Rating: 
Summary: The Worst
Review: As a big Cornwell fan, this is her worst effort. Possibly the worst book of the year by any author.
Rating:
Summary: If only I had known
Review: Is Isle of Dogs a bad book, no not really, but I do feel some what betrayed, after reading Southern Cross and Hornets Nest I was expecting another novel along the same line. I thought that having the same characters, well almost all of them anyway, that the book would be in the same genre. Alas it wasn't. I wish I had known this before I bought it. I usually read a Cornwell book in 2 days, this book I have owned for 3 months and have yet to finish it, it remains on the shelf in my toilet.
Rating:
Summary: One star is too high
Review: Thank God, I didn't buy this book! My wife, who knows I usually love Patrica Cornwell, brought it home from the library for me. And, although I have not enjoyed Cornwell's "Hammer" series as much I had the "Scarpetta" series I still anticipated reading this new novel. What a disappointment! The characters, even the familiar ones, have become charicatures, the plots so outlandish as to be unbelievable, and if she was trying for dark humor, she fell well short of the mark. A particularly disturbing point for me was when Cornwell actually brought Kay Scarpetta into this farce. Now that Hammer has moved to Richmond, is this a portent of things to come? Is Cornwell trying to merge the two story lines? That would be a huge disappointment, especially if this is the kind of work we should expect.Bottom line, if you have been a fan of Cornwell's generally finely crafted Scarpetta books, or even a fan of the not so finely crafted Hammer series, you will be disappointed by this book. Although this book might appeal to some, I can't imagine an actual Cornwell fan appreciating it.
Rating: 
Summary: Ignore the author and enjoy the book
Review: Most of those who have reviewed this book so far have focused on the disappointment they experienced when they expected something different. This is *not* your normal Cornwell, so drop your expectations and I think you will enjoy this novel. The plot itself is not particularly complex, but the fun for me was the collection of bumbling misfits who are at crosspurposes. Who, for example, could read this book without howling at the antics of Virginia's almost-blind, digestively-challenged, and most obtuse Governor Crimm? It does have its flaws and sometimes she pushes the envelope with her weird characters, but I had fun with it.
Rating:
Summary: Isle of Dogs
Review: I'm sorry, but this book [is really bad}! I was extremely disappointed to say the least. It is entirely different from the Kay Scarpetta series, which are kind of depressing because they are so morbid, but at least they hold my attention, and I always learn something, in addition to being good reads & good mysteries. With Isle of Dogs, however, the author departs from her usual style and tries to be funny. She falls flat on her face. In James Hall's mysteries, the bad guys are evil, demented nit-wits. In Cornell's book, the villians are evil & demented, and the stock characters are nit-wits. The characters are so cartoonish they are unbelievable. The half-blind Governor of Virginia looks at everything through a magnifying glass and is plagued with gastro-intestinal problems. So why doesn't he go to an optometrist and get fitted for contact lenses or glasses? Why doesn't he see the doctor about his g.i. problems and get cured? The situations are an implausible mish-mash of unrelated events which protagonist Andy Brazil and the other characters are trying to force into a pattern to make some kind of sense. I suppose it's meant to be farce. I think Ms. Cornwell is taking St. John's Wort, which alleviates depression, but is scrambling her brain.
Rating:
Summary: Who really wrote this book?
Review: What a great disappointment for a long time Cornwell fan! I'm suppose to care what a blue crab is saying? Or a trout? It is hard for me to believe that Patricia Cornwell wrote this mess. The action never gets started but sort of 'burps' along. Her description of the characters was the only thing that gave me hope that the next chapter would be an improvement. It was not. I feel like I slogged along uphill to complete this book.
Rating: 
Summary: More of a slapstick
Review: This was my first taste of Patricia Cornwell's writing. Quite naturally, I embarked on the book with an open mind, free of the high expectations or deep prejudices that often tend to color a fan's opinion. Despite all attempts to make it a dizzying comedy, it remains only an attempt at being funny. Save for a few situations that genuinely evoke laughter, most of the book can be read with a straight face.
Rating:
Summary: Isle of Dogs
Review: I have read most of Cornwell's works and this by far is the weakest. While she is a great author in my opinion she is NOT a comedic author. I usually have trouble putting her books down, I had to force myself to pick this one up. I was always hoping that the story would pick up at some time. It did not. I bought the book on the strength of her past works and I was totally dissappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Isle of LOST dogs
Review: SAVE YOUR MONEY !! Ive read every one of her books and really enjoyed them but was stunned at how this book is such a stinker. Ms Cornwell, what happened? Did your 12 year old nephew tie you up and then write the book for you? Or maybe it was the talking crabs that did it ? I think Im off of Ms Cornwell for some time to come.
Rating:
Summary: Departure
Review: This latest book by Patricia Cornwell is such a departure that I found myself wondering who really wrote it. The characters are too goofy to be remotely believable. The character Hammer seems to show the most resemblance to Cornwells typical characters who are notably more sober, intospective and intellegent. I can't imagine why she let this get published and wonder if she wrote it years ago ..say when she was 9 or 10! Too bad for all the people who wasted their money and time and hopes for a good read . This is clearly a bomb!
|
