I'm hard to impress and dislike almost everything I read. If I do like it, I will praise it from here to the high heavens.
Think you've got something I'll enjoy? By all means, recommend it to me!
First I have to say that Westerson did her (his?) research, and that impressed me. The novel is based in medieval times, the 1300s, and it's fascinating. It's a murder mystery patterned after a Sherlock Holmes character, but obviously set very early on.
The law was different back then, and the book gives a very accurate portrayal. It maintains a single point of view, that of Crispin Guest, the once-knighted-now-destitute personal investigator. Westerson doesn't sugar coat the prejudices of the time, or the double standard.
But while interesting, the book wasn't a page turner for me. It took me a week to finish it, and I finished it because I wanted to review it, not because I was desperate to know the ending. In truth, I could have put it down and never returned to it without ever missing it.
Perhaps it is because the characters did not draw me in. They are well written, well developed, and likable, for the most part. But I never felt a deep yearning or emotional attachment to them. Really, I'm not sure what kept me detached from the story.
Overall, though, it was a good book. And your reaction may be very different from mine. This is the first book of a series, and possibly the next book could be what hooks me. Because of that, I'm giving the book a C+.
A = Buy this book NOW
B = Buy this when you can
C = Check it out from the library
D = Don't bother reading it
F = Burn it
B = Buy this when you can
C = Check it out from the library
D = Don't bother reading it
F = Burn it
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