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A review by caitibeth
Heartstone by C.J. Sansom
3.0
I didn't like this book as much as I've liked other books in the series, despite the Tudor setting being as excellent as ever.
The lion's share of this discontent falls at the door of the protagonist - I strongly disliked Shardlake's attitudes and actions in this book. Pretty much everything would have been better if he had been kind to Ellen, admitted to her that they didn't have a future together, and stayed the hell out of her past. Same for the case involving Hugh, which Hugh told them from the beginning but Shardlake refused to accept.
I also don't like how Sansom handled transitions between books. When the previous book revolved so much around the domestic discontent in Barak's marriage, and how badly he was treating his wife, and ended with her leaving him, to simply handwave it now as 'Barak won her back between books and everything is fine' is supremely dissatisfying and honestly annoying. If you set up dramatic tension at such pains and such length, I want a proper resolution.
Also, Rich's involvement strains credulity at times, as does his monologuing.
Hopefully the next book in the series returns to form. 2.5 stars, rounded to 3.
The lion's share of this discontent falls at the door of the protagonist - I strongly disliked Shardlake's attitudes and actions in this book. Pretty much everything would have been better if he had been kind to Ellen, admitted to her that they didn't have a future together, and stayed the hell out of her past. Same for the case involving Hugh, which Hugh told them from the beginning but Shardlake refused to accept.
I also don't like how Sansom handled transitions between books. When the previous book revolved so much around the domestic discontent in Barak's marriage, and how badly he was treating his wife, and ended with her leaving him, to simply handwave it now as 'Barak won her back between books and everything is fine' is supremely dissatisfying and honestly annoying. If you set up dramatic tension at such pains and such length, I want a proper resolution.
Also, Rich's involvement strains credulity at times, as does his monologuing.
Hopefully the next book in the series returns to form. 2.5 stars, rounded to 3.