I Really Wanted to Hate These Books; Unfortunately, They Were Great:
The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
J.K. Rowling's first foray into fiction after the Harry Potter series was The Casual Vacancy. I read this book as soon as it was released, hoping for some of the fabulous writing and imaginative storytelling in the Harry Potter series. I was hugely disappointed, and I really disliked the book. So, when Rowling published The Cuckoo's Calling under a pseudonym, I expected to hate it too. It was only after rave reviews from a friend with similar taste, that I finally broke down and read it. Boy, am I glad I did.
The main characters in both novels are detective Cormoran Strike and his secretary Robin. When Cuckoo's Calling begins, Strike is down on his luck. He is down to two clients, living in his office, and only able to hire a temporary secretary. In fact, he nearly sends Robin away on the morning she shows up since he really doesn't have the money to pay her. A wealthy client soon arrives, however, and retains Cormoran to find out what really happened to his sister, superstar model Lula Landry. Her death has been ruled a suicide, but her brother doesn't believe that is the case.
Cormoran, along with Robin, begins to delve into the lives of the rich and famous, trying to determine the real facts behind Lula's death. As they investigate, we find out more about them as individuals. These two characters are what makes these novels so engrossing. As soon as I finished the first novel, I began The Silkworm. Although it is a little grittier, it is also a fascinating mystery. This time, Cormoran and Robin end up immersed in the literary scene in London.
Both novels are excellent mysteries with characters that you learn to really care about. I can hardly wait for installment three of what I hope will be a long series.
No comments:
Post a Comment