Reviews and Comments

I'm very tired today and didn't get terribly far in, but I've made a start, and hopefully I'll have more reading brain for my next stint.

It's good to be reminded of how much I enjoy Hugo's style of writing, including his meanderings. Also, top marks to the uncredited translator who used (or retained?) the description of the Palace of Justice as a "prodigious parallelogram"!

I particularly enjoyed how the Hamlet elements were woven in well enough for me to recognise what they were, while still keeping the story decidedly not-Hamlet, and not relying on the familiar features despite leaning into them.

The "past" storyline of the narrator is also incredibly intriguing, and plays out very effectively. The use of second person, unusual for novels, is also very effective

Overall, it may not have sucked me in completely, but it was certainly an enjoyable read and very well crafted.

Finished! Very well written, and definitely not an ordinary sort of tale.

I particularly enjoyed how the Hamlet elements were woven in well enough for me to recognise what they were, while still keeping the story decidedly not-Hamlet, and not relying on the familiar features despite leaning into them.

The "past" storyline of the narrator is also incredibly intriguing, and plays out very effectively.

Overall, it may not have sucked me in completely, but it was certainly an enjoyable read and very well crafted.

My wife really enjoyed this, so she's passed it along to me before it goes back to the library. One of the plotlines is very Hamlet, but the setting changes it enough that it's still interesting. The other plotline about the narrator is very interesting indeed!

Good use of effective second person; you don't see that much.

Another Christmas gift, and one that I'd been eyeing up ever since it was announced, as I've been following Polyphonic online for a while now.

I've decided that while I read about each of the songs picked to reprent the associated year, I'm going to listen to those songs, as there are quite a few that I'm not already very familiar with.

So far, it looks like the Smol Cat likes jazz as much as I do!

A very light murder mystery with a high cose-factor. The writing style is very casual (more than my general preference and bordering on unpolished), but the plot is well paced and the reveals are surprising without being too unexpected. It definitely feels like a self-indulgent project for the authors, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It's a cute, comfy Kiwi mystery, and fits that brief very well.

Very quick read, had it done in a single 3-hour sitting.

Been eyeing this series up for a few months, and got the first book for Xmas!