I was disappointed in this book. The main characters were interesting, loved Reggie and Ben, Brodie seemed an afterthought. The first half was somewhat slow and confusing, then add the Murder Mystery actors and it seemed like the author put a whole lot of people in a salad spinner and spun without the top on - too many characters, too many side stories. I got as lost in the story as the characters did in the House. I did laugh out loud at times though!
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I agree with with Linda _S2 and Shirl. I felt it plodding and that it should have been at least a third shorter. There was way to much time spent on the initial characters who were so unlikeable that I almost put it down, waiting for the murder story that the title promised. I didnāt get into it until Reggie joined the cast, and I had a hard time following the characters, and there was one I thought was completely unnecessary. By the time they solved the Whodunnit at the Rook, I was so lost, I didnāt care. On a positive note, I did enjoy some of the wry humor and Reggieās romantic leanings.
Like many here, I was a bit confused with all the characters and their back stories, however, has the chapters went by, I loved the varied and quirky characters. Ms Atkinson writes wonderfully and I love some of her quirky language.
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Sorry if this is redundant but there wasnāt enough Jackson for my money!
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I agree that there wasnāt enough Jackson but enjoyed all the other characters, especially how well-drawn Simon was. And I can see Reggie and Jackson (and perhaps others) in yet another mystery.
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Like others I found it confusing and wondering why the different side stories were included in the book. The side stories made it confusing for me and I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters.
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I loved all the characters and the side stories. Iām still waiting for all of them to ācome togetherā, and I did take brief notes when they were introduced in order to remember who they were later on, but Atkinsonās writing and her humor is so enjoyable to read, I loved it all! Iāve read numerous books of hers and have enjoyed every one. (I think A God in Ruins was my favorite. Especially the ending!)
Kate Atkinson is one of my favorite authors. And while this story slowly evolved, I loved it. Her writing is so insightful, brilliant. And the ending chapters highlighted the comic undertone of the story. So worth reading.
I rarely read ālightā mysteries but this was a welcome change of pace. I especially liked the was she interjected thoughts by the characters. I found myself laughing out loud several time. Iād never read any of her books but did enjoy this one.
It definitely does not disappoint. I really enjoyed reading it
There were so many characters that about half way through I started thinking that theyād better start coming together soon! While reading I had to reacquaint myself with the characters all over again.
The episodic, disjointed feel was off putting to me and not suitable for my chaotic summer lifeā¦ More a winter, sit and binge kind of book. I might give it another go on a long trip in Septemberā¦
I enjoyed it immensely as I do all of Kate Atkinsonās books! Enough of the familiar to make it comfortable with enough surprises to keep me fully engaged cover to cover!
I wanted to like this. I am now finished. The mystery was good, But I went crazy with all the side stories. I did not need to know the ministers whole history. I would have enjoyed that in a different book. If i had sat down thinking I was reading that type of book, I would have loved it. The use of words was solid but it did not match the genre I expected
From the very beginning, the delicious names of the characters (Major Liversedge, Reverend Smallbones, Sir Lancelot, Countess Voranskaya) reeled me inā¦but as we went from room to room, looking for Jackson Brodie and adding more extraneous characters and their story lines, I was confused and disappointed. I amgoing to give this another try, as I LOVE Kate Atkinson!
Iām just finishing my first Kate Atkinson novel. I enjoyed the first 50 pages, and then it seemed to drag on. After just halfway through, I was eager to read, enjoying the interplay between Reggie and Jackson and certainly British humor.
I found it a very enjoyable read! I loved the settingā¦the old mansion and the deer park. The quirky characters were such fun to spend time with, Lady Milton in particular!
Though it was a bit slow-going early on, i enjoyed this book very much. Most of the characters were likeable in their own way and the somewhat farcical ending was fun. I will be reading other Jackson Brodie books.
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I agree! The play section became confusingā¦
I really enjoyed this book. Like a number of those responding, this was my first Kate Atkinson book. The number of characters was a little daunting, but for the most part, the author did a good job at making sure the stories and issues of the key characters were addressed. I liked how she wove in Reggieās reflections about other mystery books, especially āThe Secret of the Clock Cabinetā in which Reggie noted how infuriating it was to wait until the final page for the murderer to be revealed and for the murderer to have not ābeen seeded into the plot or written a convincing narrative journey for them.ā Atkinson did a great job weaving this murdererās actions into the story in a way I would never have imagined.