Reviews

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

toni_nb's review against another edition

4.0

3.5 stars rounded up to 4
Borrowed ebook from Libby

Good read, small twist in the end which was a little unexpected. Not as good as the first book imo but plenty good to keep on going with the series.

tfisher78's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

elenaterraneo's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

salla_kirjainmerkit's review against another edition

emotional funny informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

sydhoops's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

vickyjclare's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

knaglieri's review against another edition

4.0

I'm enjoying this series so much that I don't care that the books are a bit formulaic and that it's ridiculous that an archaeologist would find herself in the middle of so many mysterious police cases.

kaylo88's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

In the second instalment of the series, I found the overall experience to be quite enjoyable, although it didn't quite reach the level of engagement that the first book offered. The protagonist, Ruth, continues to struggle with self-hate and engages in fat-shaming herself, which, while adding depth to her character, did become somewhat repetitive and tiresome for me as a reader.

The storyline was compelling, but I couldn't help but find it slightly less believable than the narrative in the first book. However, I was thoroughly impressed by the detailed portrayal of archaeology, although I did notice a few inaccuracies. For example, in a discussion about skull structure and Neanderthals, there was a minor oversight regarding the interbreeding between humans and Neanderthals, as evidenced by the presence of Neanderthal DNA in modern humans. A forensic archaeologist would likely have mentioned this crucial fact, adding a layer of authenticity to the narrative.

Overall I did enjoy and will likely read the next in the series.

joeydrozario's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

bevgrey's review against another edition

4.0

The characters are believable, the story well plotted and paced. This would be a five star book if I didn't find the third person present tense so irksome. Novels written in the first person present tense are sufficiently annoying; Griffiths' style makes it difficult for me to relax into the narrative. That said, I will most likely continue with the series despite the author's quirk. Some things are worth putting up with.