darsaster reviewed His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
None
4 stars
This wasn't what I expected in the least. I was anticipating something more akin to Perfume by Patrick Suskind, but His Bloody Project was much different, and provided a layered and nuanced historical mystery.
The "found documents" trope works well with the story, and illustrates the gray area around the crime that is committed. With so many angles to come from -- Roddy's own account, the prosecution, medical professionals of the time -- truth becomes a moving target, and each section of the book contributes to building a detailed picture of rural Scottish life in the 1860's from various social stations.
This wasn't what I expected in the least. I was anticipating something more akin to Perfume by Patrick Suskind, but His Bloody Project was much different, and provided a layered and nuanced historical mystery.
The "found documents" trope works well with the story, and illustrates the gray area around the crime that is committed. With so many angles to come from -- Roddy's own account, the prosecution, medical professionals of the time -- truth becomes a moving target, and each section of the book contributes to building a detailed picture of rural Scottish life in the 1860's from various social stations.
The "found documents" trope works well with the story, and illustrates the gray area around the crime that is committed. With so many angles to come from -- Roddy's own account, the prosecution, medical professionals of the time -- truth becomes a moving target, and each section of the book contributes to building a detailed picture of rural Scottish life in the 1860's from various social stations.