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jolinsdell's review
3.0
Thank you to Net Galley for a copy of this book.
One thing that is very clear when reading this book is that the author has her fair share of knowledge about the material covered. In fact I read her bio after finishing the book and it says she's an archaeologist and librarian with a PhD in palaeogenetics... among other things, and it really came across in her writing. I have a feeling she put a lot of herself into the character of Elizabeth.
Mayan Mendacity is the second book in this series, and the first I've read. Although it was fine to read as a stand alone I felt at times that I would have gotten more from it if I'd read the first book in the series first.
Overall a great read. I found some of the details about Mayan torture a bit too much, and the scene towards the beginning of the book with the dog got to me too. They were all scene that were important to the story though, just making a note as kind of made my stomach turn.
One thing that is very clear when reading this book is that the author has her fair share of knowledge about the material covered. In fact I read her bio after finishing the book and it says she's an archaeologist and librarian with a PhD in palaeogenetics... among other things, and it really came across in her writing. I have a feeling she put a lot of herself into the character of Elizabeth.
Mayan Mendacity is the second book in this series, and the first I've read. Although it was fine to read as a stand alone I felt at times that I would have gotten more from it if I'd read the first book in the series first.
Overall a great read. I found some of the details about Mayan torture a bit too much, and the scene towards the beginning of the book with the dog got to me too. They were all scene that were important to the story though, just making a note as kind of made my stomach turn.
katreader's review
4.0
MAYAN MENDACITY By L.J.M. Owen
The Second Dr. Pimms Intermillennial Sleuth Mystery
Dr. Pimms is back! Eagerly awaiting the return of her boyfriend, Elizabeth Pimms gets a devastating surprise. Not one to dwell in her sorrows Elizabeth decides to work on the archaeological remains brought to her. This time she has a Mayan mystery to uncover.
A horrific event in the ancient past actuates this story of vengeance. The Mayan culture was a ruthless one filled with violence and L.J.M. Owen does not shy away from the gruesome realities of that time while providing a compelling drama in both time periods. Both stories, that of Mayan Princess Lady Six Sky and modern day Elizabeth Pimms, showcase detailed planning, patience, and revenge by almost all of the characters. Family relations and their dynamics are explored and challenged in both time periods.
I always learn something new when I read a Dr. Pimms mystery, from history and genetics to the modern day culture of Australia and the wonderful food described in delicious detail. I found the Mayan portion fascinating and the parallels between the past and present stories compelling. MAYAN MENDACITY is a riveting novel that kept me reading 'til my bath water was cold!
The Second Dr. Pimms Intermillennial Sleuth Mystery
Dr. Pimms is back! Eagerly awaiting the return of her boyfriend, Elizabeth Pimms gets a devastating surprise. Not one to dwell in her sorrows Elizabeth decides to work on the archaeological remains brought to her. This time she has a Mayan mystery to uncover.
A horrific event in the ancient past actuates this story of vengeance. The Mayan culture was a ruthless one filled with violence and L.J.M. Owen does not shy away from the gruesome realities of that time while providing a compelling drama in both time periods. Both stories, that of Mayan Princess Lady Six Sky and modern day Elizabeth Pimms, showcase detailed planning, patience, and revenge by almost all of the characters. Family relations and their dynamics are explored and challenged in both time periods.
I always learn something new when I read a Dr. Pimms mystery, from history and genetics to the modern day culture of Australia and the wonderful food described in delicious detail. I found the Mayan portion fascinating and the parallels between the past and present stories compelling. MAYAN MENDACITY is a riveting novel that kept me reading 'til my bath water was cold!
vespersix's review
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I found this one to be a lot harder to enjoy than the first, the character this time around was very tedious to read. Hoping by book 3 she’s less of a PITA
ellelainey's review
4.0
Book – Mayan Mendacity (Dr. Pimms, Intermillenial Sleuth, #2)
Author – L.J.M. Owens
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 353
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, one character
Would I read it again – Yes
Genre – Cosy Mystery, Historical, Crime, Archaeology
Triggers – discussion of historical slavery, rape, cannibalism, violence (not on page), as well as some on page violence and historical political intrigue. There is also mention of modern day MS.
