A review by booksandsteph
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
What appears to be a simple murder mystery at the outset expands and develops, along with your view of the world and characters, into something complex and surprising as the story unfolds. The mystery elements hooks the reader from the first chapter and sets the quick pace of the book.
A host of very quirky characters make the cast. Initially, the eccentrics were annoying, but as I saw the characters encounter certain challenges and build relationships throughout the story, I became very invested in their development and wellbeing. There was also an element of dyslexia representation that was woven into the story very well.
Overall, this book had my hooked. I was intrigued by the world, engaged by the plot, and loved the characters. This book had me reacting from cringing in certain situations the characters found themselves in to literally laughing out loud at some of the dialogue. I recommend this for a fun, murder mystery set in a very imaginative world with a great set of characters. I’m looking forward to book 2 and seeing what hijinks the characters get up to as well as to see how the world expands based on the hints and foreshadowing from book 1.
A host of very quirky characters make the cast. Initially, the eccentrics were annoying, but as I saw the characters encounter certain challenges and build relationships throughout the story, I became very invested in their development and wellbeing. There was also an element of dyslexia representation that was woven into the story very well.
Overall, this book had my hooked. I was intrigued by the world, engaged by the plot, and loved the characters. This book had me reacting from cringing in certain situations the characters found themselves in to literally laughing out loud at some of the dialogue. I recommend this for a fun, murder mystery set in a very imaginative world with a great set of characters. I’m looking forward to book 2 and seeing what hijinks the characters get up to as well as to see how the world expands based on the hints and foreshadowing from book 1.