marrbarnett's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
craftsbury's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Installment number 7 in the Inspector Lynley series; I didn't like this one as much, it seemed to drag to me. I didn't figure out who the killer was until the very end so the author still has me stumped until the end.
hedyharper's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Blood, Chronic illness, Ableism, Abortion, Classism, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Animal death, Death of parent, Grief, Gaslighting, Medical content, Addiction, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Death, Murder, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Dementia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Bullying, Racism, Sexual content, Hate crime, Violence, and Xenophobia
thelibraryduck's review against another edition
4.0
La George s'è ripresa. Meno male, ero sinceramente preoccupata.
In questo libro le vette di patema d'animo si fanno quasi insopportabili. Succede di tutto: dal wannabe incesto al fallimento personale, alla sessualità frustrata, ai conflitti familiari, all'omicidio (naturalmente).
Linley e Helen continuano con le loro scenette Harmony. In teoria dovrei odiare Helen, ma è troppo simpatica persino per il mio nero e malvagio cuore; inoltre, forse il fatto che le oche siano obbligatoriamente odiose ha un che di leggenda urbana.
Havers fa amicizia con i nuovi vicini di casa: un pakistano azzimato e la sua bambina, una peste intraprendente. Posso forse sperare in un seguito tra il sergente Havers e Taymullah Comesichiamah? Sì, sì, sto acquisendo la mentalità Harmony che permea la serie. Non sono brava? Se continua così riuscirò persino a commuovermi, un giorno.
Stavolta ho molto apprezzato la costruzione dell'assassino e delle sue motivazioni. Ho anche un po' fatto il tifo per l'assassino, a dire il vero. Sarà che nemmeno io credo all'amore come cosa "senza causa", o alle coppie maleassortite (ne ho viste troppe spaccarsi tra lacrime e sangue). Sarà che anche io, se mi sposassi male, probabilmente mi ostinerei a mandare avanti la baracca contro ogni evidenza, annegando tutto nel lavoro (lo sto già facendo, anche se non con un matrimonio). Sarà che avrei messo anche io fuori i gattini, prima di appiccare l'incendio. Comunque boh, mi ha coinvolto.
C'è anche una tonnellata di psicoanalisi spicciola, del tipo "oh che gegno che è la mia amica psicoanalista con 'ste cose del fuoco e dei serpenti, aspetta che le metto nel libro". Il che, ovvio, mi diverte anche di più.
In questo libro le vette di patema d'animo si fanno quasi insopportabili. Succede di tutto: dal wannabe incesto al fallimento personale, alla sessualità frustrata, ai conflitti familiari, all'omicidio (naturalmente).
Linley e Helen continuano con le loro scenette Harmony. In teoria dovrei odiare Helen, ma è troppo simpatica persino per il mio nero e malvagio cuore; inoltre, forse il fatto che le oche siano obbligatoriamente odiose ha un che di leggenda urbana.
Havers fa amicizia con i nuovi vicini di casa: un pakistano azzimato e la sua bambina, una peste intraprendente. Posso forse sperare in un seguito tra il sergente Havers e Taymullah Comesichiamah? Sì, sì, sto acquisendo la mentalità Harmony che permea la serie. Non sono brava? Se continua così riuscirò persino a commuovermi, un giorno.
Stavolta ho molto apprezzato la costruzione dell'assassino e delle sue motivazioni. Ho anche un po' fatto il tifo per l'assassino, a dire il vero. Sarà che nemmeno io credo all'amore come cosa "senza causa", o alle coppie maleassortite (ne ho viste troppe spaccarsi tra lacrime e sangue). Sarà che anche io, se mi sposassi male, probabilmente mi ostinerei a mandare avanti la baracca contro ogni evidenza, annegando tutto nel lavoro (lo sto già facendo, anche se non con un matrimonio). Sarà che avrei messo anche io fuori i gattini, prima di appiccare l'incendio. Comunque boh, mi ha coinvolto.
C'è anche una tonnellata di psicoanalisi spicciola, del tipo "oh che gegno che è la mia amica psicoanalista con 'ste cose del fuoco e dei serpenti, aspetta che le metto nel libro". Il che, ovvio, mi diverte anche di più.
lori_loves_reading's review against another edition
3.0
I really like the Lynley series but this one didn't seem to have enough of him and Havers in it especially in the beginning. And I really didn't like Olivia at all!
kmpuzzled's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
debbiecuddy's review against another edition
4.0
Even though the story dragged a bit toward the end, the complex characters and many threads to the story kept me reading. So far, this is my favorite book in this series.
lilias's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tilted_back's review against another edition
3.0
Good, but long-winded compared to the previous books in the series.
erinequalspeace's review against another edition
5.0
Beware of Spoilers (also applies to Missing Joseph)
***
***
I appreciate the complexity and skill of intertwining another character's voice into the storytelling of this novel. While Olivia is unlikable in many instances, her story is interesting and develops in ways I didn't expect. In addition to the central mystery of the whodunnit, the story is propelled along by the mystery of her past and how she connects to the crime.
Also I realized after the sixth book, Missing Joseph, that I actively dislike Deborah. Since she is not in Playing for the Ashes, I enjoyed the book a lot more. At first in the series, I was interested in how Deborah was connected to Lynley and Simon, but once that was explained, I had a hard time understanding or sympathizing with her feelings about motherhood. Each time George delved into Deborah's personal drama in Missing Joseph, I was uncomfortably reminded that she is 24--so young and, despite being married, so immature. I still feel squicky about how her relationship with her "brother-uncle" Simon became a romantic relationship. Reminders of her continued immaturity do not dispel the squickiness, but only reinforce it. I'll take 10 books of Havers over another 10 pages about Deborah. I've gotten off topic, but that is a major part of why I prefer Playing for the Ashes over Missing Joseph (if only it had been called Missing Deborah).
Feelings about Deborah aside, I like the balance between Havers' and Lynley's personal lives and the mysteries large and small in Playing for the Ashes.
***
***
I appreciate the complexity and skill of intertwining another character's voice into the storytelling of this novel. While Olivia is unlikable in many instances, her story is interesting and develops in ways I didn't expect. In addition to the central mystery of the whodunnit, the story is propelled along by the mystery of her past and how she connects to the crime.
Also I realized after the sixth book, Missing Joseph, that I actively dislike Deborah. Since she is not in Playing for the Ashes, I enjoyed the book a lot more. At first in the series, I was interested in how Deborah was connected to Lynley and Simon, but once that was explained, I had a hard time understanding or sympathizing with her feelings about motherhood. Each time George delved into Deborah's personal drama in Missing Joseph, I was uncomfortably reminded that she is 24--so young and, despite being married, so immature. I still feel squicky about how her relationship with her "brother-uncle" Simon became a romantic relationship. Reminders of her continued immaturity do not dispel the squickiness, but only reinforce it. I'll take 10 books of Havers over another 10 pages about Deborah. I've gotten off topic, but that is a major part of why I prefer Playing for the Ashes over Missing Joseph (if only it had been called Missing Deborah).
Feelings about Deborah aside, I like the balance between Havers' and Lynley's personal lives and the mysteries large and small in Playing for the Ashes.