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craalm's review against another edition
3.0
So I generally try not to read books that tell the story of a series that I love, because experience tells me that the book can never live up to the series. This is that one book that shows me that this is not always the case. The writing was brilliant, despite the fact that the dialogue came from the show itself and was therefore not written by the author. It didn't feel fake or forced. It was lovely to get inside the characters' heads after watching them on the show, especially Alec, Ellie and Beth, and I feel like I know them even better for reading this book. I was so prepared to be let down by this book. On the contrary, I really enjoyed it!
sammyc458's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
egleta's review against another edition
1.0
I've read fanfiction written better than this. The conversations were ok, but they were taken mostly word by word from the tv series. All other descriptions didn't spark any emotion. I liked the tv series way more and I recommend people to stick with it.
jakegreyxx's review against another edition
2.0
I love Broadchurch, it's one of my favourite shows and I was quite excited to find someone had written a book. Unfortunately I was quite disappointed in the book. Parts of the writing were poorly done, some to a point where they didn't make sense, no matter what angle you read them at, and some parts were just bad.
Overall the author did manage to tell the story and keep it interesting, but despite my love for the show and the story itself, I would not be recommending this book, and if this is a preview of her other writing, I wouldn't be recommending the author either.
Overall the author did manage to tell the story and keep it interesting, but despite my love for the show and the story itself, I would not be recommending this book, and if this is a preview of her other writing, I wouldn't be recommending the author either.
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
5.0
Saw the TV-Series first, so I knew the how-dunnit and it was still a good book, even without the suspense.
As with the UK-TV-Series, binge-watched from Blu-ray in 2 days, the focus is on all the victims this crime has, and not so much on the killer. Still, I did not guess who the killer was in the TV-series.
Compared to the show, the book is less subtle, you get more insight in the actions and more background, to name just one, which was for me muddled and unclear in the show: Lucy. Maybe I was not watching with the same concentration with which I read a book and I missed some details, to name it here, would be to spoil both the book and more so the show, for those who have not read the book nor seen the show.
As a standalone, without the TV-show it is a good book, maybe for some not worth 5 stars, but as an addition to the TV-show it is great.
Highly recommended for fans of UK scenery (Dorset), UK-TV-shows and to anyone who has watched or will watch Broadchurch or the US-remake Gracepoint (although they are supposed to change some of the story, I watched the first 2 episodes and they where nearly identical to Broadchurch, which makes me question the point of a remake, they even put David Tennant in the same character in the US-version).
As with the UK-TV-Series, binge-watched from Blu-ray in 2 days, the focus is on all the victims this crime has, and not so much on the killer. Still, I did not guess who the killer was in the TV-series.
Compared to the show, the book is less subtle, you get more insight in the actions and more background, to name just one, which was for me muddled and unclear in the show: Lucy. Maybe I was not watching with the same concentration with which I read a book and I missed some details, to name it here, would be to spoil both the book and more so the show, for those who have not read the book nor seen the show.
As a standalone, without the TV-show it is a good book, maybe for some not worth 5 stars, but as an addition to the TV-show it is great.
Highly recommended for fans of UK scenery (Dorset), UK-TV-shows and to anyone who has watched or will watch Broadchurch or the US-remake Gracepoint (although they are supposed to change some of the story, I watched the first 2 episodes and they where nearly identical to Broadchurch, which makes me question the point of a remake, they even put David Tennant in the same character in the US-version).
ollythetree's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
remia1996's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
ahomelibrary's review against another edition
This is my first review of 2021! Today’s book is Broadchurch by Erin Kelly, published in 2014 by Minotaur Books. It is based off the UK television series Broadchurch, which ran for 3 seasons a few years ago. It was a total hit, but I didn’t get ’round to watching it until 2020’s quarantine brought opportunities to blow through that endless To Be Watched list. Immediately, I knew I had come across an awesome show. I am already a fan of Tennant and Colman, so I cannot believe that it took so long for me to watch this show; however, there are so many other movies and series out there that I haven’t watched yet, knowing darn well they’re probably just as good.
When I found out that there was a book version of the show, I was curious to know how it translated. Earlier this year, I also watched “The Stranger” on Netflix, a UK rendition of a Harlan Coben book of the same name. The show and the book were dissimilar but kept the major premises; so, I wanted to see how the book interpreted the show.
It’s interesting to see how books and media are related. Books are made into shows or films, and sometimes shows are turned into books. So, in this instance, I’m sort of talking about both the show and the book because they are almost identical in all ways that matter.
Summary
In an idyllic coastal English town, the murder of an 11-year old boy shocks the small, tight-knit community. We are introduced to detective Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman in the show), recently returned from a transatlantic vacation hoping for the good news of a promotion; however, she is gutted when she finds out she’s been usurped by an infamous cop from a botched high-profile case, Alec Hardy (David Tennant in the show). Career tensions are however set aside momentarily when the body of a teenage boy is found on the beach of Broadchurch, and Ellie and Alec are tasked with finding out what happened.
