A review by fasola4mi
The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith

4.0

I'm so glad I gave this series another chance. I didn't like the first entry too much. I found Isabel's philosophical musings to be dithery and self-righteous. But she's grown on me, and this book is my favorite in the series so far. I appreciate her struggles with parenting and negotiating the changing relationships with her young lover, her niece, and her housekeeper. I also enjoyed the depiction of the power struggle with a hostile colleague, and even the mystery about the potential art forgery was satisfying. I also enjoyed the visit to Edinburgh and to the islands. My favorite part about the book was Isabel's description of being in a state of blessedness-- an awareness of how good her life is and how much she loves it and all the people in it.