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
While I overall enjoyed the story more than book 1, I had some serious issues with my copy right from the start. The formatting, throughout the novel, was haphazard to say the least. I didn't let it count too heavily towards my overall rating because I understand this is an ARC copy, but it did carry some weight, as the disjointed formatting impacted my ability to read and follow the story.
To be short, the problems were throughout the entire novel and were thus:
each historical chapter was in a font so small it strained my eyesight
the historical chapters were also a mix of red and black font, which was annoying but overall not too bad to read
words ran together frequently, not just in the historical chapters but within Elizabeth's timeline, too. (examples such as: floortoceiling, brilliantblue, skeletalanaylsis etc) This was quite prolific.
the basic formatting of text switched from justified to left align haphazardly
dialogue became jumbled, with two or three different people talking in one line/paragraph, without any dialogue indicators to say who was speaking (examples such as:
'Good. It was good, Taid.' 'What did you discuss?'
'What each of us wants from the sessions.' 'That sounds like a good start.')
the 'mind palace' or phrenic library, wasn't separated from the main text at any point, and it often led into bullet point explanations of what was revealed instead of the cohesive notes that were explored in book 1
sentences were also cut between lines/paragraphs (examples such as:
“With four sets of feline eyes monitoring their
every move, the family tucked into a rich first course of brithyll a
chig moch – baked trout wrapped in bacon.” ← this is both to show that 'every move' could have fit in the above line but was pushed down, but also that the formatting left a large gap between the two parts of the same sentence, further displaying the formatting issues that made it possible for the gap to appear here, but not after 'brithyll a' where the sentence continues onto the next line without a large gap or a break in flow.)
I found that the beginning of the book was less well written, with far less attention to detail, less characterisation and less description that would make it possible for someone to come back to this book after book 1. I read book 1 only yesterday and was still slightly jarred by the fact that the first few pages were mostly unscripted dialogue – they had barely any dialogue tags as to indicate who was speaking or what they were talking about, at times. It wasn't until into the second or third chapter of Elizabeth's timeline that it improved and because the same writing style that I'd become used to in book 1. Anyone coming into this book after waiting months for its release or after a year or more, would probably have been far more confused than I was. But it's one other avenue of proof that these books can only be read in order, as a flowing series of one book to another. No one could pick up book 2 by accident and fully comprehend what was happening, especially since characters aren't reintroduced for a long time, far longer than a reader new to the series would have patience for, and when they are, they're explained and reintroduced with info dumps, in a far less organic way than they were shown in book 1.
I still have an issue with how much focus is given to food. I love food, but I'm in no way a food connoisseur and I don't really see what correlation food has to mysteries, not enough to justify the excessive quantities of food description given throughout. Not only by indicating what every piece of food is that anyone even snacks on, but what it's made from, what it's called, where it's from and how it works into the narrative. They're eating. That's all I need to know or care about.
I felt vindicated about my feelings towards Mai and Luke very quickly, as it was revealed before the halfway mark that I was right about both of them. I may have railed at Luke quite a bit, but I also had issues with how Elizabeth dealt with the entire situation. I didn't like that she ignored Tanya's advice from years ago, when she warned Elizabeth that Luke was a user, latching on to anyone who could help his career. Best friends don't let boyfriends come between them in that way. But I said early on in book 1 that I didn't see any real affection between them and I was right, especially when it mentioned this quote, which even Elizabeth couldn't see had spelled doom for her relationship all along:
“After frustrating years of waiting for Luke to notice her, then being patient through his often onerous requests, then being separated for almost two years, Elizabeth had been beyond surprised when it appeared he had decided to commit permanently.” ← Doesn't that just tell you everything you ever needed to know about their relationship?
There are still issues with the timeline, too. I find it impossible to believe, most of the time, that this is taking place in present day. It feels like a 1950's story, just with modern conveniences like DNA testing and modern archaeological studies. Elizabeth, especially, is a throwback from a bygone era, when she says things like “Luke and his caddish behaviour be damned.” I'm still confused by the whole suggestion of this and whether it's an Australian thing (I'm in the UK and have never been, so wouldn't know) or if it's just another throwback to a historical setting. “Tanya's visits cost her parents dearly in additional electricity for her daily hot baths in airconditioned comfort.”
