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A review by jenbsbooks
Better the Blood by Michael Bennett
4.25
My Little Free Library has changed my TBR somewhat ... I shop library sales and thrift stores, grabbing books that I wouldn't get just for myself. I check the ratings and if they are 4* then maybe I will give them a try before sending them out in the LFL. Such was the case here. I picked up the physical book at a library sale. It had been a "Reader's Choice" ... and I don't know exactly what that means with the library, but it's usually one the library gets more of, has on a list, has readers vote on. Because I'm a digi gal, I grabbed the audio and kindle copies (my library had several copies in that format as well).
HEAVY New Zealand accent ... which I enjoy. Lots of Maori words, which in text, had little translations at the bottom of the page. In audio, I missed out on this (as audio was my primary format). This caused a slight disconnect at times, so many words I didn't know/understand. I have only a limited knowledge of the Maori people. This had some similarities to writings about Black/Indian/Latino racial issues, using a story to showcase tragedies and problems still happening today.
3rd person/Present tense ... it felt a little awkward to me (past tense feels much more natural especially with the 3rd person, just my opinion). Two narrators in audio, as the POV was mainly Hana (female narrator), but then there were some chapters from a man's POV (the killer ...).
I often wonder why an author makes something a prologue instead of chapter one, or an epilogue instead of a final chapter. Here, it does start with a chapter 1 ... when I felt this one DID feel more like a prologue (happening in 1863, 160 years before the main storyline). This intro was quite dry, although I realize essential to the story, but as I was listening, I just wasn't sure I would end up continuing with the story. Once chapter 2, Hana, came on the scene, it drew me in more. Still, it took a while for things to come together. The male POV doesn't come in until chapter 6, and he only has a few chapters, Hana is the main. There was an odd shift (chap23) where it was 2nd person, YOU (it was still Hana) but this change in style threw me. I had to stop the audio and check out the text to see if I had missed something.
It was easy to switch between the audio and kindle formats - clear chapters with topic headers. I'll never understand current publishing standards that don't bother to give the physical copy a TOC. That's a disservice to readers of the physical book, leaves it lacking.
I did eventually get pulled into the story, and grew to care about the characters. It was interesting to have a serial killer who, while doing awful things, has some call for sympathy. I liked the title tie-in ... and that would make an interesting bookclub discussion - "Better the blood of the innocent than no no blood at all ..." I wish this had bookclub questions included, those almost always make me think and appreciate a read even more.
There were a few random connections - quite a bit of talk about the volcano, and the fertile land created by it. I had read an educational book on volcanos recently. I enjoy baking (and liked the book [book:Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking|30753841] to learn more of the science of food) so the "The start of a homicide inquiry is sugar meeting yeast. The reaction is instantaneous." The was mention of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - referencing their genealogical efforts (and how that helped the serial killer in this case). There was a character named PLUS 1 ... if you've seen the show IT Crowd, which is a family favorite, there is a character named Negative 1 and I could NOT shake that association, and it was distracting to me!
Content: ProFanity (x68) and some sex/rape, although it wasn't explicit. There is murder and the violence/gore that goes with that (although again, not overly explicit). Other words I note: cacophany, jerry-built (usually jerry-rigged or jury-rigged).
This sets up a series, but this story completes the arc, nothing left hanging, which I was glad for. I likely won't continue, more as detective/murder stories aren't really my jam.
HEAVY New Zealand accent ... which I enjoy. Lots of Maori words, which in text, had little translations at the bottom of the page. In audio, I missed out on this (as audio was my primary format). This caused a slight disconnect at times, so many words I didn't know/understand. I have only a limited knowledge of the Maori people. This had some similarities to writings about Black/Indian/Latino racial issues, using a story to showcase tragedies and problems still happening today.
3rd person/Present tense ... it felt a little awkward to me (past tense feels much more natural especially with the 3rd person, just my opinion). Two narrators in audio, as the POV was mainly Hana (female narrator), but then there were some chapters from a man's POV (the killer ...).
I often wonder why an author makes something a prologue instead of chapter one, or an epilogue instead of a final chapter. Here, it does start with a chapter 1 ... when I felt this one DID feel more like a prologue (happening in 1863, 160 years before the main storyline). This intro was quite dry, although I realize essential to the story, but as I was listening, I just wasn't sure I would end up continuing with the story. Once chapter 2, Hana, came on the scene, it drew me in more. Still, it took a while for things to come together. The male POV doesn't come in until chapter 6, and he only has a few chapters, Hana is the main. There was an odd shift (chap23) where it was 2nd person, YOU (it was still Hana) but this change in style threw me. I had to stop the audio and check out the text to see if I had missed something.
It was easy to switch between the audio and kindle formats - clear chapters with topic headers. I'll never understand current publishing standards that don't bother to give the physical copy a TOC. That's a disservice to readers of the physical book, leaves it lacking.
I did eventually get pulled into the story, and grew to care about the characters. It was interesting to have a serial killer who, while doing awful things, has some call for sympathy. I liked the title tie-in ... and that would make an interesting bookclub discussion - "Better the blood of the innocent than no no blood at all ..." I wish this had bookclub questions included, those almost always make me think and appreciate a read even more.
There were a few random connections - quite a bit of talk about the volcano, and the fertile land created by it. I had read an educational book on volcanos recently. I enjoy baking (and liked the book [book:Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking|30753841] to learn more of the science of food) so the "The start of a homicide inquiry is sugar meeting yeast. The reaction is instantaneous." The was mention of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - referencing their genealogical efforts (and how that helped the serial killer in this case). There was a character named PLUS 1 ... if you've seen the show IT Crowd, which is a family favorite, there is a character named Negative 1 and I could NOT shake that association, and it was distracting to me!
Content: ProFanity (x68) and some sex/rape, although it wasn't explicit. There is murder and the violence/gore that goes with that (although again, not overly explicit). Other words I note: cacophany, jerry-built (usually jerry-rigged or jury-rigged).
This sets up a series, but this story completes the arc, nothing left hanging, which I was glad for. I likely won't continue, more as detective/murder stories aren't really my jam.