A Greek idyll…?
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A woman dies on a Greek island and it is put down to accident or maybe suicide. But a mysterious stranger arrives from Athens – Hermes Diaktoros (isn’t that name hilarious with its hilarious reference to Greek mythology? What? You don’t get it? No, me neither, but fear not, the author will explain it – every single time he introduces himself to another character. Hilariously.) “The fat man” thinks there is more to the woman’s death than has been revealed…
I put up with the dirt, the rain, the storms and howling winds. I put up with the unpleasant small-minded people. I put up with the misogyny. I put up with the author constantly referring to the detective as “the fat man”. I put up with the use of the c-word. I even put up with the gratuitous and graphic description of incestuous sex between one man and two sisters. But when it comes to pages of revolting detail about how to hang a goat up alive by its back legs and then slaughter and eviscerate it, I must resort to misquoting Churchill – up with this I will not put.
Maybe an accurate depiction of the more backward areas of the Greek islands, but not a place I want to spend any time, either really or fictionally. The author clearly missed the class at writing school where they tell the pupils crime novels are supposed to entertain, not disgust. Abandoned at 39%, but highly recommended to anyone who wants to know how to gut goats.
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Oops, People! Another People’s Choice hits the wall! I’m coming to the conclusion that the reason these books have lingered on my TBR for so long is that subliminally I must have picked up enough information about them from reviews to know at a subconscious level that they wouldn’t work for me. However, the upside is that at least they’re coming off the TBR at last, so I hope you’ll forgive me for this string of negative, grumpy reviews. Thanks to all who voted – I really do appreciate it, though it may not always seem that way… 😉
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Due to having fallen behind with life, the universe and everything, I shall be taking a short break to catch my breath! Back soon – be good!
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Oh, dear, I may have been one of those who encouraged you to read this… I haven’t read this particular one, but I’ve read a couple of others by Zouroudi with Hermes Diaktoros and found them quite amusing. I do apologise…
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Haha! Well, you weren’t alone! The goat-slaying was the killer – otherwise I’d probably have been able to put up with all the rest… 😉
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Oooh-kay, so, not the best use of the people’s vote, FictionFan *edges away very slowly and quietly.* Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with this one. Hopefully your next read will be more to your liking. Enjoy your well-earned break!
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You’ve made me laugh out loud with that goat-gutting line if that’s any compensation.
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Haha! I do get grumpy when I’m expecting a nice murder and get an eviscerated animal instead! 😉
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Yuck! Hope you get some good reads soon FF. Enjoy your break!
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Thank you – I did!
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I had to smile when I saw the emoticon 😆 sorry it was so bad. Things can only get better!
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Haha – I’m sure it’s pandemic blues, but I seem to be trashing every third book I read at the moment. But goat-slaying was never going to win me over… 😉
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Good grief, I don’t think I voted for this one, but I can’t be sure. I think the incest would have done it for me, thanks for at least reading some of this so the rest of us know to avoid.
Enjoy your rest, and I hope you are not in a Lockdown area, that’s Lanarkshire inevitably shut down again now, but I can’t say I haven’t been expecting it all week.
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I should have stopped at the incest and then I wouldn’t have had to read about the goat-slaying!
Ugh! I think we’re practically all back in lockdown now. It’s going to be a long winter, I feel.
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Did I vote for this? Perhaps. Greek islands did seem very promising….
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Haha, I thought it sounded great! The blurb mustn’t have mentioned the goat… 😉
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Geez. I hope I didn’t vote for this one. It sounds horrible! (great emoji, though)
I hope you have a refreshing break. I just posted some nature pictures yesterday, so feel free to take a look at them if you need something calming.
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Haha, it sounded quite good from the blurb though – don’t think it mentioned the goat-slaying!
Thank you – I did! The porpy and I are raring to go!
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Haha, I couldn’t help laughing, but I am of course sorry it didn’t work for you. At least I know, I didn’t vote for this one (phew).