There is still a whole lot of family drama going on here, though some of it makes sense. I get the Luke situation, as I saw it coming a mile off, and I liked that Matty's surgery was explored properly, as there was a big deal made about that in book 1, but the Kaitlyn situation bothered me. Not only because it was kind of unnecessary, to the extent it was taken, but also because of the way Elizabeth reacted. I don't get why each book has a supposedly academic person – smart enough to know better – reacting like a teenager in crisis mode, because of love, romance or relationships. And I'm certainly not pleased with the way Elizabeth handled the situation; doing what she did to Kaitlyn and Luke, in public, was not satisfying, despite her claim that it was. It's bitchy, cruel, and a violation of any human decency she'd shown so far. There were a dozen other ways for her to expose the truth and even get revenge, if she wanted it, but what she did was vindictive and cruel. I still don't believe it, as it was a pretty unbelieveable situation of how she managed to find the exact site and the exact image to use. It was all far too unbelievable and coincidental.
For me, though I liked the overall story and the Maya investigation, the shining parts were, again, the historical scenes. I loved Lady Six Sky so much it was ridiculous! She was a fantastic character, sly, charming, sneaky, but with an underlying soft centre that made her care about Nurse and In'laak. I love that she took care of them both, that she helped In'laak after all he'd been through, and I loved seeing her get her revenge. That part had a much more satisfying, complete conclusion than the historic story of book 1. Six was a cunning, intelligent woman who made a great ruler and it was a lot of fun following her journey, but I still feel that there were far less historical scenes than I wanted or would have liked. Too much of Elizabeth's story is thought-provoked or isolated from other characters and that, I feel, is what makes the historical scenes so much more vivid, because they're more complete than Elizabeth's story ever is. I constantly feel like she's a background character in her own story, though she gets three times as much page-time as the real main character.
With ending on a cliffhanger in the mind palace, yet again, and having the same issues as book 1 – too many cultures, too much food, too many isolated scenes of Elizabeth thinking – with the added problems of the formatting, I should have bumped this down to a 3 star. But Six and In'laak saved the day. Because of them, I gave this a bump up, because I loved their story so much. I'm looking forward to the next adventure.
Author – L.J.M. Owens
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 353
Cover – Gorgeous!
POV – 3rd person, one character
Would I read it again – Yes
Genre – Cosy Mystery, Historical, Crime, Archaeology
Triggers – discussion of historical slavery, rape, cannibalism, violence (not on page), as well as some on page violence and historical political intrigue. There is also mention of modern day MS.
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
While I overall enjoyed the story more than book 1, I had some serious issues with my copy right from the start. The formatting, throughout the novel, was haphazard to say the least. I didn't let it count too heavily towards my overall rating because I understand this is an ARC copy, but it did carry some weight, as the disjointed formatting impacted my ability to read and follow the story.
To be short, the problems were throughout the entire novel and were thus:
each historical chapter was in a font so small it strained my eyesight
the historical chapters were also a mix of red and black font, which was annoying but overall not too bad to read
words ran together frequently, not just in the historical chapters but within Elizabeth's timeline, too. (examples such as: floortoceiling, brilliantblue, skeletalanaylsis etc) This was quite prolific.
the basic formatting of text switched from justified to left align haphazardly
dialogue became jumbled, with two or three different people talking in one line/paragraph, without any dialogue indicators to say who was speaking (examples such as:
'Good. It was good, Taid.' 'What did you discuss?'
'What each of us wants from the sessions.' 'That sounds like a good start.')
the 'mind palace' or phrenic library, wasn't separated from the main text at any point, and it often led into bullet point explanations of what was revealed instead of the cohesive notes that were explored in book 1
sentences were also cut between lines/paragraphs (examples such as:
“With four sets of feline eyes monitoring their
every move, the family tucked into a rich first course of brithyll a
chig moch – baked trout wrapped in bacon.” ← this is both to show that 'every move' could have fit in the above line but was pushed down, but also that the formatting left a large gap between the two parts of the same sentence, further displaying the formatting issues that made it possible for the gap to appear here, but not after 'brithyll a' where the sentence continues onto the next line without a large gap or a break in flow.)
