Above all, I like that the two female detectives are consciously trying to be like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. I was afraid that it was going to be one of those books where an author tries to cleverly write their own versions of famous characters and instead I just spend a lot of time being annoyed by how much the new people fail to match up to the originals. That was my biggest qualm about reading this series, which people have been recommending to me for a while now. People kept saying, "They're a female Holmes and Watson!" and I was like, "We don't need female versions of Holmes and Watson. Go write original characters, people." But that's just what McMillan did -- she created two very original characters who happen to be female and happen to wish they were like Holmes and Watson. I dug it.
I didn't love everything about this book (SPOILERS)-- the romance between Jem and Ray wrapped up too abruptly and neatly for my taste, and (END SPOILERS) some of the dialog didn't always make total sense to me, like chunks of conversations had been removed for some reason. But overall, it was a fun book, and I'm definitely going to read more in the series.
Particularly Good Bits:
"The past does that. It lures you back and tricks you into thinking it was better than it was" (p. 180).
If This was a Movie, I Would Rate It: PG for characters being in peril and discussion of dead bodies. Also, some smooching.
I can totally get where you're coming from! It's like when people tell me an author is "the new C.S. Lewis..." Nah, I'm good, there's already one and no one can beat him. Haha!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this part "But that's just what McMillan did -- she created two very original characters who happen to be female and happen to wish they were like Holmes and Watson." Loved it too!
Jamie, yeah... the world doesn't need another Lewis, another Tolkien, another Doyle.
DeleteI liked this so much, I bought the next one as an ebook because the library doesn't have it. Hoping to get to it soon!
Oh! I would love this!
ReplyDeleteMovieCritic, you probably would! I'm getting ready to read the next book in the series.
DeleteThis looks like a book I would enjoy! I think I will like it because I can identify with being a girl and wanting to be like Sherlock Homes or Dr. Watson.
ReplyDeleteEkaterina, that's a lot of what I liked about it too :-)
DeleteBy the way, I read Dani Noir, and it was really good! I now have to watch Gilda. Although the movie hasn't particularly appealed to me in the past, I guess I better watch it to see what people like about it.
DeleteEkaterina, that's cool! Yeah, it made me want to rewatch Gilda myself. I've only seen it once, and that was years ago.
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it! I think the series is simply a lot of fun. As you said, it's not deep or intense, but definitely fun! :)
ReplyDeleteKara, exactly. And fun is good. My library system doesn't have book 2 for some unknown reason, so I just bought the e-book version and hope to dip into it soon.
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