Vote: Buy it in paperback
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The Sculptress
Minette Walters is a new author to me. I liked her style and also that the mystery was much weirder than what I usually read. Some of the story lines were disappointing - she really didn't need to fall in love with Sergeant Hawksley. It was more interesting when they were attracted to each other, but got on each other's last nerve. I did like the ending, because I was not totally convinced that Olive hadn't killed her mother and Amber. Although, I did not like siding with the lazy self-centered solicitor Crew. I liked it enough to read more by MW. Bethie
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I remembered after about 10 pages that I’d seen a British 2-part “Mystery” TV production of this book, although I’d never read the book itself. I rented the movie and watched it again after I finished the book—not a bad translation of the book, although, as Bethie says, the romance seemed superfluous and even more so in the 1 ½ hour movie
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I’ve noticed a difference between how I read a book for a book group vs. reading just for my own pleasure. I take book group books much more seriously and try to think about the book’s worth and messages that I never bother about when I’m just reading to read
And I am trying to understand my general preference for mysteries vs. fiction=mysteries are plot-driven. I often am unable to shut a book down at the conclusion of a chapter because of the urge to reach a resolution. In fiction, which is most often character-driven, I can much more easily walk away for a while because the pace is much slower
However, I am less interested in stand-alone mysteries vs. series books. In a continuing series (like a TV show), you come to know and understand the protagonist, and the knowledge and comfort-level and general interest in the character typically increases with each book in the series. In a stand-alone book like The Sculptress, you spend a certain % of reading time figuring the protagonist and his/her motivations out, and for me, that fact slows down interest. I’m much more invested in the protagonists in series mysteries
In some ways, Olive reminds me of Lisbeth Salander from the beloved Millennium series—she's strongly antisocial, she refuses to participate in her own defense, her actions are always based on a personal moral code that mystifies everyone who comes into contact with her. She NEVER explains her actions to anyone
I have to admit I experienced a slightly bad response to “eww” factor in other characters’ reaction to Olive’s physical appearance although I suspect this reaction is strictly personal!
I liked how the book starts out with a broad-brush depiction of Olive: “She kills people.” Roz then begins to wonder about “the nature of diminished responsibility” which is what makes her begin to consider whether maybe Olive doesn’t in fact kill people
I also kind of liked that the author explored Roz’s third motivation for going forward with the writing the book (other than needing the money and the distraction of taking on a challenging project): another popular writer’s proposed book on “the inherent dangers of a poor self-image, with obesity as number one confidence-crippler” with the stated possibility of concluding her book with a picture of Olive in jail, which somewhat inexplicably offends Roz so instead of dropping her project, she decides to continue working on it despite her gut-reaction of revulsion towards both Olive’s person and the crimes she (allegedly) committed, or, as she put it: “Truth… was not the absolute she had once believed it to be”
I got a little tired of the heavy-handed metaphor of Olive being imprisoned = Roz’s being imprisoned by her hatred for her ex Walters uses to offer some explanation for why Roz identifies with Olive
I think the end, leaving it open to the possibility that Olive in fact DID kill her mother and sister after all, frustrated me. See, I like my mysteries all nicely tied up, as I said in my earlier post on U is for Undertow!
Susan: You missed your calling! You should be a book reviewer and/or daily blogger. I sense a retirement career. You put in writing many of my thoughts about the book, but could not manage to express. Well done!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great new author! I share Susan's question about series vs. standalone ... I really like the long term character development of a series but sometimes the extended series end up with carbon copy books.
ReplyDeleteSince Minette Walters is new to me also, I started by reading her first book, The Ice House. I like the British country setting and the quirky characters ... a good beginning.
Then I read The Sculptress ... overall, I liked this book also. It has more icky stuff (chopped up bodies and people with low self esteem) but Walters does write a story that keeps you turning the pages. It's not the kind of book that makes you like the characters but it sure makes you want to know more about them. I went back and forth about Olive's guilt and ended up thinking it just didn't matter ... even if she was innocent she was wierd enough to make that irrelevant.
I tried a few more of Walter's books ... all dark and quirky with icky stuff ... but all very readable. I wish that she had tried a series instead of all standalone.
My vote is a high end Borrow It.