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dreynoldsbook's reviews
123 reviews
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I really enjoyed the first part of the novel with the creepy figure haunting the village. But the whole drugs plot left me cold and the - ‘Three Pines, a small village where civilisation as we know it could end with only Inspector Gamache to save us. And at what cost?!’ Der der der!! - thing, was tiresome.
I don’t buy the idea that the more at stake the better the novel, which seems to dominate contemporary genre fiction.
Another problem with a lot of contemporary genre fiction is over verbosity, and that’s definitely the case here. The same ground was retrodden and there was too much unnecessary information.
I saw enough in the first half to maybe try another of Penny’s novels, though I didn’t find the characters as interesting or endearing as her fans seem to do.
I don’t buy the idea that the more at stake the better the novel, which seems to dominate contemporary genre fiction.
Another problem with a lot of contemporary genre fiction is over verbosity, and that’s definitely the case here. The same ground was retrodden and there was too much unnecessary information.
I saw enough in the first half to maybe try another of Penny’s novels, though I didn’t find the characters as interesting or endearing as her fans seem to do.
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my least favourite of the four Levy novels I’ve read. I didn’t find the characters as compelling, their idiosyncrasies more irritating than intriguing and, in the case of the mother, bloody annoying! The set-up didn’t interest me and it I found myself ambivalent to it all.
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I preferred the present day story on the island to the back story, much of which seemed implausible. In the past the sharp, incisive woman we have been introduced to becomes a bit of a dullard who is slow on the uptake. Then there’s the conversations with Brendan and Rebecca at the end which were both totally unconvincing.
Also, although I’ve not read the subsequent novel(la)s, I can’t see why they couldn’t have been published as one novel rather than selling them as 4 £13 editions. He wrote them quickly enough.
The prose is very readable though, especially in the first half.
Also, although I’ve not read the subsequent novel(la)s, I can’t see why they couldn’t have been published as one novel rather than selling them as 4 £13 editions. He wrote them quickly enough.
The prose is very readable though, especially in the first half.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Long winded and quite tedious for long periods. I lost count of how many times the phrase ‘but it led to nothing’ or something like it, was used. The author would have been better addressing the salient points and not waffling on about unnecessary detail and conversations that led nowhere.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Has others have said the solution to this mystery is pretty obvious. Around halfway through there could only be one explanation. And very early in the novel it was signposted. Not that I would dismiss a crime novel because the solution was obvious per se, but one like this doesn’t have a lot to recommend it beyond the plot. It was readable enough but had nothing to distinguish it.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Quite a good plot let down by unconvincing and often superfluous dialogue. Although it’s not a long novel it could have been shorter by 50 or so pages and better for it.
Will try another of her novels. I’d rather have started with an earlier one but this was the one available at the library.
Will try another of her novels. I’d rather have started with an earlier one but this was the one available at the library.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I made the mistake of reading Heavy Weather before this as I had no idea that novel would send me down the path of reading the ‘Bally’ lot! The fact is, although, as with the Jeeves novels, you can read the Blandings novels in any order, Summer Lightening and Heavy Weather are pretty much a duology, with the latter continuing where the former ended.
Still, I enjoyed every silly, often laugh out loud, turn of events and Wodehousian turns of phrase anyway. In fact even more so than Heavy Weather I think.
Next!
Still, I enjoyed every silly, often laugh out loud, turn of events and Wodehousian turns of phrase anyway. In fact even more so than Heavy Weather I think.
Next!
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’ve avoided the non-Jeeves and Wooster Wodehouse novels until recently. I had the idea they would be missing something. But the characters in these Blandings novels are equally memorable, the prose relentlessly amusing and the conflicting and coinciding machinations of all the characters hilarious. I didn’t laugh out loud too often but quietly chuckled all my way through it.
And even the most idiotic character in the novel - Hon. Freddie Threepwood - has something memorable to say - “A chappie looked such an ass getting married…”
Never a truer word spoken!
And even the most idiotic character in the novel - Hon. Freddie Threepwood - has something memorable to say - “A chappie looked such an ass getting married…”
Never a truer word spoken!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes