Scan barcode
A review by mundinova
Talking About Detective Fiction by P.D. James
3.0
A catch-all book about history of the British mystery and James's approach to writing.
As a P.D. James fan, this was a no-brainer for me to pick up and read. It's short and informative, and if you're at all interested in the origins of the whodunit or what P.D. James thinks about murder mysteries, then this is a no-brainer for you as well.
A word of caution: This book is not all-inclusive. You won't walk away feeling like you just finished a semester of History of Mystery Literature. You'll pick up some interesting insights and check the reference list in the back for future books to add to your TBR pile. You'll also learn the "rules" each reader expects the author to follow when they pick up a mystery. Then you'll learn about all the authors who broke those rules and how they got away with it.
James is one of the best writers there ever was, regardless of genre. I believe if she hadn't picked murder mysteries as her favorite stories to tell then we would be talking about her in the same breath as noted modern literature masterpiece creators. Genre gets a bad wrap at the expense of genius storytellers like James. When someone as talented as James wants to share their love of the craft with you, well, you sit down and take what you can get.
Message: 3 stars
Writing: 5 stars
As a P.D. James fan, this was a no-brainer for me to pick up and read. It's short and informative, and if you're at all interested in the origins of the whodunit or what P.D. James thinks about murder mysteries, then this is a no-brainer for you as well.
A word of caution: This book is not all-inclusive. You won't walk away feeling like you just finished a semester of History of Mystery Literature. You'll pick up some interesting insights and check the reference list in the back for future books to add to your TBR pile. You'll also learn the "rules" each reader expects the author to follow when they pick up a mystery. Then you'll learn about all the authors who broke those rules and how they got away with it.
James is one of the best writers there ever was, regardless of genre. I believe if she hadn't picked murder mysteries as her favorite stories to tell then we would be talking about her in the same breath as noted modern literature masterpiece creators. Genre gets a bad wrap at the expense of genius storytellers like James. When someone as talented as James wants to share their love of the craft with you, well, you sit down and take what you can get.
Message: 3 stars
Writing: 5 stars