Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

26 reviews

divine529's review

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious 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

This was a bit of an odd book for me. I enjoyed it while I was reading it, but if I was away, I never really felt compelled to pick it up. 
The setting was different and I really enjoyed the characters overall and their friendship, but the plot was a bit more complicated than it needed to be. There was so much going on and it often pulled me out of the story. So many murders and pieces at play and somehow everything was connected and wrapped up nicely at the end (for the most part). 
I figured out the killer for the first murder as soon as they walked on page because there's a stereotype with specific kinds of characters and it was disappointing that they fell into that same thing over and over again. The thing about knowing that though, it didn't explain anything and there really weren't many clues along the way to lead you there unless you squinted. Elizabeth just seemed to know everything from the start and pretended she didn't for the benefit of everyone else. Given her background that makes some sense, but still, it should be more of a group effort than one being a puppetmaster and everyone else the puppets to the point where several of the characters just kind of notice it and roll with it. The writing and pacing also had a lot of issues too. 
The relationships are truly where this book was in its element and some of the sleuthing was fun to read, but overall it was fun and I will probably continue just to see if they improve a bit, but slightly disappointing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fatphobia, Suicide, and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, and Grief

Minor: Animal death, Child death, and Pregnancy

deetabz's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Violence, Police brutality, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

tangleroot_eli's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

Three people I know recommended this book to me. If they'd led with how funny it is, I might've read it sooner. On the other hand, if they'd led with how corpse-strewn and emotional it is, I might've read it sooner, too. (Basically, what I'm saying is, if you're going to recommend a book to me, please tell me why you think I'd like it. No matter how much I like you, just telling me, "I liked it" won't convince me.) Anyway. This is a funny, emotional, corpse-strewn mystery, and I liked it a lot.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Graphic: Ageism Moderate: Nonconsensual drug use, Euthanasia

disasterdump's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Xenophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, and Murder

brieoqueijo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

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

5.0

This book was SO GOOD! Honestly, an amazing surprise, I love all the main character and the resolution of “who did it?” actually surprised me, which is quite hard to do these days. I laughed out laud, cried (twice) and gasped multiple times. I’d run to my roommate to tell her about it and even call my mom. Now I’m giving it to my mom so we can gossip about it. I’m super excited to read the second book and I hope there are more to come!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, and Murder

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Deportation

dkamada's review against another edition

challenging funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Misogyny, Suicide, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Domestic abuse, Abortion, Pregnancy, and War

naomi_k's review against another edition

adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual content, and Pregnancy

lunep's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

This book affected me quite a bit I think. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to continue it because the writing style was A Choice and I was kinda confused (probably because I tried to start it while there was a bunch of conversation around me), but I'm glad I stuck it out until everything started to make sense (I only needed a couple of chapters until the different plot-lines started to mesh tbf)
This book was...so lovely. I didn't remember the cast was a bunch of elderly people, but they were so funny and lovable, I have to admit I have a soft spot for elderly people. One would think murder mysteries deal a whole lot with making sense of our own mortality, but I think I haven't found one that really does it until this one, and it's not even because these octogenarians are solving a murder, but because they are octogenarians
The plot was full of twists and I didn't even try to figure out who was the murderer (ok maybe just a little, at first I was sure it had been Father Mackie but I even wrote in my note that it seemed to obvious, and for a moment there at the end I was scared it might be Joyce), and to be honest I wouldnt have gotten it, I for sure did not see it coming, but I've come to realize these kind of books dont give enough information to figure it out yourself anyway, so I don't mind never figuring it out, I enjoyed the ride nonetheless

tho I did end up a little confused about Ian's murderer reveal. The first story John told the thursday murder club made sense, because they said he worked around there I think? My ipad is charging, I might need to check it later, so like, it checks out that the body they found could have been that guy whose horse John put to sleep; but when they reveal it was actually that asshole from the murder they were investigating when Elizabeth roped Joyce into the club, that Penny had killed...I can believe that, but did they live around there, then? Coopers Chase didn't exist yet, it was stil a convent...so why did Penny bury him in the Garden of Eternal Rest? And then did she decide they should move there to keep an eye out? Like John had said? But John also mentioned something about always going to sit by the hill and then Penny made them stop...idk, that part was confusing to me, if someone reads this and understood better, pls explain?

Also I think the fact that they're 70+ year old pensioners adds to the story, of course, it could work if they were younger and, say, working in the police, like Donna and Chris, but the fact that they're 4 old men and women, who have backgrounds that can help, and whose age definitely helps butter people up...it just makes it funner I think, it also allows, of course, for the characters to have experience to draw from, and that kind of wisdom that comes with age, and I think it elevates the book from just a fun murder mystery (like a Poirot, no shade to Agatha Christie ofc) to a book that also leaves some important insights and messages
I also loved the secondary characters, Donna and Chris, who I already mentioned (I was scared for a moment there that Osman would make them an age-gap couple, but I really enjoyed what he did with their relationship instead), and also Bogdan (who I think is my favorite, he's such a sweetheart in his own way) and Father Mackie, I think Osman did a great job adding them to the POV roster to give more insight into their characters (also? I ended up finding the writing style hilarious, how it can go from one theme to another and it's still easy to follow, it felt kinda like my head) through their backstory, making them maybe not fully fleshed out characters yet, but definitely more than props/means-to-an-end
Also Ian Ventham was a insane character, every time we got his POV I couldnt help but laugh out loud at how much of a horrible human being he was
I think this book definitely became a new favorite, and I might look for it in spanish so my mom can read it

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Fatphobia, Suicide, Xenophobia, Dementia, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, and Pregnancy

izypup's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Child death, Fatphobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

te_ss_i's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Pregnancy