Rating: 
Summary: Fun! Pick it up
Review: Really fun, light read. Will definitely pick up the sequels. Nice twist on your average mystery with endearing characters. Enjoyed reading about the country and its people, as well.
Rating: 
Summary: A light, pleasant read
Review: A nice, easy, and often funny read about a country I know little about. So many of the reviews here repeat all of the obvious good points of this book. Let's do something different; let's talk about some of the book's weaknesses. Did you know that over a third of the population of Botswana is infected with HIV? Not from reading this book. Botswana is rich in cattle and diamonds, but there is little mention in the book about the terrible working conditions, inequalities, and corruption. It's great that Precious is happy as a fat African, in contrast to American arrogance, but sometimes the author gets heavy-handed with the pity Precious feels for Americans. It's great that Precious feels love and pride for her country and her people, but then we see how common it is for men to beat, desert, or cheat their women. It's great that Precious wants to be like Agatha Christie, but, c'mon, the story about the crocodile? And for all of the hype against America, the book has a good, old-fashioned American happy ending, where the good guys defeat the bad guys and only the bad guys get hurt. As I said, it's a light, fun book. But the weaknesses will keep me from reading the rest of the series. I only want to know if Precious will really marry Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific!
Review: Just a great book about everything and nothing! The characters are rich with tradition, the plot is fast moving and interesting, the backdrop of Africa is unforgettable.
I will be looking for the sequels to read and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly original
Review: Bravo, Mr. Smith, for creating such a delightful character in Precious Ramotswe. A plump divorcee in her early thirties, Mma Ramotswe decides to open the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency in her small village near modern Botswana, using the inheritance left by her loving father upon his death. The unconventional act itself of creating a detective agency, when she has no experience or qualifications other than her calm self-assurance and determination, right away conveys the message to the reader that we're dealing with a special woman worthy of respect and affection. Using instinct and good old-fashioned common sense, Mma Ramotswe solves one case after another. In the process, introducing us to colorful characters in interesting circumstances, sometimes comical, sometimes horrible.
The setting only increases the book's lure. Smith describes Africa with great love and reverence. Seen through the eyes of Mma Ramotswe, the beauty and mystery of Africa vividly appears in the mind. I found myself feeling almost ashamed of the self-imposed hectic life I lead in the sterile corporate world, constantly striving to attain bigger and better yuppie toys like leaf blowers and snow mobiles. I cheered Mma Ramotswe's scolding of people like me who fail to notice the beauty of our surroundings or to appreciate a good bowl of stew and a long chat with a friend while sitting on the porch watching the sun set.
A refreshingly original story, simple and sweet. I can't wait to visit Mma Ramotswe again.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful African treasure
Review: The inspiration for the No.1 Lady Detective, Ma Ramotswe, came to McCall Smith while he observed a "traditionally built and cheerful" woman chasing a chicken in a yard in Botswana. Precious Ramotswe became the heroine of this delightful and engaging series. The box set contains the first three volumes and, as an extra treat, an African folk tale from a forthcoming collection. If you, as I did, just bought the first volume on its own, keep it to lend or give to friends and get the set right away. Mm Ramotswe's charm, humanity and her special sense of fairness will keep you entertained and your heart warmed. You will feel like the author who could not leave Ma Ramotswe at the end of the first book - "it would have been like leaving in the middle of a conversation".The diverse cases handled by the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, while providing a thread through the books, are not really the main theme. The stories provide the reader with an insight into social aspects of one African society rarely offered in such a caring and empathic way. With great sensitivity McCall Smith explores rising conflicts between the traditional values of Botswana society and the modern influences brought from the cities across the border in South Africa. Of course, there are also the usual domestic conflicts that are the bread and butter of private detectives. Mma Ramotswe solves these with aplomb and wit, using common sense and her own version of justice. It is sometimes more important to teach the culprit a lesson and change his ways than to hand him (or her) over to the police authorities... Through all the descriptions of her cases and daily goings on in her life, McCall Smith reveals his love for Botswana, her people and the environment. With each volume, we get more intimately involved with the main characters. In addition to Precious, her fiancé, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni, her assistant Mma Makutsi and her father, the late Obed Ramotswe who continues to play an important role in her life are major players. One would love to sit down with Precious on the veranda of her house on Zebra Drive to watch the sun set behind the trees and, drinking her favourite bush tea, reflect on life and its quirky sides. Fortunately there are more stories on the way in this highly entertaining and winning series. {Friederike Knabe]
Rating:
Summary: Sweet but forgettable
Review: I really can't think of anything bad to say about this novel. The heroine is extremely likable, the descriptions of Botswana beautiful, and the tales of Mma Ramtowse's cases light-hearted and entertaining. I enjoyed the stories of the wayward Indian daughter, the husband eaten by the crocodile, and the philandering twins. The only thing about this story was that I forgot it as soon as I finished it. Nothing much there really stayed with me. Even the "big" case involving the boy abducted by witch doctors didn't have much substance. Sweet, yes, but not much meat. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone looking for a pleasant escape--and that's not a bad thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay, so I really prefer thrillers.
