Reviews

Glass Houses by Louise Penny

elysahenegar's review against another edition

4.0

As usual, Louise Penny does not disappoint! Funny thing, my favorite detail in this book--which is all about Clara's paintings--has absolutely nothing to do with the mystery. This book's characters have such strength I feel like they're my friends and Three Pines--also a character in the book--is like a favorite getaway spot. After several hours hanging out in the Bistro (even in the middle of some crazy events) and sitting in the Gamache's living room, I'm ready to do what's good, even if it's also the most difficult thing to do. If you've never read Louise Penny before, I highly recommend that you start at the beginning with Still Life. The entire series is wonderful!

ps2's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

4.75

gunstreet's review against another edition

3.0

2.5 stars. Not sure if I would’ve enjoyed this more if I’d read other Inspector Gamache novels first, but I wasn’t as into it as I expected. The plot was very interesting but I found the style distracting— the constant breaks both made my attention wander and had the effect of making plain statements seem overly dramatic. I could’ve gone for a few more paragraphs that were more than three sentences long. I just didn’t find this engaging in the way I usually hope for most mystery/thriller novels to be, except for the final third of it.

85tarheel's review against another edition

5.0

In an act of crazy over simplification, let me say that books essentially have two main parts, the plot and the emotion (characters, etc.). This book had some plot problems, some of them so major I was thinking it might not get my highest rating as I was reading it, then in the final third of the book the emotional side took over and knocked me flat. That is writing. I can still quibble about some of the actions taken in the book. They are unrealistic and often not believable. But none of that mattered as I arrived where the characters arrived, many of these characters I have gotten to know through thirteen books now in the series. The feelings are earned through the blood, sweat, and tears of what has come before and I found myself opening weeping as certain events unfolded. Some of these were tears of sadness but often it was a reaction to a real moment of human kindness. So often today we don't see that, instead we see anger, hatred, and mistrust. A line from one of the poems in the book asks the question (paraphrased here), "where did you go when the straight road splayed?" We all start down a straight path but NO ONE gets to travel it without it falling apart. What do we do when it happens? What choices do we make? And how compassionate are we when we attempt to judge another and their choices? I also want to commend the Author's Note at the end of the book. All of it together is moving and life affirming. What more can one want?

poorashleu's review against another edition

4.0

I just really, really love this series. It took awhile to grow on me, but once it did, I never want to leave it. Everything isn't perfect in the books, but damn, they're like coming home.

jenleah's review against another edition

3.0

3.5/5

notesonbookmarks's review against another edition

3.0

This one had a but of a convoluted storyline. Harder to follow. Overly complex.

jumpinjule's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

katiez624's review against another edition

4.0

In the small village of Three Pines, a hooded figure has appeared, standing like a statue for days on end. The villagers are confused and a bit creeped out, and they are looking to Inspector Gamache for an explanation. The sequence of events is being told many months later as Gamache is on the witness stand for an important trial. Underlying this murder investigation, there is something greater at stake - a bigger crime - and Gamache must go against everything he believes to be right in order to have a chance to come out on top.

This installment was a compelling read, and the appearance of the cobrador was a truly creative plot device. I was eager to find out how everything would come together in the end and the repercussions there would be for the Suretè. The ending was satisfying but there were a few details that were not explained

Spoiler

such as how Jacqueline got Anton's DNA onto the murder weapon and why the bat had to be placed back at the crime scene

. It was also difficult to tell at times which timeline we were in when both were taking place in Three Pines. This was an important book in the series, and it showed a different side of Gamache that we haven't seen before.

kmoonen's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

4.5