Reviews

A Gathering of Ghosts by Karen Maitland

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annabrewer972's review

3.0

*** 3 stars ***

I enjoyed this book's historical context and the events it explored, such as the Knights Templar, Dartmoor, and Celtic legends. There's a good glossary/historical notes section at the end which provides plenty of interesting information. I also initially liked the book's writing style. However, my enthusiasm quickly faded. The novel had so much potential... But NOTHING HAPPENED. The first 400 pages just cycle through the different characters, repeating the same things over and over again - the blind child, the grumpy knight, the tinners, the famine, etc. There were no meaningful developments. Sure, the final 80 pages or so offered the much-awaited resolution, but even then I felt it unsatisfying and incomplete. All in all, the book could definitely have been half the length without suffering!

essie_woaah's review

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2.0

This book was okay, I just wasn't feeling it. This is going on my reread list because I'll probably appreciate later.

emilyjbrown's review

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4.0

3.5 sometimes I found it frustrating that it wasn't paced quicker but I think that's more of a me issue.

kristineisreading's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense

4.0

Another good one from Karen Maitland. It has all the elements I've come to expect from her work: very spooky, plenty of paranormal activity, a good dose of religious hypocrisy, lots of historical details, and general intrigue.

drjoannehill's review

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slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Unfortunately I could not tell you what the plot of this book is, because I'm not sure it has one. I spent much of the time wondering where it was all heading. So any suspense was lost for me.

Content Warnings