I found that the beginning of the book was less well written, with far less attention to detail, less characterisation and less description that would make it possible for someone to come back to this book after book 1. I read book 1 only yesterday and was still slightly jarred by the fact that the first few pages were mostly unscripted dialogue – they had barely any dialogue tags as to indicate who was speaking or what they were talking about, at times. It wasn't until into the second or third chapter of Elizabeth's timeline that it improved and because the same writing style that I'd become used to in book 1. Anyone coming into this book after waiting months for its release or after a year or more, would probably have been far more confused than I was. But it's one other avenue of proof that these books can only be read in order, as a flowing series of one book to another. No one could pick up book 2 by accident and fully comprehend what was happening, especially since characters aren't reintroduced for a long time, far longer than a reader new to the series would have patience for, and when they are, they're explained and reintroduced with info dumps, in a far less organic way than they were shown in book 1.
I still have an issue with how much focus is given to food. I love food, but I'm in no way a food connoisseur and I don't really see what correlation food has to mysteries, not enough to justify the excessive quantities of food description given throughout. Not only by indicating what every piece of food is that anyone even snacks on, but what it's made from, what it's called, where it's from and how it works into the narrative. They're eating. That's all I need to know or care about.
I felt vindicated about my feelings towards Mai and Luke very quickly, as it was revealed before the halfway mark that I was right about both of them. I may have railed at Luke quite a bit, but I also had issues with how Elizabeth dealt with the entire situation. I didn't like that she ignored Tanya's advice from years ago, when she warned Elizabeth that Luke was a user, latching on to anyone who could help his career. Best friends don't let boyfriends come between them in that way. But I said early on in book 1 that I didn't see any real affection between them and I was right, especially when it mentioned this quote, which even Elizabeth couldn't see had spelled doom for her relationship all along:
“After frustrating years of waiting for Luke to notice her, then being patient through his often onerous requests, then being separated for almost two years, Elizabeth had been beyond surprised when it appeared he had decided to commit permanently.” ← Doesn't that just tell you everything you ever needed to know about their relationship?
There are still issues with the timeline, too. I find it impossible to believe, most of the time, that this is taking place in present day. It feels like a 1950's story, just with modern conveniences like DNA testing and modern archaeological studies. Elizabeth, especially, is a throwback from a bygone era, when she says things like “Luke and his caddish behaviour be damned.” I'm still confused by the whole suggestion of this and whether it's an Australian thing (I'm in the UK and have never been, so wouldn't know) or if it's just another throwback to a historical setting. “Tanya's visits cost her parents dearly in additional electricity for her daily hot baths in airconditioned comfort.”
There is still a whole lot of family drama going on here, though some of it makes sense. I get the Luke situation, as I saw it coming a mile off, and I liked that Matty's surgery was explored properly, as there was a big deal made about that in book 1, but the Kaitlyn situation bothered me. Not only because it was kind of unnecessary, to the extent it was taken, but also because of the way Elizabeth reacted. I don't get why each book has a supposedly academic person – smart enough to know better – reacting like a teenager in crisis mode, because of love, romance or relationships. And I'm certainly not pleased with the way Elizabeth handled the situation; doing what she did to Kaitlyn and Luke, in public, was not satisfying, despite her claim that it was. It's bitchy, cruel, and a violation of any human decency she'd shown so far. There were a dozen other ways for her to expose the truth and even get revenge, if she wanted it, but what she did was vindictive and cruel. I still don't believe it, as it was a pretty unbelieveable situation of how she managed to find the exact site and the exact image to use. It was all far too unbelievable and coincidental.
For me, though I liked the overall story and the Maya investigation, the shining parts were, again, the historical scenes. I loved Lady Six Sky so much it was ridiculous! She was a fantastic character, sly, charming, sneaky, but with an underlying soft centre that made her care about Nurse and In'laak. I love that she took care of them both, that she helped In'laak after all he'd been through, and I loved seeing her get her revenge. That part had a much more satisfying, complete conclusion than the historic story of book 1. Six was a cunning, intelligent woman who made a great ruler and it was a lot of fun following her journey, but I still feel that there were far less historical scenes than I wanted or would have liked. Too much of Elizabeth's story is thought-provoked or isolated from other characters and that, I feel, is what makes the historical scenes so much more vivid, because they're more complete than Elizabeth's story ever is. I constantly feel like she's a background character in her own story, though she gets three times as much page-time as the real main character.
