lindacbugg's review
4.0
3.5
I think Anne did a credible job but, that being said, it has been a long time since I finished this series and then Tony died so... But I enjoyed it for what it set out to do.
I think Anne did a credible job but, that being said, it has been a long time since I finished this series and then Tony died so... But I enjoyed it for what it set out to do.
jennms_qkw's review
4.0
One-star downgrade because not #OwnVoices.
I love the landscape, the tribe, the setting, the characters. Nice addition to the legends.
I love the landscape, the tribe, the setting, the characters. Nice addition to the legends.
erikajdea's review against another edition
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
3.75
linda48's review
5.0
Anne Hillerman created a worthy successor to her father's Leaphorn-Chee mysteries. Like her Dad, she has her book set in the Navajo Reservation along with trips to the surrounding cities, ranches and scenic areas. She, however, places her emphasis on Officer Bernie Manuelito, a tenacious, smart and multi-faceted character in the book. She is not only an officer in the Navajo Police, but the wife of Jim Chee. Her character shows a more human side to the characters and she also brings a familial presence into the book, with interactions with her mother and younger sister, Darlene. I can see these characters playing a major part in future books.
One caveat, if you have not read A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman, you will be lost because the story in a sequel to the Thief saga.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Anne Hillerman's work.
One caveat, if you have not read A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman, you will be lost because the story in a sequel to the Thief saga.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Anne Hillerman's work.
sunshine_ghost's review
2.0
A decent first effort. A little predictable at parts, but the scenes where they visited Leaphorn were very touching and heartfelt. 2.5 stars.
muddypuddle's review
3.0
3.5. It took me a long while to get through this one. I listened to it. The narrator spoke with a strong Navajo accent for both Chee and Bernadette. The pronunciation was slow and drawn out, and it wasn’t at all the voices or accents I’ve had in my head for them. It was too slow — slowed down the action, slowed down their thinking, slowed down the story. I didn’t like it. There were three or four places that 2+2 equaled 15, but it gave them clues in the right direction. Huh? A bit disconcerting. Not the same kind of writing, which is to be expected, but I’ll get used to it and continue on with the series.
drsdon's review
4.0
I recently read two books by Tony Hillerman, Anne Hillerman's father, that introduced me to the characters of Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, and Bernie Manuelito (all involved in this book). I liked those books. For a variety of reasons, I liked this book even more.
This book, for reasons that become clear in the first chapter, is told primarily from the perspective of Bernie. The book has all the similarities with the prior books written by Tony Hillerman - mystery, fast paced, entertaining (0bviously, I read it in one day). But the plot line is a little darker and more violent at times than the other books I read in the series, and Anne Hillerman does (I think) a much better job of developing the primary character. We learn a great deal about Bernie in the midst of the fast paced mystery. Those qualities make me like this book even a little more than the prior Leaphorn mysteries.
This book, for reasons that become clear in the first chapter, is told primarily from the perspective of Bernie. The book has all the similarities with the prior books written by Tony Hillerman - mystery, fast paced, entertaining (0bviously, I read it in one day). But the plot line is a little darker and more violent at times than the other books I read in the series, and Anne Hillerman does (I think) a much better job of developing the primary character. We learn a great deal about Bernie in the midst of the fast paced mystery. Those qualities make me like this book even a little more than the prior Leaphorn mysteries.
happylilfaerie's review
2.0
I just finished and I'm pretty angry, it's probably not as bad as I'm thinking right now so I'll come back to fix the rating later.
The main thing that pissed me off was that the author made the characters really stupid in order to drive the plot (while constantly telling us how smart they actually are). It's my least favourite thing untalented authors do.
Another thing I noticed was how clunky the dialogue is, it made the characters sound like robots.
The main thing that pissed me off was that the author made the characters really stupid in order to drive the plot (while constantly telling us how smart they actually are). It's my least favourite thing untalented authors do.
Another thing I noticed was how clunky the dialogue is, it made the characters sound like robots.
kimberlyp's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
jeannemurray3gmailcom's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good. Very comparable to Tony Hillerman.