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*suspicious eyes* Are you sure? It’s odd how everyone is denying voting for it… 😉
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The trouble with e books is that you can;t throw them across the room in disgust or toss them into the wastepaper basket (my husband’s favourite response to a crap book)
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Haha, I know – throwing the Kindle at the wall gets very expensive! 😉
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Oh dear! I’m not sure if I voted for this but I probably did as I’ve read two of the other books in this series and actually enjoyed them. I can’t remember noticing any misogyny, incest or goat gutting, so maybe I was just lucky and picked the best two in the series! Enjoy your break. 🙂
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Haha, well, I forgive you even if you did vote for it, since I thought it sounded great – the blurb must have forgotten to mention the goat-slaying incident… 😉
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If it’s any consolation, I felt sorry for you as soon as I saw that this particular book had won the vote as, despite many positive reviews elsewhere, I’m afraid this series was not for me either & for pretty much all the same reasons 🙂
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Aha, that cheers me up (on the misery loves company level 😉 ) since I felt as if I was completely out of tune on this one. I don’t think I’ll be trying any of the others!
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Guess there’s a good reason why the bird on the cover is belly up. Onward!
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Haha! It probably fainted when it saw what they did to the goat… 😉
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I read this book several years ago and I just don’t remember the incest and the details of how to gut a goat at all. Either I skipped over those pages or I have blanked it from my mind. Just as well, I think.
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Haha, I tried skipping but I found I was skipping so much there wasn’t enough left to keep me interested! 😉
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Uh-oh. This sounds awful! At least I didn’t vote for it 🤣 Have a great break 😊
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Are you sure? I’m very suspicious about the fact that everyone’s denying voting for it… *narrows eyes* 😉
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🤣🤣😎
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I’m not sure why, given the reading pain I know it represents for you, but when I saw your frustration emoji, I paused with a smile (and no guilt!). Maybe it was in expectation of the delicious outrage that I anticipated would follow 😉
You have been powering through the reviews recently so I hope you have a good break and that your breath is well and truly caught 😌
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Hahaha, if nothing else, the People’s Choice is giving me a great opportunity for some bitter one-stars! 😉 Thank you – I’m back and raring to go! I think… 😀
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Oh goodness… that sounds dreadful and I don’t blame you for abandoning it! I’m sorry, I think I voted for it! I must not have read the fine print, LOL…
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Haha, at least you owned up – everyone else is frantically denying voting for it! I don’t trust any of them… 😉 I thought it sounded good too – I don’t think the blurb mentioned the goat-slaying incident…
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I’ve not read this one and think I might give it a miss!
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I think that would be a wise decision! 😉
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Oh my! Not sure I’ve ever seen you use that emoticon, FF! I don’t think I voted for this (but note that we are all saying that and clearly numbers of us certainly did vote for it!) but either way I’m truly sorry you had to put up with 39% of it. Sounds like about 38.5% too much! Hope all is well and the blogging break does you good. Take care 😊
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Hahaha, yes, I’d noticed that odd thing that no-one seems to have voted for it – must have been phantoms! 😉 Thank you, all well, and the porpy and I are raring to go! 😀
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Oh dear – I think I might have voted for this one! Based on your review I think I would have given up on this long before 39%, so I am very impressed that you powered through so much. Enjoy your blogging break and take care!
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Ah, I forgive you, especially since you owned up – most people are frantically denying having voted for it! 😉 Thank you – back and raring to go! 😀
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Eeeeek! I will readily skip this book! I might have voted for this one, so I owe you a ton of chocolate.
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Haha, I forgive you! I thought it sounded good too – they must have forgotten to mention the goat-slaying in the blurb… 😉
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Oh, dear, this sounds positively dreadful (but I love your reviews like this!!). Gutting a goat? What was this author thinking? Oh well, at least you’re able to look on the bright side and realize it’s off the TBR now. Enjoy your break, my friend!
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Haha, I know – sometimes I wonder what makes authors think readers want to read stuff like that? Never mind – as you say, another one off the list!
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Gutting goats a nice title maybe?
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Haha, it has a certain ring to it… 😉
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That sounds truly horrible, how on earth did it get published?
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*whispers* It was self-published, I think…
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wink wink say no more . . .
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😂
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Gross! No wonder you put this down at 39%, Life is too short! haha
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I know!! They didn’t mention the goat-killing in the blurb – wonder why not? 😉
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Hmm a good book publicist must have jumped in and put a stop to any mention of animals dying in the marketing blurbs 🙂
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Very wise, since I’m not sure how big the market is for books about slaughtering goats! 😉
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