Book Review: The Outcast Dead by Elly Griffiths
I just finished a crime novel titled 'The Outcast Dead' by Elly Griffiths. I read the book incredibly fast. It was an easy read. Not first person, but third person omniscient (vaguely), with not a lot of descriptors, like I can't even remember what any of the characters look like. I found the novel entertaining. I love crime novels. Trying to figure out the whodunit and the why and such. There wasn't a lot about the why... I have no idea why the why even happened. It was all every vague and unsatisfying. No real justification from the antagonist of the novel.
One aspect of the novel that I really like however, was the setting. While I was reading I looking up the setting of the novel so that I could envision myself there (or rather the characters there).
The novel was set in Norfolk Britain, and pretty much the only descriptions in the whole novel was of the setting. It did make me want to visit the salt marshes in the area.
All in all I was really hoping to find a different or more flushed out plot of the novel.
Though, I did just randomly pick up The Outcast Dead in the book store, while I was out with a friend a few days ago. The synopsis looked intriguing, and the publishers knew what they were doing with their cover art: crumbling gravestones, one of a Celtic cross, being overgrown by grass set against a backdrop of a bleak cloudy sky. I love that kind of thing.
I found myself in the middle of a series, so all the characters had a history with each other, and from what I could tell one subplot got wrapped up by the end. I've found myself in this situation before, i.e. reading a book halfway through the series. This one I thought (half way through) that I would pick up the first book, but then the ending made me reconsider. the whole novel just felt fast, none of the characters really felt like that had much to do with each others plots until the climax. And in the hands of another author it could work great, however this novel just felt lackluster. I didn't feel any suspense, nor hurried, nor gripped while reading, I just felt meh, and just enough interested to finish.
I think I kept hoping for a different outcome or just something else from the characters. I also didn't feel any affection towards the characters. I knew their personalities, but I didn't feel like I knew them.
I wished for something more. I feel like the writing almost gave it to me on many occasions, but then...didn't. Like what I was wanting or expecting was almost there and then..not. So it was just all so very melodramatic.
I'm not sure if I'll pick up the first Dr. Ruth Galloway Mystery, I might, but I think I'd like to read something else with more substance first. If, in the future, I want a quick and easy read I'll probably pick it up.
One aspect of the novel that I really like however, was the setting. While I was reading I looking up the setting of the novel so that I could envision myself there (or rather the characters there).
The novel was set in Norfolk Britain, and pretty much the only descriptions in the whole novel was of the setting. It did make me want to visit the salt marshes in the area.
All in all I was really hoping to find a different or more flushed out plot of the novel.
Though, I did just randomly pick up The Outcast Dead in the book store, while I was out with a friend a few days ago. The synopsis looked intriguing, and the publishers knew what they were doing with their cover art: crumbling gravestones, one of a Celtic cross, being overgrown by grass set against a backdrop of a bleak cloudy sky. I love that kind of thing.
I found myself in the middle of a series, so all the characters had a history with each other, and from what I could tell one subplot got wrapped up by the end. I've found myself in this situation before, i.e. reading a book halfway through the series. This one I thought (half way through) that I would pick up the first book, but then the ending made me reconsider. the whole novel just felt fast, none of the characters really felt like that had much to do with each others plots until the climax. And in the hands of another author it could work great, however this novel just felt lackluster. I didn't feel any suspense, nor hurried, nor gripped while reading, I just felt meh, and just enough interested to finish.
I think I kept hoping for a different outcome or just something else from the characters. I also didn't feel any affection towards the characters. I knew their personalities, but I didn't feel like I knew them.
I wished for something more. I feel like the writing almost gave it to me on many occasions, but then...didn't. Like what I was wanting or expecting was almost there and then..not. So it was just all so very melodramatic.
I'm not sure if I'll pick up the first Dr. Ruth Galloway Mystery, I might, but I think I'd like to read something else with more substance first. If, in the future, I want a quick and easy read I'll probably pick it up.
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