Silent in the Sanctuary

This book was definitely better than the last. To a point I did enjoy [b:Silent in the Grave 267869 Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia, #1) Deanna Raybourn http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173284547s/267869.jpg 259684], but the solving point I felt ruined what could have been a perfectly great mystery. But that's enough about that. I really enjoyed this one. This was not just one mystery, but several wrapped up in one. There was some romance and extreme feelings between various persons and trying to see them was a task. I enjoyed this story, and it makes me anxious to read [b:Silent on the Moor 4728979 Silent on the Moor (Lady Julia, #3) Deanna Raybourn http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1228758053s/4728979.jpg 4793486], because I believe it will be even better. The first book I would not recommend to certain audiences, but I believe that most people could read this one without much affect in a negative sense. It is much more tasteful and enjoyable. I felt as if I could see clues and piece them together, when with the first novel it was more of a jolt of information here and there. In my opinion, this author is getting better and better.

Contrary to many of the reviews that I read on Amazon.com, I really liked this book precisely because the continued love-hate relationship from the previous book, Silent in the Grave, was in no way resolved, and in a way that was true to the characters. That's genius, if you ask me, because it keeps the true fans of the series panting for more. This book is funny, charming, and portrays High Victorian Society oh so well. The setting is well-written without overtaking the plot, the characters are snappy, and my favorite device is used: giving tertiary characters their own subplots that affect the whole.

Read this book for a sophomore attempt that was as good (if not better) than the first, for a lesson in creating characters that don't fit in their own society and yet seem genuine to the reader, a true puzzle of a crime, a charming and funny narrator, a passionate romance with no real sense of a happy ending (must continue to read the series!), and the only series in a long time that has an alpha romance lead that doesn't make me want to shoot him.

Originally posted at http://worderella.com/2008/03/book-silent-in-the-sanctuary/

This installment was a disappointment after the last book. The pacing was SO slow that it fizzled out completely - by the end when all the little mysteries were being wrapped up in a bow, I had to skim it because I didn't care how any of them panned out.

One of the biggest factors for my lower rating of the first book and now this book is the love interest (if we can even call him that). I don't know if the author planned to draw out the romance subplot throughout multiple books before we see anything more than a hasty kiss, but I don't sense the chemistry between the two protagonists at all. I honestly can't recall one kind thing he's said to her besides acknowledging that she is a somewhat good detective as she seems to have solved all of the mysteries in book 1 and 2, even though she makes way too many mistakes (some of which she should not be apologizing for constantly because they weren't her fault), and he didn't solve any of them. And the amount of times he looks disdainful, disgusted, or looks upon any situation with distaste is much too much. He broods for the sake of brooding and his pride is his least attractive trait. I honestly don't see why she likes him at all. The lack of honesty, respect or trust between does not a relationship make.

Finally, she came (somewhat) to her senses by the end of this book. It look long enough to get there, and it was painful to watch. But that truly was the only highlight of this book for me. Overall, it was entirely too long and had no payoff in the end, the solving of the mystery was the least interesting part of the book to read.