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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book. I feel that if you have reached this point in the series you have settled in for the long haul. I really enjoyed learning the basics about india during this time period. I had no previous knowledge about the caste system, the different areas of India, the English rule combined with the local rule of the princes in their own areas of the country and certainly never thought about the lands that surround India, Russia and Tibit, and how that affects their involvement in world activities. The book ended with some surprises but for the most part it was just an adventure with Russell and Holmes as Russell starts traveling the world in her early 20's and learning about it.
This is the seventh in the series, and I've been working my way through. I did not like this one as much as some of the others--but since number 6 was my favorite so far, probably this one was in trouble to begin with. Objectively, though, the plot here gets pretty outlandish, especially at the end, As always, though, Ms. King knows her geography, history and culture (this one is set in India during the Raj), and her portraits of Holmes and Russell are tight and consistent, so I enjoyed most of the novel, and will certainly continue on with the series.
Spoiler
not to mention extremely derivative of "The Most Dangerous Game." Given the title, perhaps she knew that, but I didn't find that particular aspect of the book to be clever or interesting.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
"Another woman might have been cowed, but another woman was not Mary Russell"
I love this series.
I love this series.
A fascinating and fun entry to the series. Holmes and Russell get to do good old fashioned sleuthing but there's the added fun of looking for the missing Kim of Kipling fame. Besides an enjoyable story, I found the background on the politics of the area to be as thought provoking as her earlier delve into Palestine. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Generally I am not a fan of books that feature beloved classic characters or settings and are reworked by contemporary writers. Laurie King's series is the exception to my rule -- probably because I was never a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. I really enjoy these stories. there is some detail and historical fact that I find enlightening. I love that the protagonist is a gutsy and intelligent woman. And the author does a wonderful job of maintaining the era-appropriate atmosphere.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another amazing installment to the Mary Russell series. I very much enjoyed this adventure, where Russell and Holmes set off from their home turf to the politically tense and potentially explosive land of India. King does an amazing job setting her characters down in early 1920s British-controlled India, throwing all the complexities of the time at the characters and forcing them to juggle them throughout their investigation.
SpoilerFor all that, though, I think my favorite passage is the one where Holmes gives voice to Russell's unconscious fear of leaving him behind/being separated in a hostile situation, something they had faced before in the events of O Jerusalem, which had left marks on both of them. I love how Russell pushed through her own fears and apprehensions and focused on getting the job done. That getting the job done involved Russell pulling a revolver and threatening to shoot Kimball O'Hara if he did not get a move on was some very tasty icing.
Very enjoyable.
SpoilerFor all that, though, I think my favorite passage is the one where Holmes gives voice to Russell's unconscious fear of leaving him behind/being separated in a hostile situation, something they had faced before in the events of O Jerusalem, which had left marks on both of them. I love how Russell pushed through her own fears and apprehensions and focused on getting the job done. That getting the job done involved Russell pulling a revolver and threatening to shoot Kimball O'Hara if he did not get a move on was some very tasty icing.
Very enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cultural appropriation
Really enjoyed this novel (listened to on audiobook--great reader!). I had slogged through an earlier one of this series, set in Palestine, and sworn off her for a bit, but this was fascinating and informative and exciting. Am now rereading Kipling's Kim as a result. Ending was a little bit of a let-down, but that's partly due to listening timing: I was nearly done on Friday and then didn't finish listening till Monday. So: highly recommended, ESP. as a read aloud!