Review - The Mermaids Singing
Mar. 23rd, 2010 02:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wilderthanThe Mermaids Singing (Val McDermid)
If you have any problem with triggers relating to torture, violence, suicide or rape, I don't suggest you read this book. The violence is graphic, lovingly detailed, and given to you from the point of view of the person carrying out the torture. If you're squeamish, there's also graphic descriptions of the mutilated bodies, etc. The only reason I continued reading this book was because I think I'm going to have to make reference to it in my essay -- if I wasn't planning on that, I would have given up after less than fifty pages, book for class or not.
If you have no problem with reading about torture, however, the mystery itself is pretty compelling. It's a police procedural, really, and more so than Ian Rankin's books -- no real maverick policeman (or policewoman) here: Carol Jordan seems to play within the rules, and Tony Hill just puts forward theories or guides interrogations, and doesn't actually spend the time chasing down the criminal himself. It all seems within the realm of plausibility, on the police side of things -- the killer is, of course, not just your average serial killer, but complete with all the bells and whistles of torture, rape, gender issues, mother issues, etc, etc, etc. It feels a bit over the top, in some ways, but it isn't implausible because there have been serial killers in like fashion. And, well, serial killers aren't exactly the most restrained and sane people.
I found it pretty easy to figure out what was going on if you remember that this isn't a true story, and therefore every detail included is relevant. Seemingly unconnected events must somehow tie in, and nobody is above suspicion, however irrelevant they may seem.
It deals with some LGBT issues, too -- the treatment of gay people by the police, and gender issues. This is pretty well done, I think. Realistic, without being too much of a hobby horse, so it didn't get in the way of the story, but contributed to its tension. The story of the serial killer's upbringing is sad without the story making it an excuse for how the killer behaves.
If it wasn't so personally triggering, I think I'd have enjoyed it.
Rating it was difficult. I did really like it, and like analysing it, so four stars, but god, don't ever make me read it again.
If you have any problem with triggers relating to torture, violence, suicide or rape, I don't suggest you read this book. The violence is graphic, lovingly detailed, and given to you from the point of view of the person carrying out the torture. If you're squeamish, there's also graphic descriptions of the mutilated bodies, etc. The only reason I continued reading this book was because I think I'm going to have to make reference to it in my essay -- if I wasn't planning on that, I would have given up after less than fifty pages, book for class or not.
If you have no problem with reading about torture, however, the mystery itself is pretty compelling. It's a police procedural, really, and more so than Ian Rankin's books -- no real maverick policeman (or policewoman) here: Carol Jordan seems to play within the rules, and Tony Hill just puts forward theories or guides interrogations, and doesn't actually spend the time chasing down the criminal himself. It all seems within the realm of plausibility, on the police side of things -- the killer is, of course, not just your average serial killer, but complete with all the bells and whistles of torture, rape, gender issues, mother issues, etc, etc, etc. It feels a bit over the top, in some ways, but it isn't implausible because there have been serial killers in like fashion. And, well, serial killers aren't exactly the most restrained and sane people.
I found it pretty easy to figure out what was going on if you remember that this isn't a true story, and therefore every detail included is relevant. Seemingly unconnected events must somehow tie in, and nobody is above suspicion, however irrelevant they may seem.
It deals with some LGBT issues, too -- the treatment of gay people by the police, and gender issues. This is pretty well done, I think. Realistic, without being too much of a hobby horse, so it didn't get in the way of the story, but contributed to its tension. The story of the serial killer's upbringing is sad without the story making it an excuse for how the killer behaves.
If it wasn't so personally triggering, I think I'd have enjoyed it.
Rating it was difficult. I did really like it, and like analysing it, so four stars, but god, don't ever make me read it again.
