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A review by lawbooks600
Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell
dark
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? No
3.0
Representation: Latina characters
Score: Six points out of ten.
I own this book.
Oh look, another novel I have but haven't read until now. I didn't realise my first read of 2024 was part of a series until I checked the facts. Initially, Black Notice looked promising until I examined the ratings and reviews, consequently lowering my expectations. When I finished it after I had to pick it up and read Black Notice, it was only okay. It starts with the first character I see, Kay Scarpetta, or Kay for short, who picked off after solving her last mystery when, only after a few pages, discovers evidence for a new investigation. Kay finds a body in a box at a port, and she initially finds it unclear why it is there, but the reasons reveal themselves soon enough. Black Notice's biggest flaw is its characters because I couldn't connect or relate to them, and it didn't help that they weren't enjoyable to read either, as they were irritating. The pacing didn't work either, as even though it clocked in at over 400 pages, it read like it was longer than that. However, removing the filler pages with nothing much happening would work in Black Notice's favour. It can't even function as a standalone, making it more unsatisfying, but unfortunately, no one I know has the previous instalments. Incredibly, this series is still ongoing. In the conclusion, Kay finds the murderer, colloquially known as 'The Werewolf,' finishing the narrative.
Score: Six points out of ten.
I own this book.
Oh look, another novel I have but haven't read until now. I didn't realise my first read of 2024 was part of a series until I checked the facts. Initially, Black Notice looked promising until I examined the ratings and reviews, consequently lowering my expectations. When I finished it after I had to pick it up and read Black Notice, it was only okay. It starts with the first character I see, Kay Scarpetta, or Kay for short, who picked off after solving her last mystery when, only after a few pages, discovers evidence for a new investigation. Kay finds a body in a box at a port, and she initially finds it unclear why it is there, but the reasons reveal themselves soon enough. Black Notice's biggest flaw is its characters because I couldn't connect or relate to them, and it didn't help that they weren't enjoyable to read either, as they were irritating. The pacing didn't work either, as even though it clocked in at over 400 pages, it read like it was longer than that. However, removing the filler pages with nothing much happening would work in Black Notice's favour. It can't even function as a standalone, making it more unsatisfying, but unfortunately, no one I know has the previous instalments. Incredibly, this series is still ongoing. In the conclusion, Kay finds the murderer, colloquially known as 'The Werewolf,' finishing the narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Death, and Murder
Full trigger warnings: Death, murder, physical injury and assault, sexist slurs, dead bodies