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happylilfaerie's review against another edition
1.0
This book was absolute trash.
Misogyny carried the whole story, sometimes intertwined with classism, it made me feel so sick at times I thought I'd puke on the book.
"It's dated" you say, fine - then let's discuss the abhorrent sorry excuse of a mystery and the reaching-depths-of-stupidity-I-didn't-think-were-possible the protagonist and the plot he stumbles through are.
We are told (never shown) that the mc is an intelligent man, respected in the medical field and advisor of Scotland Yard. Yet every single decision he makes, or doesn't make, is so bafflingly moronic, lacking of any reasoning and only serves to create the plot the author clearly desired. He never does anything of his own accord, simply (barely) reacting to what happens to him. He "figures out" who the killer is and it's who everyone knew it would be thanks to him acting guilty af throughout the entire novel. He gave us what I suppose is meant to be an impressive reasoning as to why he thought it was him, but it came off as pathetic. Don't get me started on the disgusting way he keeps referring to full grown woman as children and "innocent" as if that's a compliment, so creepy.
In the end they're all saved by a bloody dues ex machina??? I mean I suppose that had to be done seeing as our lovely(!) author decided to make all the characters share one braincell between all of them, the men at least, she made sure to put the women in their place by only ever referring to them throughout the novel to describe them crying or screaming or otherwise acting their roles of damsels-in-distress.
There wasn't even a mystery, the bad guys were pointed out straight away using the good old Disney trope that they were the only fat and ugly characters there! So of course they must be bad! When I started reading the book I was annoyed by the fatphobia but I still had hope that this would be subverted, that they would turn out to be the good guys and pretty rich white boy would be the villain, but alas my expectations were much too high.
Misogyny carried the whole story, sometimes intertwined with classism, it made me feel so sick at times I thought I'd puke on the book.
"It's dated" you say, fine - then let's discuss the abhorrent sorry excuse of a mystery and the reaching-depths-of-stupidity-I-didn't-think-were-possible the protagonist and the plot he stumbles through are.
We are told (never shown) that the mc is an intelligent man, respected in the medical field and advisor of Scotland Yard. Yet every single decision he makes, or doesn't make, is so bafflingly moronic, lacking of any reasoning and only serves to create the plot the author clearly desired. He never does anything of his own accord, simply (barely) reacting to what happens to him. He "figures out" who the killer is and it's who everyone knew it would be thanks to him acting guilty af throughout the entire novel. He gave us what I suppose is meant to be an impressive reasoning as to why he thought it was him, but it came off as pathetic. Don't get me started on the disgusting way he keeps referring to full grown woman as children and "innocent" as if that's a compliment, so creepy.
In the end they're all saved by a bloody dues ex machina??? I mean I suppose that had to be done seeing as our lovely(!) author decided to make all the characters share one braincell between all of them, the men at least, she made sure to put the women in their place by only ever referring to them throughout the novel to describe them crying or screaming or otherwise acting their roles of damsels-in-distress.
There wasn't even a mystery, the bad guys were pointed out straight away using the good old Disney trope that they were the only fat and ugly characters there! So of course they must be bad! When I started reading the book I was annoyed by the fatphobia but I still had hope that this would be subverted, that they would turn out to be the good guys and pretty rich white boy would be the villain, but alas my expectations were much too high.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism
leenyx's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I've heard so many people sing Allingham's praises, and I have to say I'm disappointed. Campion has one of my favorite character traits, but when weighed against the rest of the book, it's not worth it.
The book has rampant fatphobia, linking villainy to size more than once, and using as a point of mockery in one case.
The mystery and it's plot is farfetched and nonsensical. The solution is infuriating, and nearly made me toss the book across the room.
Unlike Christie's clever lambasting of misogyny, Allingham seems to treat her female characters with disdain - they're objectified for the male characters' growth.
I'm not looking forward to the next book in the series.
The book has rampant fatphobia, linking villainy to size more than once, and using as a point of mockery in one case.
The mystery and it's plot is farfetched and nonsensical. The solution is infuriating, and nearly made me toss the book across the room.
Unlike Christie's clever lambasting of misogyny, Allingham seems to treat her female characters with disdain - they're objectified for the male characters' growth.
I'm not looking forward to the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia and Sexism
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