Reviews

Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman

brennalistens's review against another edition

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slow-paced

3.0

jeff_s_c's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

4.5

laura_sine's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No

3.0

brighroosh's review against another edition

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3.0

HIllerman's writing saves this book from being a dour testimony to the worst inclinations of "the white man." This contrast of Native American philosophy with Anglo ambitions is played out against the backdrop of beautiful New Mexico and Arizona.
I liked the interplay of Zuni religious rites with Folsom Man's practical need to hunt with their sought after arrowheads.
I just felt the ending kind of fizzled. Perhaps the next book in the series took up some of the loose ends, but I felt let down.

old_man_niemand's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

unsolvedmysteries1's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

The second Joe Leaphorn book is better than the first since Leaphorn is in it a lot more.  I really enjoyed this book and learning more about Zuni and Navaho cultures and beliefs.  

jenmangler's review against another edition

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4.0

I really, really like Joe Leaphorn in this book. I wanted more of him in The Blessing Way, so I was thrilled when this book delivered. The way he thinks is fascinating. I'm going to enjoy spending my summer with him as I work my way through the series.

billt's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? No

3.75

cabbage_patch's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

book_concierge's review

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3.0

Audiobook performed by George Guidall

Book number two in Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn series has Joe investigating the disappearance of two Native-American boys. His efforts are complicated by the unique laws and sacred religious rites of the Zuñi people (Joe is Navajo). There are also federal agents (FBI? DEA?) involved and an important archeological dig in the middle of his search area.

I love the way Leaphorn thinks things through before acting. And I like learning little Native American cultural information in the midst of the mystery plot. Definitely a series I will continue.

George Guidall does a good job on the audio. He has good pacing and I really like the way he voices Leaphorn. There were times when Guidall’s performance transported me to my childhood, listening to my grandfather (or grandmother, or aunts or uncles) telling stories in the dark, as we all sat on the porch of a summer evening. But the press of daily life got in my way and the library deadline was fast approaching, so I abandoned the audio and finished reading the second half of the book in a day.


(Note: Updated on second reading - 29Sep20)