by Nancy,
Here we go on our Stuart McBride Trilogy! Sue would be proud of us, reading the last book first, the ultimate in finding out the ending first!
Does knowing the fate of some of the characters make a difference in how we view the events in this first novel?
I am really looking forward to learning the back story on all the characters.
Is there a character you like more or less from the Coffin Maker after reading Birthdays for the Dead?
We are introduced to the Birthday Boy. The crimes he commits are horrific beyond belief. Is this novel too gruesome for us? Is the level of gruesome necessary?
My question from the Coffin Makers Garden still stands: Is this story plausible?
Let's enjoy the ride!
Hi Nancy!
ReplyDeleteHow are things going? We’re doing well here. The school year is moving smoothly so far. We luckily haven’t had to switch to virtual learning and hopefully it stays that way. I can’t image Lillian sitting in front of the computer and paying attention all day. Benjamin would be fine. He really enjoyed virtual learning when we had to do it but I prefer him actually being in class. The weather has been crazy. One minute it feels like fall and the next summer is revisiting. How is everything where you are? I see you’ve been doing some more wonderful outdoor activities. So beautiful! I do miss Sue. Franklin was showing Benjamin some pictures from Greece and in one of them was us standing with Sue. It was such an incredible trip. I agree with you. She probably would have enjoyed this order of our trilogy. I’m sure you’ve finished our book by now but just in case probably some spoilers ahead here in my post.
Did your opinion of Ash change between the first novel and the third? I still loved him as much as from Coffin Maker! The amount of trouble he got away with was probably more than any real police officer would have but I loved it all the same. I think I liked Alice in Coffin Maker better than in Birthdays. I found her to be like a lost little puppy. She needed a new parental figure and she latched onto Ash rather quickly. It made me view her as a weaker female character in this book. Don’t get me wrong. I did still enjoy her quirky behavior and I did enjoy how Ash begrudgingly warmed up to her. In Coffin Maker, Jennifer had rudely inferred that Ash adopted Alice as replacement for his lost daughters but I feel that remark was right on the nose. I wonder if we see more of that “adoption” process in A Song for the Dying. Maybe their father-daughter style relationship deepens in book two. I suppose we’ll see.
The gruesomeness of the novel did not bother me but I did feel pretty terrible for those fictitious parents. In addition, I felt like the “reason” for the Birthday Boy’s motives was weak and therefor made the gore unnecessary. Birthdays for the Dead had me turning the pages fast enough for paper cuts and then kind of fell apart toward the end. It didn’t make sense to me why those killers would have to prep for their intended final killing of Megan. Symbolically torturing their sister with the photos seemed a stretch to me. I felt it was unnecessary to kill 12 other girls to get the appropriate practice for what they wanted to do their sister. Their reasoning seemed forced by MacBride.
Despite what I felt was a forced conclusion, I did enjoy most of this novel and am looking forward to the second book.
Much love,
Katie
HI Katie,
ReplyDeleteYour kids are growing up so fast and it sounds like they are a lot of fun. Greece seems such a long time ago, I miss Sue too, I feel fortunate Ivars and I were able to see her and Jay while we were in the UK a few years ago.
We are well here and getting out and about although, just in our local area. We still can’t get into Queensland to see the kids but hopefully we will be able to visit for Christmas.
Wow, Ash Henderson certainly is a superman, no wonder he was able to escape so many near death experiences in Coffin Maker, it seems to be de rigueur for him. He also then manages to turn up for work the next day while his enemies are either dead or hospitalised, amazing…love him though!
So, I answered my question about plausibility very early in this novel. Of course it wasn’t plausible, but did it bother me? Not at all, I decided to suspend belief and just enjoy the novel and getting to know the characters a little better as we are going to be spending another novel with them.
I did find this one a little too gruesome and a little too violent, and I wonder if I hadn’t already read Coffin Maker and was invested in the characters whether I’d be keen to read the rest of the Oldcastle series. I’m in too deep now though!
I really enjoyed reading how Ash and Alice’s friendship began and developed and found that quite humorous. I agree with you about them using each other as surrogates for a father/daughter relationship.
I do feel apprehensive about “Shifty and what has befell him, but we have been spared that until the next novel. I am not looking forward to that, its going to be brutal considering the crazy violence of some of the villains. I’ve grown quite fond of Shifty and his loyalty to Ash.
Some of the time I felt the crimes of the Birthday Boy were overshadowed by the authors wish to establish the character of Ash Henderson.
The story differed from the Coffin Maker where we knew who the perpetrator was from the beginning, this was definitely a whodunit.
Did you work it out?
I was always suss on the rat catcher but the photographer caught me by surprise.
I agree with your comments about the ending and also found Mr McBride wandered off course when he took Ash on on his wild goose chase, I guess we found out how he injured his foot but most of that part of the story for me seemed a bit silly.
I am keen to read A Song for the Dying. I’m in too far to back out now!
Love to you and the family
I agree the rat lady was totally suspicious but I didn't fancy her being the killer. Also the photographer and his connection with her seemed a bit of a stretch to me. Yes I will totally read A Song for the Dying because of Ash. Love him! I'm over here hoping that Mr. MacBride will add a few more novels to the Oldcastle series so we can have more Ash and Alice time.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about the whole Shifty situation until you mentioned it now. You're absolutely right. We're about to find out how Shifty loses his eye and I can't imagine it'll be pretty.
Also I felt that Henry Forrester had nothing to do with ALice's drinking problem. She was drinking to get into the Birthday boy's mind before she even met him. Her comments in Coffin Maker about him being her mentor, I had expected her to have been with Henry before she met Ash. Speaking of Henry, do you think they'll get Henry the dog in Song? I'm a sucker for animals.