Reviews

Gods and Beasts by Denise Mina

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lambsears's review against another edition

3.0

I had downloaded this on to my Kindle, so just grabbed it for a quick, light read.
I'm not so sure about light, as it is set in the gloomy, crime-ridden streets of Glasgow in winter and Mina portrays the dark menace of the city and it's underbelly most convincingly.
The story line is a little tangled and it becomes difficult to tell the bad guys from the good - exactly the problem faced by Detective Alex Morrow.
A satisfying read.

dr_oligo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.75

mudmule's review against another edition

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1.0

I read this book and I was not impressed with it. I just couldn't get involved in the action and it seemed disjointed to me in the twisting plots. I was also disappointed with the ending. I had assumed that the corruption would go all the way to the top, not just to the chief dectective's assistant/partner. Also, the corruption really didn't go anywhere, at least not to me. I realize that the setting was not in America but I don't like to read accents and "local speech" in any book no matter where the location. This just wasn't my type or style of book. However, thank you for the opportunity to read it.

bythegraceofbooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

krobart's review against another edition

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4.0

I discovered Denise Mina’s gritty crime novels shortly after the publication of her first book. They are unfailingly excellent, with gripping plots, complex characters, and complicated moral dilemmas. Mina’s writing is spare and elegant. You can’t go wrong with her if you have a taste for dark, dramatic crime novels.

See my complete review here:

http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/gods-and-beasts/

ridgewaygirl's review against another edition

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5.0

DC Alex Morrow has changed over time. In the first few books of this series she was combative and angry, but now, what with being a mother of twins and happy in her personal life, she's mellowed at work and worried that the officers working under her can sense she's gone soft. And this is Glasgow. No place for a cop who's lost her edge.

A few days before Christmas and there's been a brutal shooting during a robbery at a post office, leaving a man dead. There are questions about the victim's behavior before he was shot and the man who had been standing behind him seems to be more than just a by-stander. Morrow wants to do more than just find the perpetrator, she wants to find out why it happened. Along the way, there's a disgraced politician and the possibility of police corruption.

Mina always writes fantastic books, tartan noir at its finest. Alex Morrow is a wonderful protagonist; she's tough and ballsy, while still able to hurt for all the people scarred by life in a tough city.