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A review by anna_hepworth
Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I'm giving a rating of 4 stars, because it really is a fabulously well written story, which does some really interesting things with the plot, but I have significant misgivings about recommending it as something to read. I found it less objectionable in terms of racism and other issues than the Agatha Christie story of the same era that I read recently, but that is a low bar.
I don't think I've read a Lord Peter Wimsey story before -- I've read others of Sayer's works where Wimsey turns up as a character, and I'm less impressed than I might be. I found the general dubious methods of Wimsey's in investigating to be frustrating to read, although again, the writing is fabulous.
So, characterisation is strong, but I didn't like the characters. The world-building is well done, such that a century later I had a strong feel for what was going on despite not having an understanding of the time or place(s). The writing is fabulous, being the thing that kept me going when what I wanted to do was throw my hands up in the air and got 'what the f*?'. And the plot, if overwrought, went along at a good clip, and at no point did I consider it to be improbable, given the characters as presented.
In my reading notes I said: "Here, one of the failures of communication is that the signposts are in the process of being repainted, such that they are all white paint and no letters; and in one case the arms are all missing entirely. So, quite contrived. " -- I find it fascinating that one of the things that shows up consistently through this genre is that messages get missed, people end up in the wrong place, people get delayed by the most ridiculous of communication hiccups, and that even this early in the genre, that has to be contrived so as to drive the story.
Recommended for people who want something a bit on the easy reading side, who are prepared to deal with the period typical racism and anti-semitism that appears (argh) -- including slurs, and don't care too much for realism in their murder mysteries.
I don't think I've read a Lord Peter Wimsey story before -- I've read others of Sayer's works where Wimsey turns up as a character, and I'm less impressed than I might be. I found the general dubious methods of Wimsey's in investigating to be frustrating to read, although again, the writing is fabulous.
So, characterisation is strong, but I didn't like the characters. The world-building is well done, such that a century later I had a strong feel for what was going on despite not having an understanding of the time or place(s). The writing is fabulous, being the thing that kept me going when what I wanted to do was throw my hands up in the air and got 'what the f*?'. And the plot, if overwrought, went along at a good clip, and at no point did I consider it to be improbable, given the characters as presented.
In my reading notes I said: "Here, one of the failures of communication is that the signposts are in the process of being repainted, such that they are all white paint and no letters; and in one case the arms are all missing entirely. So, quite contrived. " -- I find it fascinating that one of the things that shows up consistently through this genre is that messages get missed, people end up in the wrong place, people get delayed by the most ridiculous of communication hiccups, and that even this early in the genre, that has to be contrived so as to drive the story.
Recommended for people who want something a bit on the easy reading side, who are prepared to deal with the period typical racism and anti-semitism that appears (argh) -- including slurs, and don't care too much for realism in their murder mysteries.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Death
Minor: Antisemitism
The racism is what I would consider 'period typical', it shows up in character attitudes and uses of slurs.