Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

4 reviews

sandysmith's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense fast-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? No

3.75

The 2nd book in the Ruth Galloway series and the main characters are back. DCI Harry Nelson is my favourite, although I do love a strong female lead. There is still the fat shaming that I can do without, but other than that, it's looking like a series I'm going to pursue. For those who've not met Dr. Ruth Galloway, she is a forensic archaeologist who is called in by police and, in particular, by Nelson. The crime mystery involves the body of a child with it's head missing being found in a children's home, but this, in a way, is a side story to the messy relationships of Ruth who is pregnant with married Nelson's baby. Other characters are back to, and I do have a soft spot for the druid Cathbad, but I am also pleased to see Judy and Clough from Nelson's team. My favourite Norfolk salt marshes where Ruth lives are also back, which have a character of its own. All in all, it is a gripping, fast-paced, and surprisingly humourous crime based read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Pregnancy

fossilreads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

What a wild ride, poor Ruth getting sucked into all this insanity when she just wants to study bones!

I had a great time reading this and I'm so glad I stuck until the end. I wasn't so hooked that I'd drop everything else just to read on, but it still kept me interested and I'm so glad to have read it right now for a little more chilled attitude to making progress in the book. 

Love the fast pacing in the end, and how the mystery kept me guessing, but was still well set up so I could have figured it out if I wanted to spend a little more time on that instead of finding out as Ruth and the others did.

Glad to see Ruth getting a little better with her fatphobia, but I'm hoping she doesn't go back later! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Fatphobia, Violence, Blood, Stalking, and Pregnancy

Minor: Body shaming and Child abuse

sasshq's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Stalking, Murder, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

gemin1reader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.5

I enjoyed this more than the first in the series - I’m particularly enjoying seeing the relationship between Ruth and Nelson develop. Also delighted that Cathbad is a recurring character!

The story has a bit of a slow start but increases in pace and urgency until I was racing to the finish. 

Also as a lapsed/former Catholic I really like how it explores religion. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Infidelity, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Vomit

Minor: Adult/minor relationship