With ending on a cliffhanger in the mind palace, yet again, and having the same issues as book 1 – too many cultures, too much food, too many isolated scenes of Elizabeth thinking – with the added problems of the formatting, I should have bumped this down to a 3 star. But Six and In'laak saved the day. Because of them, I gave this a bump up, because I loved their story so much. I'm looking forward to the next adventure.
bookishkirsten's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book has its flaws, but overall it’s so much fun! A vibrant, cosy world with a plot you can sink your teeth into. I definitely learnt a lot about archaeology and who would have thought the world of academia would have so much intrigue and double crossing?
tasmanian_bibliophile's review
4.0
‘The Intermillenial Sleuth rides again!’
Dr Elizabeth Pimms has been eagerly looking forward to her boyfriend Luke returning from his archaeological dig in Mexico. But perhaps the first clue that things might not be going as she’d expected is when Luke wants to meet up at the skeletal-analysis laboratory in Canberra. Elizabeth is excited when Luke tells her about the remains he has brought from a dig on Flores Island in Guatemala, from the bottom of a sacrificial cenote. There’s a mystery here for Elizabeth to explore: what is the story behind these tiny skeletons, and how might they relate to an ancient Mayan queen? But wait, Elizabeth thought Luke was in Mexico not Guatemala. This is the first of a couple of secrets Luke tells Elizabeth, which leave her reeling.
And while Elizabeth is coming to terms with Luke’s news, a hostile colleague is asking questions about Elizabeth’s family history. Add some challenging family issues in Canberra, and Elizabeth has a lot on her plate. Can she deal with all of the personal issues in front of her as well as undertake the analysis of the bones Luke has brought back?
‘Hovering on the edge of a new investigation felt invigorating.’
The novel moves between Elizabeth in present-day Canberra and the world of Lady Six Sky, Princess of Mutul (starting in April 675 CE). We learn more about Mayan culture while Elizabeth tries to make sense of the bones Luke has brought back. Elizabeth is working to a deadline, and others seem to be doing their best to prevent her from succeeding. Elizabeth’s reputation is at stake, and when her little brother Matty becomes seriously ill, it’s hard to see how she can succeed.
I enjoyed this novel, with a three small reservations. I thought at one stage Elizabeth was incredibly naïve to trust someone who had a proven track record of deception, but it does add to the sense of drama. My other reservations would introduce spoilers, and I’m not going to do that. Each reader will have their own reaction to these aspects of the story. This is the second of Ms Owen’s Dr Pimms series, and while it can be read as a standalone novel, I recommend reading them in order. The development of Elizabeth as a character with her rich and involved backstory involves its own set of mysteries in the present. I confess that it’s the ancient mysteries that drew me into these cozy mysteries, but I’m becoming increasingly intrigued by Elizabeth and her family.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with well-developed, strong female characters, I recommend Dr Pimms to you. And if you like reading about ancient civilizations while solving mysteries, then I think you’ll enjoy this series. Ms Owen has seven more novels planned in this series, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Echo Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Dr Elizabeth Pimms has been eagerly looking forward to her boyfriend Luke returning from his archaeological dig in Mexico. But perhaps the first clue that things might not be going as she’d expected is when Luke wants to meet up at the skeletal-analysis laboratory in Canberra. Elizabeth is excited when Luke tells her about the remains he has brought from a dig on Flores Island in Guatemala, from the bottom of a sacrificial cenote. There’s a mystery here for Elizabeth to explore: what is the story behind these tiny skeletons, and how might they relate to an ancient Mayan queen? But wait, Elizabeth thought Luke was in Mexico not Guatemala. This is the first of a couple of secrets Luke tells Elizabeth, which leave her reeling.
And while Elizabeth is coming to terms with Luke’s news, a hostile colleague is asking questions about Elizabeth’s family history. Add some challenging family issues in Canberra, and Elizabeth has a lot on her plate. Can she deal with all of the personal issues in front of her as well as undertake the analysis of the bones Luke has brought back?
