Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

2 reviews

bookwyrmknits's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

I enjoyed a lot about this book, though there were quite a few racial slurs that made me uncomfortable. It may have just been being true to the era when the book is set, but it still had moments that were unpleasant to read. There is also mention of a suicide attempt by one of the secondary characters early on in the book, but it is not graphic and we do not see her POV.

I've seen this on lists of cozy mysteries, but to me it doesn't quite fit the feel of a cozy. While some of the elements fit (amateur detective, female main character, not gory or overly violent) it just didn't have the tone of a cozy to me. Which is fine! I like a good historical mystery too, I just don't read as many of them.

This was a fun read, in part because I love reading about / seeing movies about / learning about Ancient Egypt. I will admit that I figured out the "who" part of the whodunnit early on, but I couldn't determine the "why" and so I was doubting myself. Definitely a book to pick up for a fun historical mystery, as long as you're able to handle some dated racial stereotypes with your mystery.

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mkelliotmk's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Warning off the top that this book is full of period-typical racism including the phrase 'master race' used unironically. I can only assume the author was (now deceased) a horrifying racist/nazi. 

The story itself is an exciting Egyptian adventure highlighting the colonial faults and lack of self-awareness of the English. While I enjoyed the action, I would note that Amelia's love interest is completely unlikeable. 

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