Ellie discovers quickly that the deceased is Daniel (Danny) Latimer, the son of her close friends Beth and Mark Latimer and the best friend of her own pre-teen boy. The story spends time developing Ellie as a detective — this is her first big murder case, she is so close to the family and community that it is hard to put those biases aside). Whereas, Alec’s hardened nature, while frustrating to Ellie, guides her during the investigation. The storyline is similar to that of the “small-town community has secrets unveiled during investigation of a crime” trope. Characters have motives that are hidden under layers of secrets. Each of these secrets are suspicious in their own right.
Ultimately, the investigation takes its course, and they do figure out who killed Danny. This book only covers the first season of the show, so if you’ve watched the show, then you know who it is and what happens after during the trial. However, as just a book, you’ll only know the killer and assume that it is over.
Review
First, let me say that I loved the Broadchurch television series (season 1 is great, 2 is good but I could do without the Lee Ashworth storyline, 3 is okay). For the purposes of this review, I’ll just be taking the book into consideration, but I will preface this section by saying that the book is a pretty solid rendition of the show. It stays true to the dialogue, nature, premises, and actions of the characters. If you’ve seen the show, you know what happens in this book.
This is my first book by the author, Erin Kelly. Immediately after finishing Broadchurch, I picked up another of her books (I got several when checking out at the library), The Burning Air. So, really, I can say this: Kelly has a straightforward way of writing. She does not spend extra pages talking about the beauty of someone’s frown lines. In the case of this book, her interpretation of the show is straightforward and true to the plot. In several cases, I think it’s pretty much exactly the same dialogue and timeline.
So, let’s approach this as if you hadn’t seen the show and it was just a book you found at the library. First, the writing is straightforward. There is a litany of characters, all intertwined in this intimate small-town, which means that you have to either keep track of them all or only focus on Ellie or Beth. You may find it difficult to form any attachment or allegiance to the characters in the book, whereas the series is the exact opposite (I think I was rooting for Ellie and Alec, as well as the Latimer’s from Day 1, with blind allegiance!). The book moves quite quickly, and since there is a lot to digest without any significant amount of time spent with one character or POV, it may all feel rushed. Yet, at the end of the reading, these are my key takeaways:
The book and show’s entertainment value came from two areas for me. The first is the relationships of the town’s citizens.
There are a lot of characters to get to know in this book. You have Ellie and Alec as the two lead detectives. They each have their own backstory, with Ellie having Joe and her sons involved in the plot; Alec has a brooding backstory but it doesn’t come up hot until later in the show. He does however bring baggage and journalist Karen. You also have the Latimer family (Mark, Beth, Chloe, Liz, and Danny). They are all part of the plot and have some sort of development as characters. Then you have the attractive Australian pub owner, Becca Fisher, and the creepy news agent, Jack Marshall. Oh, and don’t forget the cute and modern vicar Paul. The gambler Aunt (Ellie’s sister) and her son, Olly, the journalist, who works with Maggie at the Broadchurch Echo. There’s also Nigel, Mark’s best friend and co-worker, and his side story with the creepy misanthrope Susan. There’s a lot to cover here… but it all weaves together quite concisely in the end.
The second factor contributing to the value of this book’s entertainment value is the revelations and secrets that serve as sort of red herrings during the typical “small town” uncovering during the investigation of a high profile crime shtick. The best part in Broadchurch is how all of these secrets and revelations actually turn out to harm the pursuit of justice (see: second series, you won’t know that in the book). In the book’s view, the killer is found out not due to the revelation of all these secrets and twists, but rather due to the perpetrator just giving up the ruse. As a result it seems like all of this was done for a waste — so many lives were touched by the killer, some more than others in terms of harm…. but this, in my opinion, is an example of how a “happy ending” is not really happy in all cases. It’s just an ending, it’s the best you can get in this situation.
This novelization would not be as impactful if you didn’t know the show’s plot or ending before you read it. The value of this storyline is best exhibited through its media portrayal, with excellent acting from household names. Yet, if you are a fan of reading and a fan of reading interpretations of tv shows you like (some reviews I have seen are like me: I like to see what others see in the show, how they convey the same story I watched) then this will be a good read for you.
Book gets 3.5/4 stars, MILLAHHHH!!!!
TV Show gets 4/5 stars for me for the first season, the rest gets 3.
Content: Murder, death of child and related grief processes, PTSD, cursing, sexual references, inappropriate sexual relationships (adultery and adult-child). They say that there is not any sexual relationship between the killer and Danny, but there is grooming and inappropriate relations regardless. Suicide.
When I found out that there was a book version of the show, I was curious to know how it translated. Earlier this year, I also watched “The Stranger” on Netflix, a UK rendition of a Harlan Coben book of the same name. The show and the book were dissimilar but kept the major premises; so, I wanted to see how the book interpreted the show.
It’s interesting to see how books and media are related. Books are made into shows or films, and sometimes shows are turned into books. So, in this instance, I’m sort of talking about both the show and the book because they are almost identical in all ways that matter.
