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A review by mrsfligs
The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton
2.0
2 Words that describe the book: Archaeological Mystery
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:
* Setting: In and about Mayan ruins in Meridia, Mexico
* Lara McClintoch—former antiques shop owner and student of Mayan history
* Dr. Hernan Castillo—Lara’s friend whose mysterious phone call and request for help leads her to travel to Meridia
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I liked that the book satisfied the X requirement of my A to Z Title Challenge. The fact that I’m starting with that should tell you what I think of the book.
* I liked how the author wove in bits and pieces of Mayan history and mythology.
* I disliked that the characters were one-dimensional and forgettable and that the mystery was weak and predictable. There wasn’t much to Lara or any of the other characters. It seems like the author knew a lot about Mayan history and wanted a way to work it into a novel in some way. There is a whole series of these books (of which this was the first) so I’m not sure if the plotting and characterization gets any better.
* I liked that I was able to read the book quickly and put it behind me.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I’m giving the book 2.5 stars. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t very good either.Honestly, I see no reason to read this book other than if you need a title that starts with X. However, if you have an interest in archeology and mysteries, these books may be of more interest to you than the casual reader.
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:
* Setting: In and about Mayan ruins in Meridia, Mexico
* Lara McClintoch—former antiques shop owner and student of Mayan history
* Dr. Hernan Castillo—Lara’s friend whose mysterious phone call and request for help leads her to travel to Meridia
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I liked that the book satisfied the X requirement of my A to Z Title Challenge. The fact that I’m starting with that should tell you what I think of the book.
* I liked how the author wove in bits and pieces of Mayan history and mythology.
* I disliked that the characters were one-dimensional and forgettable and that the mystery was weak and predictable. There wasn’t much to Lara or any of the other characters. It seems like the author knew a lot about Mayan history and wanted a way to work it into a novel in some way. There is a whole series of these books (of which this was the first) so I’m not sure if the plotting and characterization gets any better.
* I liked that I was able to read the book quickly and put it behind me.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I’m giving the book 2.5 stars. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t very good either.Honestly, I see no reason to read this book other than if you need a title that starts with X. However, if you have an interest in archeology and mysteries, these books may be of more interest to you than the casual reader.