Review: Call me simple, but I couldn't get through the first tape of the unabridged audio book. I tried to be patient, but after an hour, the plot still hadn't begun to take shape. Although I can't offer much in the way of a review, I nonetheless felt the need to post one, because I bought this book BECAUSE of the rave reviews. It may warm up, but all indications pointed to ramblings of cultures and complications in simple lives, and I was absolutely bored to death. The slow speech and accent of the reader may have contributed to the coma this book attempted to put me in.
Rating:
Summary: Simplistic title has delightful writing
Review: I read this book, then the second one (Tears of the Giraffe), and can't wait for the next one. Alexander McCall Smith has captured a character who stands not alone, but who represents womanhood and hopefully those of modern Botswana. Having never been to Africa it was a delightful opportunity to read of someone else's descriptive manner at detailing a storyline around a whole of their people. Since I do not have any experience to this observation, let it suffice to say that it intrigued me and kept me reading. The main character was just that, a character. Her life and that of the simple life around her was developed in such a manner that I wanted to find out more of how she thought, lived, and developed her detective agency in such a place. Her main male interest was charming as well. He had pride, depth, and honesty when often we think of those we don't know in far away places as perhaps not being as morale as we believe ourselves to be. It was eye-opening, interesting, and worth the read. The sad part was reading some viewpoints from readers who found the book not a "great" detective novel. They missed the point entirely. Her neighbors and clients were charming folks with lives that had simple fears, hopes, and dreams. What more could a reader ask than to have a glimpse into their lives. Read on folks, the second book is as delightful as the first.
Thank you. Reader in California
Rating: 
Summary: Too simplistic
Review: While the characters are mildly engaging, the plotlines in this book are rather uninteresting. I found the solutions to the mysteries glaringly obvious, and I am not one of those people who can routinely figure out whodunit by page 15. Precious Ramotswe is a likable but bungling detective who repeatedly gets found out by the people she is supposed to be trailing (yes, I know it's part of the plot, but it's rather irritating). The novel is just barely worth reading for the pleasant local color, but as far as intelligent mystery fiction goes, I would rather reread any Dorothy Sayers novel--except the execrable _Thrones, Dominations_, completed posthumously by another author--for the umpteenth time, than continue following Mma Ramotswe's career.
Rating:
Summary: A woman would have made a difference!
Review: A beautiful story, the life of Mma Ramotswe a detective agent in Botswana, Africa. She takes us back through her childhood and brings us to the present to meet her customers where each story unfolds two pictures of Africa now and then. Mma Ramotswe symbolizing the modern African woman and the conflict that goes between modernization and culture. Humor is one of Mma Ramotswe's qualities and she never fails to make you laugh out loud! Whether she's analyzing her problems or trying to solve a mystery.. it is so simple and hilarious! She loves her country, but tries hard to eradicate horrible old beliefs. She cherishes her freedom and the new way of life but nevertheless holds tight to her roots. She portrays wisdom and femininity, and pours out her opinion whenever possible. A romantic ending to a beautiful story!
|
