Scan barcode
organchordsandlightning's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thought it was a lot of fun! Canon Chambers is a likable main character, and it's genuinely really funny how much of his reaction is 'please don't make me get involved in this. I don't want to be doing this right now'. A larger portion of the book than I expected does revolve around Chambers' love life, which kind of made it drag, but a lot of fun overal!
kathieboucher's review against another edition
2.0
Really disappointing, wooden and flat. The PBS TV series is far superior to the book.
jwoodsum's review against another edition
4.0
Love Sydney & Geordie - great compliment to the tv series
judyapneeb's review against another edition
5.0
What a delight. I've started to watch the adaptation of this and thought it might be worth a visit. I know that there have been some reviews in which they discuss how much they like the show more than the book. I would have to disagree. Some of the melodrama that has seeped into the TV story isn't as fun as the book version. I think it's best to separate both and look at them at different angles.
I have the other three books on hold as well as the five title, which comes out in June. I look forward to visiting these characters again in their written form.
I have the other three books on hold as well as the five title, which comes out in June. I look forward to visiting these characters again in their written form.
johnsont139's review against another edition
5.0
The mysteries are only part of the story. Canon Sidney Chambers, an Anglican priest near Cambridge at the start of 1950s, is a wonderful character. Read the book and check out the PBS series, "Grantchester."
marvelmama19's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to enjoy this book because the miniseries is wonderful. The prose, however, is awkward and shallow.
booklover1974's review against another edition
4.0
A cost mystery that transports you to a small, English village. Apparently this series is now a tv series on BBC.
adamrshields's review against another edition
4.0
Short Review - this is the basis for the PBS TV show that has a second season coming soon. This is more a collection of related short stories rather than a full cohesive book. But the young parish priest outside of Cambridge in the 1950s is a good main character. His struggle with his life and calling is compelling reading although that is the main interest here. The mysteries are decent but nothing special. It is the character development that I am more interested in.
Also interesting (I found out after I finished the book) part of what makes Chambers a realistic character is that the author is the son of the former Archbishop of Canterbury (from 1980 to 1991). And like Sidney Chambers, Archbishop Runcie was a military officer in WWII and a young parish priest in the Cambridge area in the 1950s.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/sidney-chambers-and-the-shadow-of-death-by-jame-runcie-granchester-mysteries-1/
Also interesting (I found out after I finished the book) part of what makes Chambers a realistic character is that the author is the son of the former Archbishop of Canterbury (from 1980 to 1991). And like Sidney Chambers, Archbishop Runcie was a military officer in WWII and a young parish priest in the Cambridge area in the 1950s.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/sidney-chambers-and-the-shadow-of-death-by-jame-runcie-granchester-mysteries-1/
katreniah's review against another edition
5.0
I enjoy the TV show; I absolutely LOVE the book. I didn't realize how much depth would be added to Sidney's character once we could get inside his head and really understand how the detective work he keeps getting drawn into pulls against how much time and attention he feels he should be devoting to his ministry. The book is unique to most mystery novels in that he solves 5 different mysteries in this novel alone. It was like reading an entire TV season, although each story that they have filmed from this novel is a little different on screen than it is on paper, something I find keeps both media fresh and interesting. I highly recommend it.