I'd been itching to read this new mystery novel since hearing that J.K. Rowling had penned it under the name Robert Galbraith. Not because J.K. Rowling is one of my favorite authors (which she is), but because I wanted to see if there was a departure from her typical style of writing in The Cuckoo's Calling. After all, she did choose a male pen name. So, how well did J.K. Rowling pretend to write like a man?
She didn't do such a bad job. However, the tone of voice is extremely similar to her Casual Vacancy style. To those of use who read the novel after she revealed that she was, in fact, Robert Galbraith, it's quite easy to recognize her writing characteristics and tone. There are several parallels between The Casual Vacancy and The Cuckoo's Calling - both focus on different classes in London, both have some sort of mystery to the plot, and both end tragically for the young, impoverished female character.
One thing I wish she'd done is keep the "About the Author" about Robert Galbraith - instead, the section simply says that it's JK Rowling. It would have been much more interesting to have seen what she'd invented for Robert's bio. I'm curious if it originally had Galbraith's information prior to her revealing publicly that she wrote the book ... does anyone know?
I digress. Let's talk about the book. I read it very, very quickly, which is generally a sign of a good read. However, I can't decide if predicting the ending from the very beginning means that it was good or not. Maybe I'm just a psychic. As the plot develops, we're introduced to the exotic Lula Landry - I picture her as a young Halle Berry, half-Caucasian/half-African American, adopted by a wealthy white family in London, a world-famous supermodel. The story begins with her plummeting off a balcony in London. The rest of the story follows Private Detective Cormoran Strike as he tries to piece together the puzzle of her death, backed by Lula's step-brother, John, who claims that she has been murdered.
As we learn more and more about Lula, you start to see the stabs at the British class system that JK Rowling highlighted in The Casual Vacancy. You're introduced to Lula's biological mother and a very poor friend that she made while she was in rehab, who are both described as unsightly, unkempt, and unhealthy. You're also introduced to her ex-boyfriend, her model friends, her wealthy family and neighbors, all of whom seem careless and superficial. The only characters who have slightly normal personalities are the private detective, his assistant, Robin, and Lula. Even though she's dead, her personality is revealed throughout the novel as the detective works his way through the events in her life, leading up to the time of her death.
About three-quarters way through the story, I couldn't put the book down. All I wanted to do was find out who the culprit was - who killed Lula!? I thought, "Man! JK Rowling sure can write a mean mystery novel!" Then I read the ending. And I changed my mind a bit. When the private detective confronted the suspect at the end of the novel, the way he explained the details of Lula's death was like drinking out of a firehose. It happened so quickly, so abruptly, then ended so suddenly, that it made me wonder if she had a page limit that she had to meet before turning it into a sequel. There are so many ways that the true story of Lula Landry's fate could have been revealed. This was not my favorite.
I do recommend the book, however. It's a great mystery read, full of suspense and "whodunnit?" moments. If you do read it, let me know if you agree with my opinion of the ending . I'd love to hear your thoughts!
She didn't do such a bad job. However, the tone of voice is extremely similar to her Casual Vacancy style. To those of use who read the novel after she revealed that she was, in fact, Robert Galbraith, it's quite easy to recognize her writing characteristics and tone. There are several parallels between The Casual Vacancy and The Cuckoo's Calling - both focus on different classes in London, both have some sort of mystery to the plot, and both end tragically for the young, impoverished female character.
One thing I wish she'd done is keep the "About the Author" about Robert Galbraith - instead, the section simply says that it's JK Rowling. It would have been much more interesting to have seen what she'd invented for Robert's bio. I'm curious if it originally had Galbraith's information prior to her revealing publicly that she wrote the book ... does anyone know?
I digress. Let's talk about the book. I read it very, very quickly, which is generally a sign of a good read. However, I can't decide if predicting the ending from the very beginning means that it was good or not. Maybe I'm just a psychic. As the plot develops, we're introduced to the exotic Lula Landry - I picture her as a young Halle Berry, half-Caucasian/half-African American, adopted by a wealthy white family in London, a world-famous supermodel. The story begins with her plummeting off a balcony in London. The rest of the story follows Private Detective Cormoran Strike as he tries to piece together the puzzle of her death, backed by Lula's step-brother, John, who claims that she has been murdered.
As we learn more and more about Lula, you start to see the stabs at the British class system that JK Rowling highlighted in The Casual Vacancy. You're introduced to Lula's biological mother and a very poor friend that she made while she was in rehab, who are both described as unsightly, unkempt, and unhealthy. You're also introduced to her ex-boyfriend, her model friends, her wealthy family and neighbors, all of whom seem careless and superficial. The only characters who have slightly normal personalities are the private detective, his assistant, Robin, and Lula. Even though she's dead, her personality is revealed throughout the novel as the detective works his way through the events in her life, leading up to the time of her death.
About three-quarters way through the story, I couldn't put the book down. All I wanted to do was find out who the culprit was - who killed Lula!? I thought, "Man! JK Rowling sure can write a mean mystery novel!" Then I read the ending. And I changed my mind a bit. When the private detective confronted the suspect at the end of the novel, the way he explained the details of Lula's death was like drinking out of a firehose. It happened so quickly, so abruptly, then ended so suddenly, that it made me wonder if she had a page limit that she had to meet before turning it into a sequel. There are so many ways that the true story of Lula Landry's fate could have been revealed. This was not my favorite.
I do recommend the book, however. It's a great mystery read, full of suspense and "whodunnit?" moments. If you do read it, let me know if you agree with my opinion of the ending . I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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