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Recoletta #1
The Buried Life
The gaslight and shadows of the underground city of Recoletta hide secrets and lies. When Inspector Liesl Malone investigates the murder of a renowned historian, she finds herself stonewalled by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation – Recoletta’s top-secret historical research facility.
When a second high-profile murder threatens the very fabric of city society, Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar must tread carefully, lest they fall victim to not only the criminals they seek, but the government which purports to protect them.
When a second high-profile murder threatens the very fabric of city society, Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar must tread carefully, lest they fall victim to not only the criminals they seek, but the government which purports to protect them.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2015
62 people are currently reading
2933 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Patel
7 books87 followersCarrie Patel was born and raised in Houston, Texas. An avid traveller, she studied abroad in Granada, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina. She completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Texas A&M University and worked in transfer pricing at Ernst & Young for two years. She now works as a narrative designer at Obsidian Entertainment in Irvine, California, where the only season is Always Perfect.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
March 3, 2015
3.5 Stars
The Buried Life is a murder mystery set in a Victorianesk dystopia. Told mostly from the perspectives of a detective Malone and a laundress Jane, because who knows more about the dirty laundry of the rich the reader is given the luxury of discovering the story from a few different angles. As the world and the story unfolds it becomes clear that the murders are all leading to a specific event and the cover up might go all the way to the top of the society.
Malone is all logic and business, her partner Sundar is the emotional counterpart to her and spent time as an actor become coming to the Guard. While Malone is likeable as a detective the story moves along a lot smoother with the levity that Sundar brings. It was fun following their logic trails to figure out the story, all along going against the society to get to bottom of who is really holding the strings behind the murders and what is so important to kill over.
Jane was such a likeable character, she was an orphan who has dug herself out of the bottom ranks of society. Sure she is just a laundress but she has a very exclusive clientele and has been privy to more than a few secrets. She is intensely loyal to her few friends and a little bit nosy just enough to get into a little trouble now and again and it seems that she has caught the interest of one of the players in the game Roman Arnault. He is everything I like in a potential love interest or villain. Roman is mysterious, there seem to be more rumors about him and his past than there is tea in England. He plays the game well but you’re not sure which side he is playing for. He is dangerous and a little forbidden, so of course I love him.
Once all the pieces start to unravel everything moves pretty quickly. The story totally took a different direction at the end than I expected but I enjoyed going along for the ride. My one complaint is I maybe wanted a little more backstory if it was going to play an important role later in the story. Jane’s parents and the reasons they had been killed when she was a child was just brushed upon lightly and I wanted to learn a little more on that story line as well as the actual true past of Roman maybe told by him instead of gossip.
The setting is a little odd and that might be on purpose. I really thought this was an underground city somewhere in England because of the Victorian type setting and culture. But, later we find out that is not at all where we are and it was a surprise, whether that was to help lend to the mystery I’m not sure but I had a hard time adjusting it in my head after I found out. I would have liked a little more world building about the city and the reason for it being there but that is all really vague, perhaps that will be addressing in subsequent stories.
The Buried Life is a solid mystery with a minor romance and interesting setting.
The Buried Life is a murder mystery set in a Victorianesk dystopia. Told mostly from the perspectives of a detective Malone and a laundress Jane, because who knows more about the dirty laundry of the rich the reader is given the luxury of discovering the story from a few different angles. As the world and the story unfolds it becomes clear that the murders are all leading to a specific event and the cover up might go all the way to the top of the society.
Malone is all logic and business, her partner Sundar is the emotional counterpart to her and spent time as an actor become coming to the Guard. While Malone is likeable as a detective the story moves along a lot smoother with the levity that Sundar brings. It was fun following their logic trails to figure out the story, all along going against the society to get to bottom of who is really holding the strings behind the murders and what is so important to kill over.
Jane was such a likeable character, she was an orphan who has dug herself out of the bottom ranks of society. Sure she is just a laundress but she has a very exclusive clientele and has been privy to more than a few secrets. She is intensely loyal to her few friends and a little bit nosy just enough to get into a little trouble now and again and it seems that she has caught the interest of one of the players in the game Roman Arnault. He is everything I like in a potential love interest or villain. Roman is mysterious, there seem to be more rumors about him and his past than there is tea in England. He plays the game well but you’re not sure which side he is playing for. He is dangerous and a little forbidden, so of course I love him.
