Bellman & Black

Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield. (book 1 for RIP)

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books (November 5, 2013)

ISBN-10: 147671195X

 

ONE MOMENT IN TIME CAN HAUNT YOU FOREVER.
Caught up in a moment of boyhood competition, William Bellman recklessly aims his slingshot at a rook resting on a branch, killing the bird instantly. It is a small but cruel act, and is soon forgotten. By the time he is grown, with a wife and children of his own, William seems to have put the whole incident behind him. It was as if he never killed the thing at all. But rooks don’t forget . . .

Years later, when a stranger mysteriously enters William’s life, his fortunes begin to turn—and the terrible and unforeseen consequences of his past indiscretion take root. In a desperate bid to save the only precious thing he has left, he enters into a rather strange bargain, with an even stranger partner. Together, they found a decidedly macabre business.

And Bellman & Black is born.

So…

After having read The Thirteenth Tale 3 times, I waited (for-ev-er) .. and hoped.. that one day Diane Setterfield would write another book that I could find so well suited for RIP.

Sometimes waiting and hoping for too long make expectations grow to epic proportions. And sometimes the author just writes something that you don’t relate too very well.

I think, not relating just happened to me while reading Bellman & Black.

I found good and not so good in this book.  I am hoping that I don’t wind up comparing Setterfield’s books.

The good is: the author/ writer.

I think Setterfield is a most excellent writer/author. I found she could make me read  things that were not even to my liking. That alone tells me she’s better than just good at her craft.

Bellman and Black is simply a book that did not hold my interest. I am not good at subliminal messages nor am I good at not just coming out and telling me what you are trying to say, or drop subtle hints for me to figure it out.

I will be brutally honest.. and I never..ever..thought I’d say this, but I found Bellman and Black a bit on the boring side. Having said that, I will say that I still read every word of the book and didn’t skim or skip anything.

I did not expect this book to be the same as her first book, but I did expect some aspects of her first book to be in this one, including: mystery and secrets of some sort, and I didn’t get any of what I hoped for.

Depending on everyone’s own likes and dislikes, I am sure this book will be well received by many. Reading the life of Bellman wasn’t high on mysteries. Even when the book began and Bellman’s father just takes off and leaves his family, I thought somewhere in this story he will either return or at least find out what happened to him. It didn’t happen. I was also surprised that I never really felt I knew Bellman.. or if I did, his story didn’t grab hold of me.

Maybe I just wanted too much.  I didn’t get what I hoped for, but I do know I am still looking forward to yet another book from Diane Setterfield… she’s just to good of a writer for me not to.