beeboxingboobry's review
challenging
dark
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
hailbop's review
4.0
you really lear what edinburgh was like back then. and revenge to. go to mary king's close!!!!!
veelaughtland's review against another edition
4.0
This was a quick and engaging read. It was easy to get into, although not always an easy read due to the surprising grimness of the novel at points. The prologue in particular was particularly graphic, something I would not normally expect of a novel aimed at children. I feel that this book however can be read and enjoyed by both children and adults alike.
Nicola Morgan has obviously done her research, and the Edinburgh that she paints in her story is both arresting and heartbreaking. The poverty depicted in this novel, and the dire straits that the protagonist Robbie and his sister Essie are left in after their family is torn apart is tough and vivid to read.
The antagonists of Dr Robert Knox and Burke & Hare are also depicted very well, and you find your alliances shifting throughout the book - so much so that sometimes even you don't know whether you are rooting for Robbie or not! This I felt showed how well Morgan has painted this story, it always kept you hanging on.
Nicola Morgan has obviously done her research, and the Edinburgh that she paints in her story is both arresting and heartbreaking. The poverty depicted in this novel, and the dire straits that the protagonist Robbie and his sister Essie are left in after their family is torn apart is tough and vivid to read.
The antagonists of Dr Robert Knox and Burke & Hare are also depicted very well, and you find your alliances shifting throughout the book - so much so that sometimes even you don't know whether you are rooting for Robbie or not! This I felt showed how well Morgan has painted this story, it always kept you hanging on.
caitlin27's review
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ladylondonderry's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely not what I was expecting when I picked it up based on the title and the author's other work (Mondays are Red, I believe), but still EXCELLENT. I have gained great respect for Nicola Morgan and her work, and this book is stunningly written.
i_am_still_bb's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book. I really did, but I ended up having to force myself to finish it.
There was way too much going on for such a short book. So many different plot lines. And things would just happen and felt disjointed. The MC would turn a corner immediately to go back on it. 6_6
I may have liked it if I had been the correct age for the story.
Also, why is everything in the past-tense? Nothing about the story felt urgent and when there is murder and intrigue there needs to be a sense of urgency.
There was way too much going on for such a short book. So many different plot lines. And things would just happen and felt disjointed. The MC would turn a corner immediately to go back on it. 6_6
I may have liked it if I had been the correct age for the story.
Also, why is everything in the past-tense? Nothing about the story felt urgent and when there is murder and intrigue there needs to be a sense of urgency.
line_so_fine's review
3.0
Scotland, 1800s. 14-year-old Robbie's mother dies just one week after having a tumor removed from her breast and Robbie's father is nowhere to be found, leaving Robbie and his sister to fend for themselves in the squalor of the streets of Edinburgh. Robbie goes to work for two men who deliver fresh bodes to a doctor who needs cadavers to study surgery. Robbie suspects this doctor is the same one that killed his mother, and also suspects that people are being murdered to provide the fresh cadavers to him. This is a gripping story of revenge. Caution: there are graphic scenes where the author describes the brutal surgical practices of the time and place.
jotterthoughts's review
3.0
I live in Edinburgh. I found this book in an Edinburgh charity shop (RIP Age Scotland I miss you). Does this book deserve to be in a charity shop is the big question?
Probably not to be honest. It's decent. It's not bad at all.
However, it wasn't as good as it could have been if you ask me. If you asked me what happened about ten minutes after I put it down, all I could really do would be to shrug "eh..." There's moments of quality worldbuilding and admittedly, I enjoyed the historic atmosphere. (Even if I questioned some of the distances between the Royal Mile and Duddingston -- spoiler alert, you wouldn't catch me pushing a bread cart up that route.)
The characters were sort of more wishy washy to me. Kind of archetypey...not exactly embraced and developed. Snippets of relationships were really nice but, never really came to satisfying conclusions.
As for plot there seemed to be some kind of build up to a climax that never really hit. There just seemed to be a whole lot of denouement and very little solid action. There's a lot of ideas crammed into this plot and the story barely takes the time to really commit to any of them. Some of these ideas are really interesting but they don't get the time they need. To an extent, I wonder if someone who has no knowledge of Edinburgh and its history would pick up this book and fully appreciate it. It's kind of an identity crisis of a book -- the title and inclusion of Burke and Hare suggests a horror thriller with a historical spin, but this book veered towards almost a .... Medical crime drama.
Was it bad though? Not really. I don't hate that I have it. I might read it again. It's kind of self indulgent to read when you do know the history. Nicola Morgan writes solidly and it is enjoyable. It just feels like it's lacking oomph.
Probably not to be honest. It's decent. It's not bad at all.
However, it wasn't as good as it could have been if you ask me. If you asked me what happened about ten minutes after I put it down, all I could really do would be to shrug "eh..." There's moments of quality worldbuilding and admittedly, I enjoyed the historic atmosphere. (Even if I questioned some of the distances between the Royal Mile and Duddingston -- spoiler alert, you wouldn't catch me pushing a bread cart up that route.)
The characters were sort of more wishy washy to me. Kind of archetypey...not exactly embraced and developed. Snippets of relationships were really nice but, never really came to satisfying conclusions.
As for plot there seemed to be some kind of build up to a climax that never really hit. There just seemed to be a whole lot of denouement and very little solid action. There's a lot of ideas crammed into this plot and the story barely takes the time to really commit to any of them. Some of these ideas are really interesting but they don't get the time they need. To an extent, I wonder if someone who has no knowledge of Edinburgh and its history would pick up this book and fully appreciate it. It's kind of an identity crisis of a book -- the title and inclusion of Burke and Hare suggests a horror thriller with a historical spin, but this book veered towards almost a .... Medical crime drama.
Was it bad though? Not really. I don't hate that I have it. I might read it again. It's kind of self indulgent to read when you do know the history. Nicola Morgan writes solidly and it is enjoyable. It just feels like it's lacking oomph.
rovertoak's review
4.0
Along with plague/pestilence books, stories involving 1830s England and their version of "medicine" are pretty scary good. See [book: Resurrection Men] for a similar read...and a pretty gory description of the Smithfield meat packing district of the same era/location.