Reviews

Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel

miss_blackbird's review

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3.0

This book remains a bit beyond the veil.


(Should give it 4 stars, but that would be kinda lying.)

pimoon's review

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challenging dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

2.25

I was really interested in the subject matter of mediumship and felt Alison's ability was treated in an interesting matter of fact way by mantel, which was refreshing. 
There is a lack of description in terms of characters at times which makes it difficult to get to know or care about them. 
The world created by mantel is lifeless and horrible, there doesn't seem to be any relief throughout the book, I don't know how anyone would be able to call it humourous. 
Devoid of plot and intensely dark. 
I kept reading to see how it would end but maybe I shouldn't have bothered. 

geraldinerowe's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Beyond Black is completely devoid of any plot. That's not usually a problem in a novel if it has something else to offer, which in this case it doesn't. But it kept me reading. I wanted to know what happened to the characters, even the unpleasant ones. This was my first Hilary Mantel. It hasn't made me want to explore any of her other works, but I didn't dislike it.
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emlizzy's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

4.0

hopecap's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

branwynnemay's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Heartbreaking. Immersive. Bleak. Beautiful prose, slow, drawn out, and very culturally specific. Both this work and Wolf Hall shared these qualities. It takes someone with exceptional mastery of story telling to write a book like this without boring the reader or losing them to the darkness, or the specificity of the subject matter. I think she’s incredible. I was both relieved and very sad it was over. How did Mantel know to capture trauma so achingly well, and the mind’s jumbled wanderings and self-sabotaging routes? Did she know monsters like these? I’d say some of the characters were flat, but honestly they felt real as well. She captured portraits that feel like people I’ve known and it makes me so sad.
As painful as it would be, I’d read this again and suspect there are tons of layers to uncover. It’s a masterpiece. 

margherita_df's review

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adventurous challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

krobart's review against another edition

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1.0

Although I have enjoyed almost everything I have read by Hilary Mantel, I did not finish Beyond Black. The twist in this story about a medium and her secretary is that the medium really hears the spirits, and their concerns are incredibly mundane. Although this is a clever idea, it gets old fast, and I found Alison's spirit guide, Morris, absolutely disgusting.

See my complete review here:

http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/beyond-black/

mc_psychotherapy's review against another edition

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dark sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.75

curleytwin2's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0