Started: 1.5.26
Finished: 3.5.26
Paperback
Oldest book on my list (from 14.11.25)
Janice Hallett definitely seems to have found her USP. This is the third one of her books that I've read, and again it's written in an 'epistolary' style, although this time it's in the form of WhatsApp messages and Doodles, which is the fictional intranet / messaging service of the Royal Hastings university, and also essays, diary entries and tutor reports.
Six mature students embark on a Masters Art Degree, and very quickly, tensions rise amongst the group. Personalities and egos clash, and it seems that people are not who they claim to be. Part of their coursework consists of creating a multimedia installation for a communications company, and on a resource gathering trip to the companies museum, things take a sinister turn.
I couldn't really tell you more than that if I wanted to, because I was utterly confused! I've never been one of those readers who can figure out 'whodunnit' really early on, so that's more of a 'me' problem, than a book problem. I enjoyed the story and was eager to understand the who, the how and the why, but there was just so much going on, and things being introduced late in the story, that I gave up trying to work anything out and just waited for the answers to be revealed. I do like the unique format of these books, though I did find that this one reminded me a lot of The Appeal, with each group of characters having similar personalities (a young, eager one, an older dismissive one, a friendly keeps-the-peace one etc).
I've got a copy of The Mysterious Case of The Alperton Angels to read, and I'm sure I'll continue to look out for new books from Janice Hallett in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment