Scan barcode
A review by caomhin
The Darkening Sky by Hugh Greene
5.0
This was quite a read. When a body turns up near the bottom of a psychiatrists garden the mystery starts, and it keeps going. Greene handles the reveal superbly and leaves you hanging until the end, it's simply done but that's all it needs. In fact much of the book is simply done - Greene brings a lot to the table in this with great details on psychiatry, forensics, medicine, society, cars, and countless other small details, yet they are delivered with ease and purpose. They aren't random embellishments, they aren't overdone, they just fit.
The author trusts you to understand the characters too. Sometimes pages of backstory for character development and layer upon layer of depth works, but that would distract greatly from the strengths of this book. We get little bursts of something to fill in gaps as and when needed, but as with the atmospheric details above they are delivered with purpose and relevance.
As for the strengths? For me, the dialogue wins it. Although not written as such at times the rhythm and pace feel more like a script, and part of that comes from the heavy use of dialogue. It's natural, even with the aforementioned details. It has wit without heavy punchlines. There are even self-aware bad jokes that made me smile. It takes confidence and skill to deliver some of the lines in this book but Greene hits the sweetspot perfectly and it brings some very enjoyable relief to really rather dark plot.
An enjoyable adventure, the only downside is as it's part of a series I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for more. Sign me up for more Power and Lynch.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Good Reads promotion.
The author trusts you to understand the characters too. Sometimes pages of backstory for character development and layer upon layer of depth works, but that would distract greatly from the strengths of this book. We get little bursts of something to fill in gaps as and when needed, but as with the atmospheric details above they are delivered with purpose and relevance.
As for the strengths? For me, the dialogue wins it. Although not written as such at times the rhythm and pace feel more like a script, and part of that comes from the heavy use of dialogue. It's natural, even with the aforementioned details. It has wit without heavy punchlines. There are even self-aware bad jokes that made me smile. It takes confidence and skill to deliver some of the lines in this book but Greene hits the sweetspot perfectly and it brings some very enjoyable relief to really rather dark plot.
An enjoyable adventure, the only downside is as it's part of a series I'm going to have to keep my eyes open for more. Sign me up for more Power and Lynch.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Good Reads promotion.