I don't quite know what to make of The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith, though 50 Books swears by him. The novel is part of a series of books about a Scottish woman named Isabel Dalhousie. She is a philosopher by trade (no, really) and, I guess, a sort of detective, only her "mysteries" are those of the human character. The plot is a bit like a Seinfeld episode, consisting of small, daily interactions, only with likeable characters and lots of insight and reflection. But the reflections can be kind of intrusive -- the protaganist is always launching into these little rhetorical flights in response to the most mundane things. Much of the dialogue and Isabel's trains of thought seem contrived and make jarring leaps. I might try another of his novels, but this one was middling. OK
3 comments:
I have read most of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by McCall Smith, and I really enjoyed them. They don't have teeth, but they are a nice, light read. I find that I enjoy reading them in summer. This book sounds a lot like the others. They can sometimes get a little boring, but the character's are great in the Ladies Detective Agency series!
Erin/Muse
Cool. I did like the sound of those. I'll check 'em out.
I'll vouch for 'im. I did enjoy the one Ladies Detective Agency book I read...in a non-serious read sort of way.
(Don't tell the guys I read that!)
-cK
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