The Blackhouse
12 journalers for this copy...
Knowing Lewis and Harris, I found this a very evocative book, and highly enjoyable for the atmosphere alone. The murder mystery takes second place to the exploration of Fin's past, and it isn't difficult to work out whodunnit (just look for the character that hasn't been discounted yet), but that doesn't detract from the story being entertaining and most engaging. The guga hunting was particularly enjoyable. I look forward to the next one, The Lewis Man.
Journal Entry 2 by Flambard at by Post, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, November 9, 2013
Released 10 yrs ago (11/9/2013 UTC) at by Post, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
To France
The book is here. Thanks a lot Flambard !
As I was reading it I knew I had already done it but I didn't understand because the book was published in 2011 and thenI did a little research and Euréka ! :
"After being turned down by all the major British publishers, 'The Blackhouse' - the first book in 'The Lewis Trilogy' - was published first in May's adopted home of France in French translation at the end of 2009. The book was hailed as "a masterpiece" by the French daily newspaper L'Humanité and was immediately nominated for several literary awards in France. It won the Prix des Lecteurs at Le Havre's Ancres Noires Festival in 2010 and won the French national literature award, the Cezam Prix Littéraire Inter at an award ceremony in Strasbourg in October 2011.'The Blackhouse' went on to be published all over Europe and was bought by British publishers Quercus who brought it out in February 2011. It is the first in three planned books to be set in the Scottish archipelago, the Outer Hebrides."
That's why !
Anyway I love it and continue.
"After being turned down by all the major British publishers, 'The Blackhouse' - the first book in 'The Lewis Trilogy' - was published first in May's adopted home of France in French translation at the end of 2009. The book was hailed as "a masterpiece" by the French daily newspaper L'Humanité and was immediately nominated for several literary awards in France. It won the Prix des Lecteurs at Le Havre's Ancres Noires Festival in 2010 and won the French national literature award, the Cezam Prix Littéraire Inter at an award ceremony in Strasbourg in October 2011.'The Blackhouse' went on to be published all over Europe and was bought by British publishers Quercus who brought it out in February 2011. It is the first in three planned books to be set in the Scottish archipelago, the Outer Hebrides."
That's why !
Anyway I love it and continue.
I can't say better than you Flambard.
What a chance to have travelled to Lewis and Harris !
Looking forward to reading the Lewis Man and the Chess Men.
What a chance to have travelled to Lewis and Harris !
Looking forward to reading the Lewis Man and the Chess Men.
I chose this one for the favourite read of 2013 roundabout.
Enjoy the trip to the country where the action takes place !
Arrived home today to find this waiting for me. It's an excellent choice for the roundabout but unfortunately I've read it. If I wasn't so far behind in my OU course, I would read it again as I loved it. In fact I've read the whole trilogy and would recommend that everyone else carries on and reads the next two. Although this is described as crime fiction, I loved it as much for the descriptions of the island and in the second book, the descriptions of Edinburgh. To me the crime was almost secondary. Hope everyone else enjoys it too.
Journal Entry 9 by 
earthcaroleanne
at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Friday, January 24, 2014
earthcaroleanne at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Friday, January 24, 2014
Released 10 yrs ago (2/1/2014 UTC) at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On it's way in the roundabout.
Journal Entry 10 by sarahmangan at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 4, 2014
This arrived today - thank you! Should get round to it next week sometime. Thanks for sharing it.
Journal Entry 11 by sarahmangan at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 18, 2014
I didn't expect to really enjoy this book - crime thrillers aren't normally my thing - but I was really dragged in from the first page and couldn't put it down. I really like the descriptions of the setting and the culture of Lewis. I'll definitely be adding the next two to my wishlist.
Thanks for choosing a great book I would never have picked for myself!
Thanks for choosing a great book I would never have picked for myself!
Journal Entry 12 by sarahmangan at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Friday, February 21, 2014
Released 10 yrs ago (2/21/2014 UTC) at Nottingham, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent off to Marsala - hope you enjoy it. :)
Yay, a new roundabout book! It's always so much fun getting these in the mail. This is something I would never pick up myself, but I have been pleasantly suprised in the roundabout before.
Thank you for this choice Icila, and thank you for sending it to me Sarahmangan :)
After reading it I can say I enjoyed it. It didn't read like a crime novel at all, or rather, the crime seemed more like a way to introduce the story. I liked reading about Lewis, it gave a very vivid description.
Thank you for this choice Icila, and thank you for sending it to me Sarahmangan :)
After reading it I can say I enjoyed it. It didn't read like a crime novel at all, or rather, the crime seemed more like a way to introduce the story. I liked reading about Lewis, it gave a very vivid description.
Arrived today, thanks marsala! This looks good.
Great choice for the roundabout! It's a crime novel but it's more than that. The crime is part of a much wider story. And the island is really a character playing its part in the story too alongside the people. To say nothing of the weather!
Thanks for sharing, Icila.
Thanks for sharing, Icila.
Released 9 yrs ago (5/27/2014 UTC) at Berlin (irgendwo/somewhere), Berlin Germany
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to grovalskii.
Oops, I forgot the journal entry when I received the book. So, I received the book a while ago AND I just finished reading it. I agree with what was written before: the crime story seems to play a minor part compared to the description of life on Lewis and the family/childhood story of the main character. I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading the next book of the trilogy.
another oops: I forgot to mail the book to the next reader! It will be dropped into the mailbox TODAY. sorry!
and on it goes.
Interesting characters, a brilliant setting and a good mystery! Although I felt the story isn't as much about the crime itself as about Fin, I greatly enjoyed this one on account of the clever shifts in perspective and the suspense and psychological aspects. For me, this was a great choice.
Interesting characters, a brilliant setting and a good mystery! Although I felt the story isn't as much about the crime itself as about Fin, I greatly enjoyed this one on account of the clever shifts in perspective and the suspense and psychological aspects. For me, this was a great choice.
Received today
Once you got past first chapters, you can read it in couple of evenings. It's a crazy mix of love story and horror. I found it unrealistic, especially motivation part. I couldn't find any character I could relate to. Anyway, it's tense and hold your attention magnificently. And there is a preview of the next part of trilogy at the end!
Thank you for sharing this book with me.
Thank you for sharing this book with me.
Sent today from the local post office (unregistered surface mail). Safe travels!
Safe with me, thanks! and a belated happy new year to everyone :)
When I saw, hey, a mystery book, yeah, I said, this will be another one like any other in the genre. And I loved every minute of Gaelic. But not for a minute did I expect the book to grip me like it did for the last dozen of pages. The family drama and romance might have been a little too overplayed for my taste, but I found the storyline impeccable, the bits and pieces neatly laid. The redemption ark shaping so many of the characters is subtle and unpredictable. And the butler .. well, the butler, I never had a clue until it hit me. Well played, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thanks for sharing, will post asap to the next reader.
Thanks for sharing, will post asap to the next reader.
This went into the mail last Saturday, before leaving for Oxford. Happy reading!
With me now, thank you for sending.
Finished it a few days ago and enjoyed it a lot. I will add a more detailed review when I have more time. For now I'm saving it for another reader who expressed interest.
I am sending this out as part of the bookring by authors whose name starts with M. Enjoy!
Journal Entry 30 by 
rodespringbal
at Roosdaal, Vlaams-Brabant / Brabant Flamant Belgium on Wednesday, January 18, 2017
rodespringbal at Roosdaal, Vlaams-Brabant / Brabant Flamant Belgium on Wednesday, January 18, 2017
finally with me after staying a month at the postoffice and I didn't know it was there.