Summary
In an idyllic coastal English town, the murder of an 11-year old boy shocks the small, tight-knit community. We are introduced to detective Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman in the show), recently returned from a transatlantic vacation hoping for the good news of a promotion; however, she is gutted when she finds out she’s been usurped by an infamous cop from a botched high-profile case, Alec Hardy (David Tennant in the show). Career tensions are however set aside momentarily when the body of a teenage boy is found on the beach of Broadchurch, and Ellie and Alec are tasked with finding out what happened.
Ellie discovers quickly that the deceased is Daniel (Danny) Latimer, the son of her close friends Beth and Mark Latimer and the best friend of her own pre-teen boy. The story spends time developing Ellie as a detective — this is her first big murder case, she is so close to the family and community that it is hard to put those biases aside). Whereas, Alec’s hardened nature, while frustrating to Ellie, guides her during the investigation. The storyline is similar to that of the “small-town community has secrets unveiled during investigation of a crime” trope. Characters have motives that are hidden under layers of secrets. Each of these secrets are suspicious in their own right.
Ultimately, the investigation takes its course, and they do figure out who killed Danny. This book only covers the first season of the show, so if you’ve watched the show, then you know who it is and what happens after during the trial. However, as just a book, you’ll only know the killer and assume that it is over.
Review
First, let me say that I loved the Broadchurch television series (season 1 is great, 2 is good but I could do without the Lee Ashworth storyline, 3 is okay). For the purposes of this review, I’ll just be taking the book into consideration, but I will preface this section by saying that the book is a pretty solid rendition of the show. It stays true to the dialogue, nature, premises, and actions of the characters. If you’ve seen the show, you know what happens in this book.
This is my first book by the author, Erin Kelly. Immediately after finishing Broadchurch, I picked up another of her books (I got several when checking out at the library), The Burning Air. So, really, I can say this: Kelly has a straightforward way of writing. She does not spend extra pages talking about the beauty of someone’s frown lines. In the case of this book, her interpretation of the show is straightforward and true to the plot. In several cases, I think it’s pretty much exactly the same dialogue and timeline.
So, let’s approach this as if you hadn’t seen the show and it was just a book you found at the library. First, the writing is straightforward. There is a litany of characters, all intertwined in this intimate small-town, which means that you have to either keep track of them all or only focus on Ellie or Beth. You may find it difficult to form any attachment or allegiance to the characters in the book, whereas the series is the exact opposite (I think I was rooting for Ellie and Alec, as well as the Latimer’s from Day 1, with blind allegiance!). The book moves quite quickly, and since there is a lot to digest without any significant amount of time spent with one character or POV, it may all feel rushed. Yet, at the end of the reading, these are my key takeaways:
The book and show’s entertainment value came from two areas for me. The first is the relationships of the town’s citizens.
There are a lot of characters to get to know in this book. You have Ellie and Alec as the two lead detectives. They each have their own backstory, with Ellie having Joe and her sons involved in the plot; Alec has a brooding backstory but it doesn’t come up hot until later in the show. He does however bring baggage and journalist Karen. You also have the Latimer family (Mark, Beth, Chloe, Liz, and Danny). They are all part of the plot and have some sort of development as characters. Then you have the attractive Australian pub owner, Becca Fisher, and the creepy news agent, Jack Marshall. Oh, and don’t forget the cute and modern vicar Paul. The gambler Aunt (Ellie’s sister) and her son, Olly, the journalist, who works with Maggie at the Broadchurch Echo. There’s also Nigel, Mark’s best friend and co-worker, and his side story with the creepy misanthrope Susan. There’s a lot to cover here… but it all weaves together quite concisely in the end.
The second factor contributing to the value of this book’s entertainment value is the revelations and secrets that serve as sort of red herrings during the typical “small town” uncovering during the investigation of a high profile crime shtick. The best part in Broadchurch is how all of these secrets and revelations actually turn out to harm the pursuit of justice (see: second series, you won’t know that in the book). In the book’s view, the killer is found out not due to the revelation of all these secrets and twists, but rather due to the perpetrator just giving up the ruse. As a result it seems like all of this was done for a waste — so many lives were touched by the killer, some more than others in terms of harm…. but this, in my opinion, is an example of how a “happy ending” is not really happy in all cases. It’s just an ending, it’s the best you can get in this situation.
This novelization would not be as impactful if you didn’t know the show’s plot or ending before you read it. The value of this storyline is best exhibited through its media portrayal, with excellent acting from household names. Yet, if you are a fan of reading and a fan of reading interpretations of tv shows you like (some reviews I have seen are like me: I like to see what others see in the show, how they convey the same story I watched) then this will be a good read for you.
Book gets 3.5/4 stars, MILLAHHHH!!!!
TV Show gets 4/5 stars for me for the first season, the rest gets 3.
Content: Murder, death of child and related grief processes, PTSD, cursing, sexual references, inappropriate sexual relationships (adultery and adult-child). They say that there is not any sexual relationship between the killer and Danny, but there is grooming and inappropriate relations regardless. Suicide.
sjruskin's review against another edition
4.0
I ended up really enjoying this mystery. I thought I knew who did it from chapter to chapter and still never figured it out. I had a hard time getting into it because most of the characters are kind of hard to like, but I trudged on and it was worth it.
ant_i_dot's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5