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Summary: Isle of Dogs
Review: My husband and I are big fans of Patricia Cornwell and in the past have been able to sit down and reaad one of her books in a day or two. My husband can read one in a matter of hours. I purchased Isle of DOgs and it took me two weeks to read it. I was very disappointed with this book. It didn't keep my interest. When I finally finished it I gave it to my husband and he could not get interested in it. He said if her next book is anything like this one he isn't interested in reading it. Hope she gets back to her former way of writing.
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Summary: How to Write a Comedy that Doesn't Work!!
Review: Shame on you Pat Cornwell. After entertaining us so many times with actually interesting and believable characters plus real plots, this romp is an 180 degree departure from her 5 star norm. If the "Isle" is full of Dogs, then this book should be confined to that isle as it is definately a dog. A comedy that trys to be funny and isn't, characters supposedly real but arn't along with fish and crabs that think and talk...come on! Readers - save your money. Pat Cornwell get back to writing something you know about cause comedy ain't it. Too bad there is not a "zero star rating".
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Summary: yuck - what a waste of paper
Review: I always try to give a book 100 pages but could only make it to page 87. This book was boring and not funny or witty. In contrast to her other books, this was so bad, I'm surprised she even wrote it. Maybe someone else did, and she just put her name to it. I was open to her new character (Hammer) in the other books, but now forget it.
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Summary: Oh Ms. Cornwell...
Review: I am an incredibly devout fan of Ms. Cornwell, from her Ruth Graham Bell biography to Dr. Scarpetta to Judy Hammer. That said, I found this experiment into postmodern literature asinine and mind-numbingly boring. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the book (it's already been a week, a record for me and a Cornwell book) but if I keep waking my husband up with my groaning, he just might hide the book before I can finish it! While the parody might have worked with different characters (and a little more fleshing out), Cornwell has already introduced us to Hammer and Brazil - which makes it rather difficult to match these their caricatures with the characters we already know. Brazil's essays, while interesting, make room for plot holes big enough to drive a truck through. Hopefully the esteemed Ms. Cornwell will return to her roots: fast paced, well plotted and thoroughly researched novels about strong women and the mysteries of the criminal mind.
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Summary: Vendeta and bad science
Review: I am (or at least was) a fan of Patricia so I purchased Isle of Dogs, her latest hardback, without much critical reflection. It was a big mistake. And lest there be any doubt I did read all of it in the belated hope that somewhere among the pages, the book would redeem itself. But I was mistaken and thus I share with you my opinions about this book. Rarely have I read a book more poorly written than this one. A borrowed hodgepodge of characters first introduced in her other books are clumped together in what is charitably nothing less than wholesale character assassination of the people of North Carolina and Virginia wrapped in a plot line too contrived to even bother explaining. One might believe that this was a vendetta visited upon officialdom for some slight the author perceived in the past. She certainly writes with a grudge or bias of some kind.
Good fiction sometimes requires a "willing suspension of disbelief." This book requires not only suspension of disbelief but wholesale abandonment of the laws of physics and biology. If the "science" in it were even half way believable, it ought to be called science fiction. But then that would be disservice to a whole genre of fiction that has been critically acclaimed, Even the venture in discussion and use of a website by one of the characters betrays a glaring lack of knowledge of email over the internet. Save your money buy something else. I sure wish I could get a refund on my purchase - something I have never considered before in thirty years of book buying.
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Summary: Rock and a hard place
Review: I'm not sure how to review this book (again)...do i concentrate on the wonderful (if sometimes far too adolescent) humour? The rather amusing (yet ridiculous and sometimes annoying) characters? The incredibly interesting and refreshing (but once or twice drawn out) forways into the history of virginia? The interesting depictions of life on Tangier island, or the talking animals?Either way, im not entirely sure. This book, whatever people may say, does have some really good things going for it. I must say that i absolutely loved the humour, and found myself laughing out loud several times, as i saw what laid beneath the writing. It is not always that her writing is essneitall funny, it is just the ridiculous images that her words create which make you laugh. The plot could do with being a bit tighter, admittedly. Some of the characters are a little ott on the stupid line. But the writing is still first class. The plot is amusing, if light-hearted. At times, particularly at the beginning of this book, there is real tension and fear in the writing when there is a killing. It really does show Cornwell's talent. At those times, the writing really does shine, and we are shown a glimpse of the Cornwell who writes the Scarpetta novels. Scarpetta...who has a cameo in this novel. I can, however, see Cornwell's dilemma. Do i create a new medical examiner for virginia? No, of course i can't, because all the writers know that Kay is the chief medical examiner of virginia...oh dear, what a problem. So, to satisfy Scarpetta fans, and to assure continuity, she gives her a small role. Admittedly, she does seem a little wooden, though. but it's still great to see her in this book. Overall, i found this to be a really very humourous book, a light read, which is enjoyable. I know there are people who don't agree, but i think they are probably taking their reading too seriously.
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Summary: Branching out is not a sin
Review: It's unfortunate that so many readers are unable to come to terms with an author writing in more than one style. Anyone who had read Hornet's Nest and Southern Cross should have been able to see that these novels had more humor and an altogether different style than the Scarpetta books. Forcing a writer -- or any artist -- to stick with one style and one set of characters is not the mark of a true fan. The fact that this novel goes deeper into the realm of black humor should be congratulated rather than reviled. For readers who ONLY want the Scarpetta style, then stick with the Scarpetta books and don't whine about the other books not living up to your expectations.
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Summary: I feel that I've been had.
Review: After having read the other reviews, I have little to add.I , too, did not read it through. Her other books, with one other exception, keep me up through the night.
I just removed my book mark, placed it with those to go to my used book store, and felt taken.
She owes it to us to warn us before we buy them when she knows, full well, that we are to be disappointed with her "wild hairs".
I've sworn off before, due to the sadness seeping from the soul of the Doctor. She surely must recover sometime from her lost love.
Is our dear author like this in her own soul? I trust not.
She's such a talent.
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Summary: What a disappointment
Review: I'm a huge fan of Patricia Cornwell, but this book was the biggest waste of time, mine and hers! I kept expecting the foolishness to end and for Scarpetta to arrive to save the day....and it just never happened. Hopefully this group of characters are forever stranded on Tangier island and won't be re-appearing.
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Summary: Terrible
Review: Avoid this book at all costs. I am a Cornwell and Scarpetta fan but this book was awful. It took me over three months to finish it and that was a huge task to just keep reading a page or two a day. I am not one to not finish a book that I have started but this was one I definatly did not want to finish. It was her worst ever book. Ms. Cornwell, what were you thinking???
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