annarella's review
3.0
An interesting start, a plot full of promises but the story didn't keep my attention and feel flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
readingtimeatthezoo's review
3.0
I tried so hard to enjoy this one more than I did. It really had such a great premise behind it and the writing was really good but my heart just wasn’t quite in it.
I love a good murder mystery, especially a good detective story and this one had all the marks of an Agatha Christie or Hercule Poirot style whodunit. Unfortunately for me it was just a little too bumbling and confusing.
It seemed way too long, as if the end would never arrive, but I desperately wanted to know what happened because I was actually invested in the characters. I think that’s where my frustration lay. Because it seemed too long it was often a chore to get there.
Set in Zimbabwe, the author expertly wove in issues surrounding racism and colonialism with stories past and present intertwining as it all came together. It’s a really slow burn style read, which I am absolutely a fan of, just again, because this was such a hefty book, it just took too long to reach the conclusion for me.
A great idea and premise for a story, just could have done a bit more tweaking and editing and my rating would absolutely have been higher.
A huge thank you to Parthian Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one.
I love a good murder mystery, especially a good detective story and this one had all the marks of an Agatha Christie or Hercule Poirot style whodunit. Unfortunately for me it was just a little too bumbling and confusing.
It seemed way too long, as if the end would never arrive, but I desperately wanted to know what happened because I was actually invested in the characters. I think that’s where my frustration lay. Because it seemed too long it was often a chore to get there.
Set in Zimbabwe, the author expertly wove in issues surrounding racism and colonialism with stories past and present intertwining as it all came together. It’s a really slow burn style read, which I am absolutely a fan of, just again, because this was such a hefty book, it just took too long to reach the conclusion for me.
A great idea and premise for a story, just could have done a bit more tweaking and editing and my rating would absolutely have been higher.
A huge thank you to Parthian Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one.
missmesmerized's review
challenging
dark
medium-paced
4.0
When Marcia Pullman is found stabbed in her home in the Zimbabwean town of Bulawayo, Chief Inspector Edmund Dube has not the slightest idea what hornets’ net he is kicking. The seemingly nice and neat business woman obviously had some side affairs rather on the dark side and knew how to make people comply with her rules. Not only is the case complex, also in his police station Edmund is confronted with obstacles, someone tries to boycott his investigation. But he has learnt how life works and his ethics keep him fighting for truth no matter how many spanners are thrown in his works.
Bryony Rheam’s mystery “All Come to Dust” is a kind of classic murder investigation deeply rooted in the Zimbabwe culture. Many aspects of the novel can only happen in such surroundings and are a prerequisite to develop in the first place. The protagonist is a lonely wolf with a complex character and background who determinedly follows his mission.
What I liked most was how the complexity of the story slowly unfolds. What seems to be a rather simple case motivated by well-known motives, turns out to be an actual net of diverse motivations and intentions the characters follow. It is hard to detect where the actual danger comes from and with the protagonist fighting his own battles while solving a crime, the novel provides mysteries on different levels.
Even though the plot is masterly crafted, I found it a bit lengthy at times and would have preferred a more straight-forward investigation. The character development is also brilliantly done, but this also leads to a diversion of the actual mystery plot.
An interesting read which provided me with a lot of insight into a culture completely unknown to me.
jennymcc's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
nanuska_153's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
aubreysmith9412's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book originally fascinated me as something I've never read before - I've never read Zimbabwean literature, and I was really excited to check it out. And what I found just wasn't really for me.
I found the pace meandering, and too slow for me. There was a deliberate point to the pacing, which definitely worked plot-wise, but it just didn't suit me very well. I also found I could not relate to a single character, which made it difficult for me to really get into the book.
I stuck around for the plot - I really needed to know how the mystery ended. And within that mystery was a whole web of subterfuge, deceit, devastation, and just downright irreconcilable inhumanity. It was definitely way, way more than I ever bargained for.
Overall, if the pace had been faster, I think I would have really liked this book. But as it stands, I just didn't. It was not for me, but I definitely understand the appeal. As such, I will keep this review short and sweet - the overall unraveling of the mystery made finishing the book well worth it, but I would most likely not have read it had I known how slow the pace was.
More...