‘Hovering on the edge of a new investigation felt invigorating.’
The novel moves between Elizabeth in present-day Canberra and the world of Lady Six Sky, Princess of Mutul (starting in April 675 CE). We learn more about Mayan culture while Elizabeth tries to make sense of the bones Luke has brought back. Elizabeth is working to a deadline, and others seem to be doing their best to prevent her from succeeding. Elizabeth’s reputation is at stake, and when her little brother Matty becomes seriously ill, it’s hard to see how she can succeed.
I enjoyed this novel, with a three small reservations. I thought at one stage Elizabeth was incredibly naïve to trust someone who had a proven track record of deception, but it does add to the sense of drama. My other reservations would introduce spoilers, and I’m not going to do that. Each reader will have their own reaction to these aspects of the story. This is the second of Ms Owen’s Dr Pimms series, and while it can be read as a standalone novel, I recommend reading them in order. The development of Elizabeth as a character with her rich and involved backstory involves its own set of mysteries in the present. I confess that it’s the ancient mysteries that drew me into these cozy mysteries, but I’m becoming increasingly intrigued by Elizabeth and her family.
If you enjoy cozy mysteries with well-developed, strong female characters, I recommend Dr Pimms to you. And if you like reading about ancient civilizations while solving mysteries, then I think you’ll enjoy this series. Ms Owen has seven more novels planned in this series, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Echo Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
ezraquatermain's review
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brightsunshaine's review
4.0
Mayan Mendacity is book two of the Intermillenial Sleuth series. I’ve anticipated to read this one after reading the first book because I believe that I will definitely enjoy it and will learn again something from the history that I know I can always share and educate others. If you haven’t read the first book on this series, check my review here. Mayan Mendacity is one of those books that I didn’t read the synopsis but just indulge myself into it (which I didn’t regret). I’ve finished this book in one sitting because it’s not just an easy to read but a page-turner as well. This book is well-written. It also proves how women are very powerful and essential in the society. These are some reasons why I love L.J.M. Owen’s book, they are not only for entertainment as it also educate her readers which is not limited to history, archaeology, philology or generics but also gender equality.
Mayan Mendacity is another adventure of Dr. Elizabeth Pimms. She works at the library in Canberra and spend her time with family on weekends. Together with her siblings, Sam and Matty, they are attending a sibling counseling. Elizabeth has a long time boyfriend Luke, an archeologist that works in excavation site in Guatamela. She's expecting a wedding proposal from Luke but turns out differently.
Read full review at: https://wandererinneverland.wordpress.com/2017/06/24/mayan-mendacity-dr-pimms-intermillenial-sleuth-2-review/
Mayan Mendacity is another adventure of Dr. Elizabeth Pimms. She works at the library in Canberra and spend her time with family on weekends. Together with her siblings, Sam and Matty, they are attending a sibling counseling. Elizabeth has a long time boyfriend Luke, an archeologist that works in excavation site in Guatamela. She's expecting a wedding proposal from Luke but turns out differently.
Read full review at: https://wandererinneverland.wordpress.com/2017/06/24/mayan-mendacity-dr-pimms-intermillenial-sleuth-2-review/
pavedwithbookss's review
3.0
The mysteries, both in the present and the past, are fun to follow, and just as in the previous installment, I love the family dynamic. I'm glad that Mei is given more depth beyond the angry, bitchy colleague, but unfortunately most of the other minor characters, particularly the villains, still feel two-dimensional to me.
janerel's review
3.0
I really enjoyed the tale, especially the accompanying storyline from the past. However, being super critical, I feel that the words just don't flow like that of my four and five-star books. I felt the same with Olmec Obituary. From the way the books are written, I feel like I'm being told everything rather than me absorbing and becoming part of the story itself. I think it is due to most sentences being fairly short and concise (as opposed to complex sentences) and various adjectives feeling a bit forced rather than just flowing, almost like the child at school being instructed to describe everything in their story. Please take this as constructive criticism because I really did enjoy the actual tale. Thank you to Bookstr for this copy.