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rosieteas's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
ayatom's review against another edition
3.0
The relationship between Maud and Cathal was endearing. If you take everything out and just leave that, I would have rated it higher tbh. But I did like the magic realism element and Maud's interactions with the saints. The writing style really helped sell it. My issue is she seemed so reliant on the supernatural help and without it, made some pretty amateur blunders.
Firstly, Maud made an assumption on the identity of a stranger. She overlooked asking for any identification to confirm it before sharing information on a potential murder, didn't note the red flags (he practically admitted to stalking her), and put off trying to learn who the person she was sleeping and sharing patient details with was. Is social media not a thing here?
Her eccentric mystery-novel-lover landlord, Renata, was a fun character though. Wish she also has a book written about her life because she's interesting. It's just frustrating that she was so trusting of a stranger. Actually, they both were and they got played big time. So, the lesson here is, ask for ID.
As for the mysteries, the side story with Maud's sister didn't intrigue me as much. Then the multiple reveals about the main mystery weren't as impactful because they were kind of obvious but Maud was just so slow to realize them. The red herrings also made it more complicated than it was that the conclusion did not live up.
Firstly, Maud made an assumption on the identity of a stranger. She overlooked asking for any identification to confirm it before sharing information on a potential murder, didn't note the red flags (he practically admitted to stalking her), and put off trying to learn who the person she was sleeping and sharing patient details with was. Is social media not a thing here?
Her eccentric mystery-novel-lover landlord, Renata, was a fun character though. Wish she also has a book written about her life because she's interesting. It's just frustrating that she was so trusting of a stranger. Actually, they both were and they got played big time. So, the lesson here is, ask for ID.
As for the mysteries, the side story with Maud's sister didn't intrigue me as much. Then the multiple reveals about the main mystery weren't as impactful because they were kind of obvious but Maud was just so slow to realize them. The red herrings also made it more complicated than it was that the conclusion did not live up.
the_prickly_reader's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
lunaseline's review
4.0
Låt inte titeln lura dig (en person som samlat på sig massor av skräp). Eller premissen (en socialarbetare kommer hem till personen som samlat på sig massor av skräp). Det här är en saga! Och en spökhistoria! Och en deckare! Och en kärlekshistoria! (om än ej romantisk sådan)
Har du svårt för övernaturligheter, konstiga karaktärer, historiska återblickar eller agorafobiska transpersoner ska du undvika denna bok. Likaså om du ogillar irländare, vidskeplighet och katter.
Men då är du tråkig. Och den här boken är aldrig tråkig. Faktiskt till och med humoristisk ibland, trots de breda stråken av sorg och melankoli.
När jag började fundera på recension och betyg tänkte jag att jag skulle säga något om att årets andra fyror ofta handlat om ett vackert språk, medan denna handlar mer om fantasin och historiebygget. Sedan läste jag vidare och inser att jag är kär i språket också; superfint ju. Stark fyra alltså. Trots titeln.
Har du svårt för övernaturligheter, konstiga karaktärer, historiska återblickar eller agorafobiska transpersoner ska du undvika denna bok. Likaså om du ogillar irländare, vidskeplighet och katter.
Men då är du tråkig. Och den här boken är aldrig tråkig. Faktiskt till och med humoristisk ibland, trots de breda stråken av sorg och melankoli.
När jag började fundera på recension och betyg tänkte jag att jag skulle säga något om att årets andra fyror ofta handlat om ett vackert språk, medan denna handlar mer om fantasin och historiebygget. Sedan läste jag vidare och inser att jag är kär i språket också; superfint ju. Stark fyra alltså. Trots titeln.
hbcbray's review against another edition
3.0
A confused book, overburdened by imagination, but never so much that I didn't want to finish it.
livres_de_bloss's review against another edition
2.0
This wasn’t my type of book at all. It was strange with unlikeable characters, violent/gory imagery, and very little plot.
The saints thing was just odd and didn’t fit the story. I have yet to figure out what the overall purpose of the story was (mystery of Maud’s sister, mystery of Cathal’s daughter, fraudulent identities, cover-up, murder, paranormal?). It felt like it was trying to be too many things at once and succeeding at none.
Neither the UK or the NA title makes a lot of sense. I would assume a book called The Hoarder would be about the trials and tribulations of a hoarder (which would be interesting) but this had none of that, the hoarding barely factored in at all.
The saints thing was just odd and didn’t fit the story. I have yet to figure out what the overall purpose of the story was (mystery of Maud’s sister, mystery of Cathal’s daughter, fraudulent identities, cover-up, murder, paranormal?). It felt like it was trying to be too many things at once and succeeding at none.
Neither the UK or the NA title makes a lot of sense. I would assume a book called The Hoarder would be about the trials and tribulations of a hoarder (which would be interesting) but this had none of that, the hoarding barely factored in at all.