Book Review - Robert Galbraith's The Silkworm
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
Published by: Mulholland Books
Publication Date: June 17th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 464 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
Leonora Quine's husband Owen is missing. He was once a literary success story, but not anymore. His latest novel, Bombyx Mori, which slanders those he holds responsible for his fall from grace has been leaked. He could be in hiding, worrying about the repercussions of having his protagonist eaten alive by the cruel caricatures of his colleagues. All his wife knows is that she needs Owen back to help with their developmentally disabled child. So she turns to Cormoran Strike, whose detective agency is on firmer footing since the infamous Lula Landry case. Strike thinks that one of the seven people depicted in the book is sure to know something. And when Cormoran finds Quine's body strung up in an abandoned house, pulled apart and doused in acid, just like a scene in his leaked manuscript, those seven people all become murder suspects because of Quine's slander. There's Owen's wife, Lenora, then there's his lover, Kathryn Kent, and her protégée, Pippa Midgley, his agent, Elizabeth Tassel, his editor, Jerry Waldegrave, his publisher, Daniel Chard, and his rival, Michael Fancourt. Cormoran meets with each and every one of these people, often over drawn out meals, and they all point the finger at each other. The truth is each and every one of them has a reason for wanting Quine dead. But the police are convinced it's Leonora. Cormoran must get his client cleared and so he starts to narrow in on Fancourt. Fancourt's first wife committed suicide after her book was lambasted by a cruel parody. Fancourt has always believed Quine was the author of that parody. But what if Quine wasn't? What if Quine didn't even write Bombyx Mori? Yes, that is the title of the book he was working on, but once Kathryn and Pippa get their hands on the leaked manuscript they notice major differences to the work in progress that Quine was showing them. Could one person be behind both attacks on this literary group? And if so, will they strike again if they think they are in danger or simply frame someone else to take the fall?
I will admit, it has taken me awhile to warm to Rowling's new series. While there is oddly a similarity between Harry and Cormoran, both being people thrust into the limelight who don't want to be there, this series is almost all about character and doesn't have the action of constantly avoiding death time and time again. It's not even about the mystery, it's about the characters. Which leads to the book occasionally dragging. Rowling is in no hurry to wrap things up. I could say she did this on purpose because this is probably a more realistic PI story because it takes time to get around to all the clues and to get everyone interviewed. But I think she was just enjoying herself with this scathing roman a clef that she didn't really think too much about finally revealing the killer. Because this is an insiders look at the publishing world and all that entails. It entails a lot of meals if you were wondering. And backstabbing. And backbiting. And general dislike of everyone else. You eventually get to the point where you're wondering if Rowling is using this as some kind of therapy to vent all her frustrations on the would in which she has become the darling. Perhaps she's even wondering what will happen when she falls from grace? Seeing as the book within the book is libelous slander against other writers I can't help but wonder if all these people in Quine's orbit are actually based on real people in Rowling's. Could she be using a book about using a book to exact revenge to exact her own revenge? We will probably never know. But that insular little literary world while interesting, up to a point, is ultimately the downfall of the book reaching perfection. It's too insular without explanation. So Strike, and therefore the reader, are just left scratching their heads instead of coming to any sort of appreciation. Perhaps the next book is when she'll hit her stride? And hopefully kill Robin's fiance Matthew.
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