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kriswc 's review for:
A World of Curiosities
by Louise Penny
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Audiobook performed by Robert Bathurst
I did not love this performance as much as some others: there seemed to be a few characters with noticeably similar flat voices, but Gamache is always pleasant to hear and Rosa always makes me laugh.
The theme seems to be reconsidering and questioning judgement calls. The refrain “….and yet…..” echos throughout the book.
Two critical judgement calls of Gamache’s are touched on in this book. We are taken back in time to his meeting of Jean Guy, which is a horrific crime, but intriguing start to their relationship: insults, warnings, trust, disagreements, respect - all from the very beginning. Amelia Choquet also arrives in Three Pines in the modern story.
And woven throughout the book are the differing evaluations and judgements of the two children Gamache and Jean-Guy meet on that first case.
Interestingly the judgement call that Gamache made in an earlier book to promise to release Serial Killer John Fleming - and then renege on his promise at the last minute when they figure it out without the criminal, the triggering event for the primary threat of this book, is never questioned. In fact, it is justified: weapons of mass destruction do way more damage than 1 serial killer.
In the end, everyone is proved poor judges of character for missing the serial killer in their midsts. Rereading it makes clear that while taking pains to disguise himself, he was simultaneously pointing out clues.
It felt believable: so much is made of looks and eyes in these stories (and it bothers me that Gamache seems to have an unnatural ability to determine what someone is thinking by looking into their eyes or reading their expressions.) that Fleming use of colored contacts, gained wait, hair dye and primarily, a loving wife on his arm, is enough to fill them all.
Those who trusted Sam are also clearly shown that he had out smarted and manipulated them every step of the way: but Fiona, sadly, while having a lower limit of cruelty, also remained untrust-worthy, the Gamache continues to believe she is redeemable.
One of my favorite bits is when Gamache recognizes that the perpetrator/threat is an over-planner who does not have much experience with ad-libbing. Most successes are the results of not just planning but also practicing. It was a critical insight. That and the idea that if someone can get inside your mind: perhaps you can get into theirs. Not sure it really works as well as it did here, but I’m glad Gamache lived to solve another case.
I did not love this performance as much as some others: there seemed to be a few characters with noticeably similar flat voices, but Gamache is always pleasant to hear and Rosa always makes me laugh.
The theme seems to be reconsidering and questioning judgement calls. The refrain “….and yet…..” echos throughout the book.
Two critical judgement calls of Gamache’s are touched on in this book. We are taken back in time to his meeting of Jean Guy, which is a horrific crime, but intriguing start to their relationship: insults, warnings, trust, disagreements, respect - all from the very beginning. Amelia Choquet also arrives in Three Pines in the modern story.
And woven throughout the book are the differing evaluations and judgements of the two children Gamache and Jean-Guy meet on that first case.
Interestingly the judgement call that Gamache made in an earlier book to promise to release Serial Killer John Fleming - and then renege on his promise at the last minute when they figure it out without the criminal, the triggering event for the primary threat of this book, is never questioned. In fact, it is justified: weapons of mass destruction do way more damage than 1 serial killer.
In the end, everyone is proved poor judges of character for missing the serial killer in their midsts. Rereading it makes clear that while taking pains to disguise himself, he was simultaneously pointing out clues.
It felt believable: so much is made of looks and eyes in these stories (and it bothers me that Gamache seems to have an unnatural ability to determine what someone is thinking by looking into their eyes or reading their expressions.) that Fleming use of colored contacts, gained wait, hair dye and primarily, a loving wife on his arm, is enough to fill them all.
Those who trusted Sam are also clearly shown that he had out smarted and manipulated them every step of the way: but Fiona, sadly, while having a lower limit of cruelty, also remained untrust-worthy, the Gamache continues to believe she is redeemable.
One of my favorite bits is when Gamache recognizes that the perpetrator/threat is an over-planner who does not have much experience with ad-libbing. Most successes are the results of not just planning but also practicing. It was a critical insight. That and the idea that if someone can get inside your mind: perhaps you can get into theirs. Not sure it really works as well as it did here, but I’m glad Gamache lived to solve another case.