. It gets an extra star for setting and writing style.
Many reviews bemoan the copious details of running a business in Victorian England. I found it fascinating. I love detailed writing meant to inform, and in fact prefer specificity over vague poetic phrases that seem to make other readers swoon. I think the impact of what happened to Bellman would have been diminished if the reader wasn’t aware of just how knowledgeable (and, more rarely, how kind) a businessman he was. I don’t think I would have had a complete picture of the man, had I not known that he paid the best wages, treated his employees well, and dealt fairly with his suppliers. (On behalf of the 21st century, may I ask “Oh, Bellman, where art thou?”)
Some other readers seem completely befuddled by “all the rook stuff”. It was there that some confusion arose for me, too. I was unfamiliar with the rooks’ connection with Norse mythology, but am familiar enough with ravens (having watched these rook cousins in rapt fascination at Yellowstone National Park) to understand their intelligence, cunning, and wit. I thought them a fitting element of the story, adding creepiness and majesty.
I don’t want to spoil anything by writing too much about what I considered to be a major reveal at the end, but it’s subtle enough that I’m not sure I interpreted it correctly. Whether I did, or didn’t, this will be a book that haunts me, even though it wasn’t a traditional ghost story.
Without that reveal, I would have spent a lot of time pondering whether Mr. Black might have been entirely a figment of Mr. Bellman’s imagination, and the entire book is the story of his slow descent into madness. After all, no one else seems to see Mr. Black, even though he nearly always appears in funeral crowds. But Dora (though she never sees Mr. Black) ends up with a connection with and fascination for rooks as well , which was unlikely to have come from observing or chatting with her father, because he was too wrapped up in his business dealings, and because he had locked away so tightly his memories of childhood.) So either Bellman’s specific madness was hereditary, or there’s something supernatural going on with the rooks, and by extension, Mr. Black.
I prefer books with more straightforward endings, but this one took me on a journey that I won’t soon forget.
Any book that makes me think this much about it after I’ve finished earns an automatic three stars, whether or not it was completely to my taste. It gets an extra star for setting and writing style.
Many reviews bemoan the copious details of running a business in Victorian England. I found it fascinating. I love detailed writing meant to inform, and in fact prefer specificity over vague poetic phrases that seem to make other readers swoon. I think the impact of what happened to Bellman would have been diminished if the reader wasn’t aware of just how knowledgeable (and, more rarely, how kind) a businessman he was. I don’t think I would have had a complete picture of the man, had I not known that he paid the best wages, treated his employees well, and dealt fairly with his suppliers. (On behalf of the 21st century, may I ask “Oh, Bellman, where art thou?”)
Some other readers seem completely befuddled by “all the rook stuff”. It was there that some confusion arose for me, too. I was unfamiliar with the rooks’ connection with Norse mythology, but am familiar enough with ravens (having watched these rook cousins in rapt fascination at Yellowstone National Park) to understand their intelligence, cunning, and wit. I thought them a fitting element of the story, adding creepiness and majesty.
I don’t want to spoil anything by writing too much about what I considered to be a major reveal at the end, but it’s subtle enough that I’m not sure I interpreted it correctly. Whether I did, or didn’t, this will be a book that haunts me, even though it wasn’t a traditional ghost story.
Without that reveal, I would have spent a lot of time pondering whether Mr. Black might have been entirely a figment of Mr. Bellman’s imagination, and the entire book is the story of his slow descent into madness. After all, no one else seems to see Mr. Black, even though he nearly always appears in funeral crowds. But Dora (though she never sees Mr. Black) ends up with a connection with and fascination for rooks as well , which was unlikely to have come from observing or chatting with her father, because he was too wrapped up in his business dealings, and because he had locked away so tightly his memories of childhood.) So either Bellman’s specific madness was hereditary, or there’s something supernatural going on with the rooks, and by extension, Mr. Black.
I prefer books with more straightforward endings, but this one took me on a journey that I won’t soon forget.
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced