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A review by scrollingbooks
The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse
3.0
For me, something about this book missed the mark.
I can't quite put my finger on what or why. It is perfectly well written, the plot adds up, the characters are solid, and the scenery is described so vividly that I could picture it. But all that said, it lacked zing and what should have been a scary, horrific tale for me lacked tension.
Perhaps the plot is a little contrived, and the characters a bit one-dimensional. For example, I didn't buy into Connie going from a sheltered, unworldly, put-upon daughter to someone who would secrete a man of 24-hours acquaintance from a police officer. Also, the family was struggling financially, and yet the protagonist was hopping on trains and catching cabs without concern.
It also felt unrealistic that a woman who had escaped from a mental institution could so easily gain the assistance of the local thug to do her dirty work. (Not to mention that the asylum had a policy that if someone was missing for 2-weeks then they were sane enough not to be incarcerated anymone!)
And it was all a bit too neat at the end that a character we had sympathy for, but had done terrible things, evaded justice in the manner they did.
All in all, an OK read that was enjoyable in places but didn't tear up any trees. I've read other books by this author that were superb, but had this been my first read I wouldn't be seeking out her back catalogue.
I can't quite put my finger on what or why. It is perfectly well written, the plot adds up, the characters are solid, and the scenery is described so vividly that I could picture it. But all that said, it lacked zing and what should have been a scary, horrific tale for me lacked tension.
Perhaps the plot is a little contrived, and the characters a bit one-dimensional. For example, I didn't buy into Connie going from a sheltered, unworldly, put-upon daughter to someone who would secrete a man of 24-hours acquaintance from a police officer. Also, the family was struggling financially, and yet the protagonist was hopping on trains and catching cabs without concern.
It also felt unrealistic that a woman who had escaped from a mental institution could so easily gain the assistance of the local thug to do her dirty work. (Not to mention that the asylum had a policy that if someone was missing for 2-weeks then they were sane enough not to be incarcerated anymone!)
And it was all a bit too neat at the end that a character we had sympathy for, but had done terrible things, evaded justice in the manner they did.
All in all, an OK read that was enjoyable in places but didn't tear up any trees. I've read other books by this author that were superb, but had this been my first read I wouldn't be seeking out her back catalogue.