Maisie Dobbs
2 journalers for this copy...
From Amazon:
"Maisie Dobbs isn’t just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence—and the patronage of her benevolent employers—she works her way into college at Cambridge. After serving as a nurse in World War I, she sets up on her own as a private investigator. But her very first assignment, seemingly an ordinary infidelity case, soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War and the love she left behind."
Ok, that's the basic plot line. I found the book a quick, easy read and the characters--especially Maisie--distinctive and well-drawn. But for some reason, I was disappointed, and I'm not exactly sure why. I found myself skimming chunks--extraneous conversations, info, that didn't move the plot along. And what is with all the detailed descriptions of what people are wearing? Probably to emphasize the title character's powers of observation--but it became annoying.
Winspear does do a commendable job of bringing to life the period after WWI, one too much neglected in popular fiction.
Though I was not completely enamoured of this book, I think I shall try Winspear's work again. And this I truly hope, perhaps the Maisie series will prompt other readers to learn a bit more about the Great War and the astounding societal changes it prompted.
"Maisie Dobbs isn’t just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence—and the patronage of her benevolent employers—she works her way into college at Cambridge. After serving as a nurse in World War I, she sets up on her own as a private investigator. But her very first assignment, seemingly an ordinary infidelity case, soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War and the love she left behind."
Ok, that's the basic plot line. I found the book a quick, easy read and the characters--especially Maisie--distinctive and well-drawn. But for some reason, I was disappointed, and I'm not exactly sure why. I found myself skimming chunks--extraneous conversations, info, that didn't move the plot along. And what is with all the detailed descriptions of what people are wearing? Probably to emphasize the title character's powers of observation--but it became annoying.
Winspear does do a commendable job of bringing to life the period after WWI, one too much neglected in popular fiction.
Though I was not completely enamoured of this book, I think I shall try Winspear's work again. And this I truly hope, perhaps the Maisie series will prompt other readers to learn a bit more about the Great War and the astounding societal changes it prompted.
Released 18 yrs ago (12/29/2005 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Going to alphagrrl in Washington State.
Going to alphagrrl in Washington State.
Thank you Watchcat! I will journal fully once I read it.
A very enjoyable book. More thought provoking and intense than the typical detective genre book. In the middle of the book I lost interest for a period but once I picked it up again, the story gathered steam and finshed well. I enjoyed the "between the wars" setting and the well developed characters and look forward to more Maisie Dobbs stories.
Loaned to Mom, she read it quicker than I did and said "Interesting, pretty good".
