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essie_may's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
rusereviews's review against another edition
3.0
Rated this one a 3 rather than a 4 like pretty much all of the others because I figured it out super fast. But it's still a good read.
dominic_piacentini's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
As the war between Empress Maud and King Stephen feels increasingly meaningless, the English Anarchy has begun to wreak havoc on quiet hamlets. Abbeys burn with nuns inside of them. This installment is quite a bit darker than others in the series. Especially as we are introduced to Brother Urien, whose chapters had me humming “Hellfire” from Hunchback in my head.
Cadfael takes a bit of a backseat in this one, leaving much of the sleuthing to Hugh Baringar and more peripheral characters. Unlike its predecessors, this is less murder mystery and more missing persons case, but all the classic elements are still there — including Ellis Peters’ ever-entertaining vocabulary.
Cadfael takes a bit of a backseat in this one, leaving much of the sleuthing to Hugh Baringar and more peripheral characters. Unlike its predecessors, this is less murder mystery and more missing persons case, but all the classic elements are still there — including Ellis Peters’ ever-entertaining vocabulary.
marypboa's review against another edition
4.0
Surprised how much I enjoyed my first Cadfael novel. It seemed appropriate to take one on a visit to Shrewsbury, and also nice that some of the action is in Winchester and Wherwell. Lovely characters and descriptions, interesting history.
ulrikedg's review against another edition
relaxing
5.0
The "twist" was obvious fairly early on, but the story was still fun.
Audiobook narrator Patrick Tull is excellent.
Audiobook narrator Patrick Tull is excellent.
grahamjohnson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
captlychee's review against another edition
2.0
The problem with tis one is that the mystery isn't excellent. The mystery is blindingly obvious from about page 30 and the contrivances to make it a mystery just seem tedious. But perhaps when it was written, the constant insinuation sof homosexuality were shocking enough to divert the teader's attention from the mystery.
Further, Cadfaeldoesn't have anything to do with solving the mystery, so what is the point of that?
Still rich in period detail, though, and that's mainly why you read them.
Further, Cadfaeldoesn't have anything to do with solving the mystery, so what is the point of that?
Still rich in period detail, though, and that's mainly why you read them.
bookwoman1967's review against another edition
2.0
A very rare disappointment from Ellis Peters. Not an excellent mystery, I thought, in spite of almost all of hers being excellent.