P o i n t l e s s . . . .
This book, and we will be referring to it as ‘this book’ has shot to the top of our list of ‘Worst Book Ever’ and we don’t say this lightly.
This time next year it will be on the cracker charade note as ‘a book’. ‘a play’. ‘a film’. ‘a pantomime’ unfortunately!
This book is set in a so called idyllic, sleepy retirement village where a group of elderly residents with colourful pasts meet up on a Thursday, to try their hand at investigating unsolved murders. They then find themselves caught up in a real live case and decide to combine their lifetime expertise with that of the local detective and a recently transferred new-by, all of which have a story to tell. In fact, throughout this book everyone has a story to tell and their stories are told in every finite detail imaginable. Nothing is left to chance or the imagination. You are hand led through ever decreasing circles throughout the whole book until the guilty emerge, but at the same time the characters, plots and story line are so very very dull and unimaginable, even incredulous at certain points. You get that Scooby Doo, Miss Marple feeling with a touch of Columbo. I feels almost childish, but childish from another era because children from the 2020 era may call it ‘lame’
Normally my other counterparts would throw in a one-liner critique but not this time, it was pretty full on no Holes barred. See below:
1. This book is formulaic, with a boring plot full of stereotypes far too much detail and if he is trying to reflect the pace of life in a retirement home he has succeeded and then some, laying it on thick no suspense, no twists, no thrills, no interest in whodunnit no angle was left uncovered at every stage .......
2. A shameful reflection on all those who gave this book a rave review. The reviews can only be on the basis of the names and connections of the author. I challenge any of those who gave a positive review to admit having actually read the book. It achieves nothing - the plot is pants, the setting is dull and poorly described (I still can’t visualise it). And the characters - god help me - too many and too poorly developed pantomime characters. The murder finally happens 20% into the book, 20% of the excruciating hard work. The only reason I read on was because it was a book group book. I had no investment in the murdered character and no desire to find out whodunnit. One of the worst books I have ever read. Yet, yes, I can already see it could be ok on screen, but as a book it fails miserably. A waste of money, time and effort, barely worth a review. Avoid like the plague. Crap from start to finish words fail me
3. This book dragged on from start to finish. The odd analogy was amusing but only because of the reader being a similar age to the writer. The writer seems to portray that he knows a little but of something about everything and by god, in one way or another, he was going to incorporate every quip, analogy or witticism in this book. Save some for book two. Omg there is a book two to pre-order The chooser chose badly based on the hype of other authors, the tv interviews, the radio plugs and the man himself. Sorry folks.
It’s the Christmas of 2020 and never to be forgotten as a mutant strain of covid sweeps through the country resulting in a severe lockdown. Nothing is quite working to put it mildly. However, our hopes are hanging on a recently developed vaccine which is being rolled out. Follow the covid story alongside our reviews and we will be reviewing our next book hopefully near the end of January. All things being well, join us to review
Platform Seven by Louise Doughty
27.12.2020
No comments:
Post a Comment