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"Rubyfruit Jungle" was five stars purely on the basis of a fascinating main character; the plot was nothing to get excited about, and the supporting cast was mediocre. This book, while it does not have a character as marvellous as Molly Bolt, (sorry, Geneva) nonetheless is strongly character-driven; it has a dozen characters more interesting and memorable than the second-best character in "Rubyfruit Jungle". More, it has a significantly more interesting plot, and just as much to say about life and how to live it.
A must-read for anyone who has enjoyed anything written by Rita Mae Brown, anyone who enjoys stories about strong female characters, and anyone who enjoys historical novels set during the civil war.
All of Rita Mae's characters are real, with their fears and flaws. Even though the central charater is Geneva, the depth of each character and their role in the dynamics of the politics of the time is brought forth. There is no minor character in this tale. Everyone, as in the war, has a story and a purpose. WONDERFUL.
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The animals are a little more sensible in this book as compared to Brown's last one. They no longer do outlandish things such as drive cars, but they continue with their catty and sarcastic remarks.
The past of several town members becomes more well-known in this book and anchors them in our minds better. When I finished it, for a day or two I found myself slightly lost without these witty and wonderful characters.
All in all, this is a great mystery sure to be enjoyed. Just remember, in a small town, nothing is ever as it seems!
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Rita Mae Brown with the help from her own feline, Sneaky Pie Brown, demonstrates why she is such a popular author. She creates an exciting mystery series that deftly anthropomorphizes animals so that readers believe in the fantasy world she has devised. MURDER ON THE PROWL is a particularly well constructed mystery that is a brilliant blending of The Lady And The Tramp with Ms. Jessica Fletcher.
Harriet Klausner
Rita Mae Brown has done it again. This is one of the best Mrs. Murphy mysteries to date, and a must-read for fans of the cat-cozy genre.
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Clearly, her outrageous characters and improbable situations won't appeal to everyone, but Rita Mae Brown is one hilarious writer. Her tone can be a mite self congratulatory, with an "Aren't I the smart one" undercurrent, but she is an outstanding storyteller.
Even if she never wrote another word, "Six of One" is a gift for every reader who picks it up.
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Molly is a wonderful character: a witty, intelligent combination of artist and trickster. The book is full of humor and satirical outrageousness. Molly is surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, most notably her strong-willed mother. The narrative as a whole is well-structured, and Brown brings Molly's story to a very satisfying conclusion.
As funny as "Rubyfruit" is, it also has some relevant insights on a number of issues: mother-daughter relationships, anti-gay prejudice, sexism in academia, socioeconomic barriers, etc. Molly's desire to be a filmmaker is a key theme: she is a creative individual who wants to tell relevant stories about "real people," and not just impress some pompous group of cultural elites.
Brown's prose style is excellent: muscular, sexy, lively, humane, down-to-earth, and always enjoyable. For a good companion text, try Audre Lorde's "Zami," a moving narrative of African-American lesbian life.
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The relationships between the animals (and this book includes more than just the cat and the dog... but a possum, 2 horses, a snake, and an owl as well) is fun and cute to read. And the relationships between the characters are developing well... the reader is introduced to everyone in the first book... and reading the second one is like being re-united with old friends. And i am looking forward to the third one to see if the budding romance from this novel continues.
Whereas i'd hardly call this book quality literature... it was a lot of fun for a rainy saturday afternoon... and for [money] is a lot better than most of the movies in theaters now! It's a great read for animal/mystery lovers.
Liking Harry, Mrs. Hogendobber, and Blair very much. Hoping the exploration of each character continues in the next book. But what nasty surprises lurk there? Eh?
This was more grizzly than the last tale - that dismembering thing, and the shotgun to the kneecap was more than a bit queasy-making. The throwback with postcard mailings was a strange bit. The extreme detail of the horse/fox hunt scene and even a bit of golf was interesting, yet...
Hot maple syrup in the snow? Sounds like a "might try sometime" idea.
Going back to her religion soapboxing - she is clearly trying to divide the Holy Light and Lutheran and Catholic types. She gives Harry a lot of philosophizing about our place in time and the universe. Very thought provoking.
Other odd inclusions: p.60, referring to the Middle East as the "lavatory of the human race," while affecting an Iraqi accent. Odd. p.139 referring to an animal that behaves bitchy and has been named Streisand. p.201 writing that evokes how "indians swooped down to kill whites." Yes, that surely happened, but it wasn't because they were whites, it was because they were encroaching on the indians land and weren't hesitating to kill the indians.
NEW VOCAB FOR ME
hectoring - intimidating, bullying
hoi polloi - ordinary people (Greek for "the many")
glad-hander - to offer somebody a friendly greeting or handshake, often insincerely or for motives of self-advancement
dilettante - superficial: typical of somebody who has only a superficial understanding of something
impecunious - poor: having little or no money, and so unable to lead a comfortable life (formal)
The animals cussing each other out was one thing that set me off on the early parts of this book. The people rarely cuss (which is refreshing), but Mrs. Murphy & Tucker sniping ... at one another and other similar language seemed out of place and really not necessary.
Looking forward to the next book in the series...
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CAT ON THE SCENT finds Mary "Harry" Harristeen (the young postmistress of tiny Crozet, Virginia) and her friends (both human and animal) drawn into a series of mysterious deaths that may or may not have something to do with a proposed reservoir. As usual, the writing is bright and the characters (including the felines Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and canine Tee Tucker) are entertaining... but on this occasion Brown seems to be straining her concept of animal characters, the overall novel seems unfocused, and many readers will find the conclusion frustrating. Mildly enjoyable, but not greatly memorable.