A Monstrous Regiment of Women
by Laurie R. King
★★★
This is the second in a series (the first is The Beekeeper’s Apprentice) and while I loved the first one, this didn't quite
measure up for me. Mary Russell has followed in Sherlock Holmes' footsteps and
has become a private detective. I really like her character and it was fun to
see her develop. She came into her inheritance in this book, which dramatically
changes her circumstances.
The plot focuses on an often over-looked piece of
history. The young women who were left behind when WWI began had to build new
lives for themselves and many joined the war effort or workforce. So many of
their fiancés, sweethearts, brothers, etc. were sent off to war and many of
them never returned. Those that did were often broken and so altered by PTSD as
to be unrecognizable. When the war ended those same women were expected to step
back into their “places”. The case in this book deals with that group of women,
many of whom have joined a cult-like religion. The plot feels very secondary to
Russell’s development as a character.
I've got to say, the Russell/Holmes romantic relationship
just doesn’t click for me. I see them as a great meeting of the minds. They
challenge each other and make a great mentor/mentee, but they met when she was
a kid and he was an old man. It just creeps me out and that whole element just
through me for a loop.
BOTTOM LINE: I love the writing and the characters, but
the romance didn't sit right for me.
“‘What is it you want of me, Russell? I agree this is all
very interesting, from the point of view of the human mind, but why bring it to
me?’
‘I don’t know. I suppose I thought that telling you might
help me clarify it in my own mind.’”
Also, this is my 12th and final book for the TBRChallenge!
3 comments:
I never got past this one, which I HATE. It wasn't quite as good as the first one, as you say, but I still wanted to continue. I need to get on that.
I hear you on this...because I felt the same way about this and another one or two I did read from the series and why I never continued it. I wanted to like it, but just didn't.
Heather - I think I will probably give the next book a chance.
Bryan - I liked the first one so much and I was disappointed with this one. Whenever that happens I'm always on the fence about reading more from the series.
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