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A review by kba76
The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Grandest Game focuses on the first puzzle created by Avery as she attempts to do good with her inheritance. We have a disparate group of characters, each with their own reasons for wanting to win the prize. One thing they all have in common is wealth and a certain privilege. Hardly pushing the boat out in philanthropic terms!
While I found some of the elements of the game entertaining, there was a lot that didn’t particularly work well. We don’t ever get to see enough of some of the game players. We have no idea why Grayson is involved. There’s hints of a link to an old mystery surrounding the Hawthornes but nothing is satisfactorily explained. The dynamics between characters never quite clicked…and the hair brushing scene had me spluttering in hysterics (which I’m not sure is the desired effect).
The ending is a fairly obvious hook to make us keep reading the next spin-off. If you don’t think too much about this, you’ll be entertained. Sadly, I think the series is becoming less entertaining the more we spend time in its world.
While I found some of the elements of the game entertaining, there was a lot that didn’t particularly work well. We don’t ever get to see enough of some of the game players. We have no idea why Grayson is involved. There’s hints of a link to an old mystery surrounding the Hawthornes but nothing is satisfactorily explained. The dynamics between characters never quite clicked…and the hair brushing scene had me spluttering in hysterics (which I’m not sure is the desired effect).
The ending is a fairly obvious hook to make us keep reading the next spin-off. If you don’t think too much about this, you’ll be entertained. Sadly, I think the series is becoming less entertaining the more we spend time in its world.