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mumsie_2's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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
3.0
essjay1's review against another edition
3.0
Easy to follow on audio, not super engaging, easy for these type of characters to slip from quirky to irritating so let’s hope they can remain interesting.
hsami22's review against another edition
Just not into it. The writing was a bit awkward to read.
deschatjes's review against another edition
3.0
Started off reasonably well but then this mix between a white version of no.1 detective agency & I don’t know what didn’t really make it.
mglamable'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
spiderelsa's review against another edition
4.0
Book Club Read. A bit on the plodding side, but also it trucked along well enough. Cultural differences are sometimes nuanced to read through, of course. In the end, I think we were a little confused about what was happening exactly because of the "sensitive" nature of the topic. Reminiscent of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but how much of that was just the setting? I haven't put real analytical thought into that.
aroth's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.5
claraiso's review against another edition
5.0
Have you ever found a book that somehow matched everything you wanted in a book, even desires which you couldn't vocalize? This is that book for me. This the book equivalent of all of your favorite actors in the movie of your dreams, or your favorite song being sung by all your favorite singers.
I know, that's high praise. And I guarantee many people will try this book and hate it. But take a look at the cover, read the back, the first page. You'll pretty much know right away if this is your cup of tea.
If you're a huge mystery fan like me, this is the most original one I've read in a long time. The only thing I can sort of equate it to is the "All The Wrong Questions" mystery series by Lemony Snicket, with its quirky cases and irreverent humor. The twists of the cases often actually surprised me, as I'm now pretty savvy to the classic tropes.
This book is also dialogue-heavy, and a lot of the dialogue is either kind of philosophical or has nothing to do with the actual plot. Similarly, there are a lot of tangents, though I found them just as delightful as the rest of the story. I'm a big fan of all of this, so I was pretty much in literary heaven.
I thought the characters were all likable, and though it's not strictly a comedy novel, it remains one of the only books I've ever laughed at loud at (several times!!) The only problem I have now is I can't find anything similar to devour. Eagerly awaiting book two!
I know, that's high praise. And I guarantee many people will try this book and hate it. But take a look at the cover, read the back, the first page. You'll pretty much know right away if this is your cup of tea.
If you're a huge mystery fan like me, this is the most original one I've read in a long time. The only thing I can sort of equate it to is the "All The Wrong Questions" mystery series by Lemony Snicket, with its quirky cases and irreverent humor. The twists of the cases often actually surprised me, as I'm now pretty savvy to the classic tropes.
This book is also dialogue-heavy, and a lot of the dialogue is either kind of philosophical or has nothing to do with the actual plot. Similarly, there are a lot of tangents, though I found them just as delightful as the rest of the story. I'm a big fan of all of this, so I was pretty much in literary heaven.
I thought the characters were all likable, and though it's not strictly a comedy novel, it remains one of the only books I've ever laughed at loud at (several times!!) The only problem I have now is I can't find anything similar to devour. Eagerly awaiting book two!
alnicholl77's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0