Company of Liars by Karen Maitland Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Company of Liars
Book Review: Compelling
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Good story & fun read, but not necessarily an enduring classic. I'm not sure I followed the leap that this is Chaucer-esque (I suppose this was a publisher's ploy to appeal to academia). Ok, nine unlikely travelers banded together by unusual circumstances, yes, but it lacks the depth and breadth of The Canterbury Tales. I enjoyed learning more about this motley crew of pilgrims to be sure. I was compelled to read on, though I became a bit bogged down in the middle of the story.
Seemed to me the language was not classic enough to think "ah-ha, Middle English" - perhaps an attempt at making this book enjoyed by a broader audience. The author is a skilled writer, creating an interesting world of character & plot twists.
Book Review: Dark and Disturbing
Summary: 1 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I'm an Amazon Vine reviewer, and the description for this book was different than the ones on the regular product page, so I was expecting something quite different than this book. I'm a huge fan of Medieval and Renaissance historical fiction (as well as a history student), so I thought this book would be right up my alley. The product description I received said, "...nine desperate strangers, brought together by chance, attempt to outrun the certain death that is running inexorably toward them." I assumed the death mentioned would be possible death from the Plague (the Plague is another subject I am particularly interested in), instead, the death was from grisly and gruesome murders. Plague turns out to be something that the party is running from, but never actually encounters head-on. The comparison in the description to "Canterbury Tales" also intrigued me. This was more of a historical mystery than regular historic fiction, and the only way this compares to "Canterbury Tales" is that it is a group of people traveling across England, and in the beginning they tell the stories of how they got where they are now. If you are looking for great literature, this is NOT it.
Each of the nine people traveling together have a secret, and one by one the secrets are revealed as the travelers are picked off. Some of the murders are pretty gruesome, and one or two of the secrets are VERY disturbing. The albino girl's fondness for killing animals (more like torturous deaths for the poor creatures) and the fact that she takes pleasure in the deaths (since they prove her rune-readings to be correct) is also pretty dark and disturbing. It seems that some of the characters a pretty mentally unstable. There are also some paranormal elements that don't really mesh well with the rest of the story. Camelot's secret, the final secret revealed, comes out of thin air and has no foreshadowing in the book whatsoever. I felt that it was meant to be a huge "twist" or "shocking revelation" by the author, but in the end it has no impact on the story, nor on Camelot's reason for having been in the profession he was.
If you are looking for a good Plague book, skip this one and try "Year of Wonders" by Geraldine Brooks. This book was too disturbing and creepy (not in a good way) for me.
Book Review: Do you believe in Warewolves!?!
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
"Company of Liars" by Karen Maitland read just like a mystery to me! I fell right into the story from the very beginning and couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen! Though I felt the story could have ended better, it leaves an opening for another book!
The story is about 9 strangers who become dependent upon each other as they journey across England in 1348. The Black Plague has struck and they are desperate to stay as far away from it as they can, while still feeding themselves.
There is Camelot, the leader of the group and who's perspective the story is written from. Camelot sells relics and hope to those willing to pay. Camelot is disfigured in the face, left with one eye and a purple scar - we learn how in the book. Rodrigo and Jofre, the musician and his pupil. Jofre is special in that he is a very talented musician, and in other ways made known in the story. There is Zophiel, a magician with a sharp tongue. We also meet Adel and Osmond, husband and wife expecting their first child. Cygnus is a storyteller with one arm. And last is Narigorm, a child with white hair.
All conceal their own secrets! And this story is told so well that learning their secrets was so interesting!
I thoroughly enjoyed this story! At the end the author explains why some more current wording is used rather than that of the 14th century. For me, it did not take away from the story at all.
I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy a good mystery!!
- 1smileycat :-)
Book Review: Don't Judge A Book By Its (Back) Cover!
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Initially, I was interested in this novel because the publisher was touting it as a "reinvention" of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. It's not. Lucky for me, however, there were other elements I found interesting. I'm a fan of historical fiction, and I've always had a particular interest in the Black Plague. Add to this the elements of mystery and the Gothic, and I was hooked. I picked up this novel on a Friday afternoon and finished it on Saturday evening.
If you are looking for a literary novel, you will be disappointed. However, if you're a fan of historical mysteries and tales with a supernatural twist, you might give this book a try.
Book Review: Easy Weekend Read
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
The publisher did wrong in selling this book as a reinterpretation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. That is my main reason for picking this book. However, this was a good read, light from beginning to end. The tale easily wove for me and kept me turning the pages from the moment I started the prologue. The fact that this book is written in a perspective to tell of different lives and how they ultimately intersect sparked my interest. This is not classic literature but is a good read for someone who is looking to escape into a different world if even for a moment.
One star off for misrepresenting the book in marketing.