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relf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I had high hopes for this 1946 mystery set in Oxford, and it started off amusingly, in an arch tone with a whiff of the Wodehouse about it. The plot was pleasantly ridiculous--our protagonist Cadogan happens on a dead body in a flat above a toyshop, but both body and toyshop have disappeared by the next morning--and I was hoping for an elegantly simple and entertaining solution. Cadogan's colorful friend Gervase Fen, a professor of English, leads the amateur investigation. But the plot got too complicated, I found the resolution unsatisfying, and the archness wore on me--as did the author's 1946 attitude toward female characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexism
Moderate: Animal death and Gun violence
happylilfaerie's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
I enjoyed the silliness and lighthearted sinarios that played out, as well as the literary references and themes. However the writing is a bit convuluted at times (I found myself skimming paragraphs) and the prejudices (see content warnings), while dated to the time the book was written, made for an uncomfortable reading experience. The author seems to have a hatred for anyone not of the conventionally attractive white upper class variety and made certain to let you know in the way he describes people in his writing. Whilst I didn't notice explicit racism in my edition, it may have been edited out, as others have said it appears in theirs, so be warned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Misogyny
Moderate: Classism
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