A review by laylavv
The Blackhouse by Peter May

dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I bought this trilogy for my Husband because we were visiting the Isle of Lewis. The cottage we are holidaying at had a copy and I dived in too despite it not being my usual genre. 
I think staying in the island and even on one of the roads mentioned several times has helped immerse me into the story even more, the author did a good job of describing the coast, villages and feel of the Island. Had I not been here I don't think I would have been that hooked.
I feel like the murder took a back burner to the trauma and was wrapped up fairly quickly at the end but the flashbacks and lead up to the end are important. 
I don't feel like concussion causing someone to  forget a decade of child abuse is very realistic, I'd of enjoyed the story more if that hadn't been part of it. I also feel the lack of discussion about the death of the 8yo son felt lazy
I would have preferred it if there wasn't such a large and detailed section of the book to be about the out dated practice of guga (baby gannet birds) hunting. I think this was focused on too much, possibly to get the islanders on the authors side. Museums and gift shops stock it 14 years later. 
All in all it was well written and the attention to detail about the island was written very well. A couple of tweaks and it would have been an easy 5. 
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