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bookishreadsandme's review against another edition
2.0
The premise to this book sounded like it was going to be a tense and suspenseful novel. With a murder taking place and involving the book world I thought this would be my kind of book. Unfortunately it just fell a bit flat for me.
The writing is very clever don’t get me wrong. The author had obviously done a significant amount of research on forgeries in the book world and calligraphy but it was just too in depth. The plot for the story seemed to take a backseat while the author discussed heavily about forgeries and how they come about. It was very uneventful and very slow paced. It also was obvious from the very start of the book who the murderer was.
The narrator, Will was not a pleasant character so I could not take to him whatsoever. He was rather irritating and frustrating to read about.
It is a shame as this book had so much promise but too much background information and not enough plot for me.
The writing is very clever don’t get me wrong. The author had obviously done a significant amount of research on forgeries in the book world and calligraphy but it was just too in depth. The plot for the story seemed to take a backseat while the author discussed heavily about forgeries and how they come about. It was very uneventful and very slow paced. It also was obvious from the very start of the book who the murderer was.
The narrator, Will was not a pleasant character so I could not take to him whatsoever. He was rather irritating and frustrating to read about.
It is a shame as this book had so much promise but too much background information and not enough plot for me.
whatsheread's review against another edition
One will walk away from reading The Forgers with a much greater appreciation for paper and handwriting arts. For while the book is about Will and his effort to leave his life of crime in his past, it is also a loving homage to old and rare books, handwriting, and the printed page. Will’s love of calligraphy and his skill at forgery are sensuously described but there is also a deep-seated, almost obsessive, passion to it that many a bibliophile will recognize. This is the same passion that entices readers to inhale the unique aroma of novels, to worship at the bookstore altars and get more excited about meeting an author than about a movie star or musician. This exultation of all things handwritten or published makes one crave to put pen to paper oneself and actually write something versus texting or emailing it. Readers will find themselves better appreciating the books in their libraries, especially those autographed and personalized, and will take greater care of their personal collections. In spite of all of Will’s flaws, he makes one proud to be a bibliophile and collector of stationary or calligraphic elements.
Aside from the love affair with paper products, The Forgers is at heart a mystery. There is the mystery of Adam’s death, unsolved and growing colder by the minute. Then there is the mystery of the letters Will receives, their origins and ultimate aims. That the two are connected is never in doubt. Just what those connections are, however, remain unclear as Will struggles to solve his problems without betraying his wife and everything he holds dear.
Using Will as a narrator is a clever decision and one that has great impact on a reader’s appreciation of the story. Will never hides his past. One knows from the very beginning that he is a criminal, and he is even very honest about his wish to continue using his skills as a master forger. He is genuine in his love for Meghan and his desire for a fresh start. However, he is a reformed criminal, and no matter how much sympathy he generates within a reader, that fact never disappears. Readers must decide for themselves if he is as trustworthy as he appears to be. This is the true mystery of the story and one that captures and maintains a reader’s interest as it meanders through New York to Ireland and back again.
The Forgers will have mass appeal to mystery fans, but it is with bibliophiles where its true stardom will generate. The descriptions of the old and highly valued novels are entrancing and decadent, while Will’s nonchalance at “enhancing” first editions with his forgeries is simply infuriating. One marvels at his skills with old writing styles while abhorring the way he so callously disregards a book’s value. It is the type of novel in which readers will want to put it down in disgust at Will’s actions or desires but want to keep reading because his story is so compelling. The is-he-or-is-he-not-reliable question clings to every page, compounding a reader’s engagement and enhancing one’s reading pleasure. With plenty of ambiguity to foster many a heated discussion, The Forgers will make a great book club selection as well as a wonderful way to enjoy a weekend.
Aside from the love affair with paper products, The Forgers is at heart a mystery. There is the mystery of Adam’s death, unsolved and growing colder by the minute. Then there is the mystery of the letters Will receives, their origins and ultimate aims. That the two are connected is never in doubt. Just what those connections are, however, remain unclear as Will struggles to solve his problems without betraying his wife and everything he holds dear.
Using Will as a narrator is a clever decision and one that has great impact on a reader’s appreciation of the story. Will never hides his past. One knows from the very beginning that he is a criminal, and he is even very honest about his wish to continue using his skills as a master forger. He is genuine in his love for Meghan and his desire for a fresh start. However, he is a reformed criminal, and no matter how much sympathy he generates within a reader, that fact never disappears. Readers must decide for themselves if he is as trustworthy as he appears to be. This is the true mystery of the story and one that captures and maintains a reader’s interest as it meanders through New York to Ireland and back again.
The Forgers will have mass appeal to mystery fans, but it is with bibliophiles where its true stardom will generate. The descriptions of the old and highly valued novels are entrancing and decadent, while Will’s nonchalance at “enhancing” first editions with his forgeries is simply infuriating. One marvels at his skills with old writing styles while abhorring the way he so callously disregards a book’s value. It is the type of novel in which readers will want to put it down in disgust at Will’s actions or desires but want to keep reading because his story is so compelling. The is-he-or-is-he-not-reliable question clings to every page, compounding a reader’s engagement and enhancing one’s reading pleasure. With plenty of ambiguity to foster many a heated discussion, The Forgers will make a great book club selection as well as a wonderful way to enjoy a weekend.
kingsmercy's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
annarella's review
3.0
Even if I loved the style of writing the MC grated on my nerves and the story didn't keep my attention.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
mwgerard's review
4.0
Please read my full review here: http://mwgerard.com/accent-the-forgers-by-bradford-morrow/
kleonard's review
1.0
This book begins with one of the most appalling examples of ableism I have ever read, in which the narrator states that a man who has lost his hands and possibly suffers language-related brain damage is simply better off dead. Revolting.
pgchuis's review
3.0
Adam Diehl, a rare book dealer, is discovered with a blow to his head and both his hands chopped off. He dies in hospital. The story is narrated by Will, the boyfriend (later husband) of Adam's sister Meghan, who is a rehabilitated forger of autographs and inscriptions in rare books. While I liked it, the writing style is odd, and we never get close to any of the characters - they remain two-dimensional. I almost gave up about a third of the way through, because I couldn't understand why the protagonist paid off Henry Slader. It made no sense at all to me, but as I continued and an inkling of the truth dawned on me, it began to be more believable. I failed to understand many of the decisions Will made and his justifications were spurious. By the end I had decided he was a psychopath, but it is hard to keep reading when your narrator is so difficult to sympathize with/relate to.
There was a bit too much of the "joys of forgery" to me - the first few times I was drawn in by the idea, but after a while I got bored. Even with the explanation at the end, I was a bit confused. How did Adam come to be in so much debt to Henry Slader? Why was Slader nervous the first time he and Will met? What was Slader's relationship with Atticus? What would Slader gain by attacking Will? Was he just plain mad too?
I did like the frequency with which it rained in County Kerry.
There was a bit too much of the "joys of forgery" to me - the first few times I was drawn in by the idea, but after a while I got bored. Even with the explanation at the end, I was a bit confused. How did Adam come to be in so much debt to Henry Slader? Why was Slader nervous the first time he and Will met? What was Slader's relationship with Atticus? What would Slader gain by attacking Will? Was he just plain mad too?
I did like the frequency with which it rained in County Kerry.
borisfeldman's review
4.0
Death of a forger.
An engaging mystery about the murder of a corrupt bookseller (human, not AMZN). The perfect vacation read.
An engaging mystery about the murder of a corrupt bookseller (human, not AMZN). The perfect vacation read.
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