Member Reviews
The interesting part for me drawing to this one was British society and the way these rich entitled folks endure each other while treating others horribly. I seriously got irritated when the MC repeatedly puts up with the guy’s nuisance and pathetic behavior instead of going against him. The murder mystery started off great but then it became all about these unlikeable characters and their dynamics. It was supposed to be a satire on British aristocrats but there was some Greek mythology thrown in as well to the murder investigation. I liked the detective gang and would be interested in reading more of their cases in future.
So fun! I loved the twists and turns of this book while also enjoyed the character development of (some) of the characters. I did want to scream at a few of them throughout the book, but that's the beauty of great writing. Truly enjoyed this!
For every two or three murder-mystery or psychological-thriller novels you need one of these. The Other Half is utterly entertaining from beginning to end. I was surprised to see how low this novel was rated on Goodreads by others because to me this was simply flawless. Funny, witty, clever, and plain hilarious. Have I eaten goji berry, cinnamon, and chia seeds overnight oats? Why yes, yes I have and it's delicious!
Do not be daunted by the low ratings on this one. If you have any sense of humor at all - then please let yourself enjoy this unforgettable cast of characters.
I hope this crime trio becomes a series. I want more!
Positives:
Witty setting, characters, and social commentary-an upper class 30th birthday bash held at the local McDonalds for an obscenely wealthy Rupert Beauchamp
The detective combo (Caius and Matty) were delightful and I would read more books featuring them
clever and complex
murder mystery aspect
Negatives
The first stretch of the book was slow and made me almost want to give up before it picked up
There were so many characters to keep track of-and I don't usually say that about a book- and they were all connected
I really didn't care about the character who was murdered (Clemence, Clemmie Plegm)
Heavy British satire
What starts as a posh party at McDonald's ends in murder. The novel features a group of friends with complicated relationships all dealing with a very lackluster murder of one of the group. First off, I did not enjoy the characters, most of them came across annoying (especially Rupert, gosh he sucked). Second off, I wanted to actually get a preview of the murder, we got like two seconds of the murder scene & all of the rest ended up being the friend group gossiping/dealing with one another. This novel touched on the British societal system & the separation between the poor & rich lifestyle as well. I wanted to know who killed Clemmie so I finished it, but overall it was just okay.
Overall, I'm conflicted by this book. I enjoyed the satire at first, but after a while, the over the top characters started to grate on me. Caius, Matt and Amy were the bright spots for me - the police investigating the crime, which made it feel like a murder mystery I'd ordinarily love. The pacing of the plot is good and I enjoyed the gradual untangling of the mystery. 3.5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was an okay read about rich British people. The first half of the book was good but it went downhill in the second half and I was ready for it to end. Unfortunately, this was not for me however I would give the author another chance at a future book.
Thank you NetGalley and Charlotte Vassell for allowing me to read this Advanced Reader Copy. I’d
Like to find out the name of this “genre” if any since I would put it on my Do Not Read list.. it involves a group of thoroughly unlikeable Brits in various social classes. There are a couple of uninteresting murders and some quirky cops involved. I saw Charlotte Vassell used to sell high silk top hats. That’s the most interesting thing about the book to me.
First time reading this author, i enjoyed the book, but just felt like something was missing. The first portion of the book i liked, but as things begin to play out, i felt it to be a little draining. I felt a little fatigued with just words and not enough entertainment and engaging story line, some portions i loved, some portions I just wanted to get over and hop onto the main point. Its not perfect, but still finished it, it was good not great.
The Other Half was a juicy book about breaking through class systems and taking what you (think) is yours. For fans of You Season 4, this book continues the journey of spoiled British Aristocrats and how they manage when one of their chosen few are taken out.
It was a fun and fast read, I highly recommend!
I may need to come back and amend my review. It took me longer than it should have to read this. I liked the characters, I liked the story, but I feel as it was just so much and yet nothing feels done. I am not sure if it was that it didn't feel finished, or that there were too many things going on and on and on....
I voluntarily read and reviewed an eARC of this book via NetGalley and Vintage Anchor. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rating: 2/5 Stars
Publishing: November 21, 2023
Series: Debut Novel
Pages: 368
This is a first time read by Charlotte Vassell, new author to this reader. This debut novel started off good but eventually crumbled about halfway. Based on the description, there was a bit of humor and satire with this whodunnit of aristocrats in London. I thought the writing mediocre, and predictable as I continued to read through the chapters. There is potential with this story, however the overkill in descriptive writing distracted me too much that I could not concentrate on the mystery or thrilling scenes in the book. A bit unhappy that I almost DNF this one but completed the book in spite of my disappointment.
This book reminds me of the best parts of some of my favorites - The Secret History, The Maidens, anything Agatha Christie. It could be difficult to keep up with the number of characters introduced in the beginning, but I felt the author did a good job of giving the needed context throughout the book. It’s a quick read that keeps you pulled in
It was good! A bit tough to follow at times, mostly because of references I didn’t quite relate to, not being from London. The characters were not likable which made it interesting the plot was well thought out and funny at times. I enjoyed it overall!
It's always fun to read about rich entitled people, especially in England, but it wasn't enough. The Other Half had moments when the dialogue crackled, but it's a very uneven book. I couldn't get a sense of the characters and the plot had some larger than normal plot holes.
This took me a little bit to get into and even then I wasn’t fully invested. The characters were interesting and it showed a different type of life for sure. The ending didn’t really do it for me though, I wanted more.
I received an ARC copy courtesy of NETGalley.
The book started off pretty good, however it fell through for me about halfway through. I enjoyed the banter and the satire comedy and humor. However, the ending just didn’t do it for me and I felt unsatisfied. It’s as if we don’t know what ended up happening with the characters. Maybe there is a sequel in the works and that is why it was left unresolved.
A quick read about rich people and their high stake risks. I always enjoy British humor and found the Detective Caius funny on his quest of personal improvement. The story ends with a shocking twist in the vein of Agatha Christie. Many references to Greek mythology and archaeology I'd read another book in this series. 3.5⭐
Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Less cheesy than a cozy mystery but lighter than your typical detective/mystery novel. Strong satire & funny commentary on today’s influencer culture. Sped through this one! Didn’t want to put it down.
Thank you NetGalley & Anchor Books!
The plot got more and more tangled, and then fell flat for me. I found some conspiracies left completely unexplained. The characters were quirky but with not much depth. The writing was basic. and too simple and little explanation or elaboration. There were dozens of sentences like this . The lack of care in the writing stopped me from being able to appreciate the book. 2.5 out of 5 ⭐️