There is a two-edged sword when an author creates a series: there is the built-in advantage of crafting stories around a known quantity versus the possibility that the character will get stale. That's especially a risk when much of the storytelling comes from the perspective of the main character. It's easy for the reader to get tired of the persona. There are techniques that can be used to minimize character fatigue: Doyle did it by having John Watson "write" the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, so we never heard the inner voice of Holmes.
Sue Grafton has been writing the stories of California private investigator Kinsey Millhone for 25 years, and, as one can tell from the title, is up to the 20th book with T is for Trespass (2007). I haven't read every single one along the way, something closer to half of them, but I generally have enjoyed them. But there is a creeping sameness, as Kinsey does not change much from book to book (Grafton chose to have the books lag real time; the series began in 1982 as did the story, but the current book is only inching into 1988).
So you have two threads at work in series like this. You have the continuing saga of tough, but not quite hard-boiled, Kinsey, as she deals with relationship issues and her cast of recurring characters, and you have the book as mystery. Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series has managed to fail on both counts, with the last entry, Book of the Dead, a particularly unappetizing mix of unpleasant characters and paper-thin plot (see my full review here).
But Grafton has, for the most part, avoided the negatives. Kinsey Millhone is not someone you look to for a big character arc, and her neighbors and friends have comforting familiarity. The plots weave around one another in realistic fashion; Kinsey doesn't have the luxury of focusing solely on one case. The main plot, the abuse of an elderly neighbor, is handed well.
To me, there were two main flaws in the book, irritating without being disqualifying. The ending seems hurried, as if Grafton had to wrap things up. The building sense of menace is dissipated too quickly. And the main villain isn't quite as frightening as we might hope, more along the lines of "the banality of evil."
Nevertheless, this book is a fine read, nothing that will provide a reader with a new perspective on the human condition, but entertaining - you'll enjoy spending a few hours with Kinsey Millhone.
Sue Grafton has been writing the stories of California private investigator Kinsey Millhone for 25 years, and, as one can tell from the title, is up to the 20th book with T is for Trespass (2007). I haven't read every single one along the way, something closer to half of them, but I generally have enjoyed them. But there is a creeping sameness, as Kinsey does not change much from book to book (Grafton chose to have the books lag real time; the series began in 1982 as did the story, but the current book is only inching into 1988).
So you have two threads at work in series like this. You have the continuing saga of tough, but not quite hard-boiled, Kinsey, as she deals with relationship issues and her cast of recurring characters, and you have the book as mystery. Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series has managed to fail on both counts, with the last entry, Book of the Dead, a particularly unappetizing mix of unpleasant characters and paper-thin plot (see my full review here).
But Grafton has, for the most part, avoided the negatives. Kinsey Millhone is not someone you look to for a big character arc, and her neighbors and friends have comforting familiarity. The plots weave around one another in realistic fashion; Kinsey doesn't have the luxury of focusing solely on one case. The main plot, the abuse of an elderly neighbor, is handed well.
To me, there were two main flaws in the book, irritating without being disqualifying. The ending seems hurried, as if Grafton had to wrap things up. The building sense of menace is dissipated too quickly. And the main villain isn't quite as frightening as we might hope, more along the lines of "the banality of evil."
Nevertheless, this book is a fine read, nothing that will provide a reader with a new perspective on the human condition, but entertaining - you'll enjoy spending a few hours with Kinsey Millhone.
No comments:
Post a Comment