Well, this landed with a thud.  The group was NOT impressed and two of our members didn’t finish it, even after reading 100 pages.  Members of the group found it tedious.  The writing style was awkward and the redundant internal landscape of the characters was blamed.

It WAS rather different from what we’ve read in the past.  Set in a different era (Victorian), with different modes of transportation, coldness, and fog.  Lots of fog.  We also dealt with different strata of society, the sense of entitlement in the upper levels (affluenza!), women and their place in that society, and the internal dialogue about what it means to be a policeman that we haven’t really gotten before.

The whole concept of a police force was pretty new at this time and Tellman’s stubborn belief that policemen couldn’t be bad because, well, they just COULDN’T, was fairly naïve.  Men are men, no matter what their profession.  And bullies are bullies.

The men and their respective desires to be home was lovely and charming.  The women and their ability to get right to the point, read people and their reactions, and hear what wasn’t being said were all charming.  A portrayal of such a different time and place.  Joan couldn’t imagine going to a party with that much style and grace and ferret out, with a witty quip, just what was being said and done.  So fun to watch!

Favorite characters – Aunt Vespasia, all of the wives, Lord Narraway, Josiah Abercorn was so wonderfully awful.  Also, what a great name!  Alexander because of his loyalty to his dead friend, even to his end.  Tellman for his sensitivity and determination, even when he knew it wasn’t going to end well.

Least favorite – Godfrey Duncannon, Jack because I wanted him to suck it up, step aside, and let Pitt do his job.  Ednam, the dead guy.