Once all the pieces start to unravel everything moves pretty quickly. The story totally took a different direction at the end than I expected but I enjoyed going along for the ride. My one complaint is I maybe wanted a little more backstory if it was going to play an important role later in the story. Jane’s parents and the reasons they had been killed when she was a child was just brushed upon lightly and I wanted to learn a little more on that story line as well as the actual true past of Roman maybe told by him instead of gossip.
The setting is a little odd and that might be on purpose. I really thought this was an underground city somewhere in England because of the Victorian type setting and culture. But, later we find out that is not at all where we are and it was a surprise, whether that was to help lend to the mystery I’m not sure but I had a hard time adjusting it in my head after I found out. I would have liked a little more world building about the city and the reason for it being there but that is all really vague, perhaps that will be addressing in subsequent stories.
The Buried Life is a solid mystery with a minor romance and interesting setting.
May 26, 2015
2.5
The Buried Life takes place sometime in our distant future. In fact, it's so distant that everything we know today is forgotten. People had destroyed everything.
There was some kind of Catastrophe and the ruling body of Recolleta restricted the serious study of antebellum history. 'Most historical records had been lost or destroyed in the period immediately following the Catastrophe.' The city has two things it values above anything else: security and privacy. Of course, that is twisted to serve the council. Most people live underground.
There are a lot similarities to other books about such dystopian societies and their issues with books and forbidden. Here, though, there is no dread. People don't seem to suffer much. Sure we are told that the rich have everything and that injustice is common.
As for the protagonists, they almost completely killed this story. You have two inspectors and a laundress. None of them are that memorable in this book. I kept thinking I should feel more for these people. I simply didn't care.
I liked the uncommon ending, so I'll probably read the second book. That has to count for something. And the world itself is promising.
The Buried Life takes place sometime in our distant future. In fact, it's so distant that everything we know today is forgotten. People had destroyed everything.
There was some kind of Catastrophe and the ruling body of Recolleta restricted the serious study of antebellum history. 'Most historical records had been lost or destroyed in the period immediately following the Catastrophe.' The city has two things it values above anything else: security and privacy. Of course, that is twisted to serve the council. Most people live underground.
There are a lot similarities to other books about such dystopian societies and their issues with books and forbidden. Here, though, there is no dread. People don't seem to suffer much. Sure we are told that the rich have everything and that injustice is common.
As for the protagonists, they almost completely killed this story. You have two inspectors and a laundress. None of them are that memorable in this book. I kept thinking I should feel more for these people. I simply didn't care.
I liked the uncommon ending, so I'll probably read the second book. That has to count for something. And the world itself is promising.
August 4, 2014
I'm not sure the cover is aiming at the correct audience for this book... I expected something dark and dystopian. While I can't deny that, technically, this is a dystopian world, the story itself is a light and breezy murder-mystery/romance. The decaying underground city of Recoletta, which serves as backdrop to the story, comes off almost as an afterthought. The feel of the setting is one that will be familiar to any reader of contemporary Victorianesque fantasy - I'd recommend it for fans of Leanna Renee Hieber and Gail Carriger.
Our heroine is Jane, an orphaned laundress who has clients among the aristocracy, and a patron who is a news reporter. Her work puts her, coincidentally, at the scene of the murder of one of the leaders of the city.
Inspector Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar are on the case - but it seems that the city Council wants them to shove it under the rug. Instead, Malone recruits Jane as an informant, and keeps looking... even as the plot that's uncovered spirals up to the highest echelons.
What does the rakish rogue Roman Arnault have to do with the crime? Will Jane's attraction to him blind her to the potential of his guilt?
Thanks to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book!
Our heroine is Jane, an orphaned laundress who has clients among the aristocracy, and a patron who is a news reporter. Her work puts her, coincidentally, at the scene of the murder of one of the leaders of the city.
Inspector Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar are on the case - but it seems that the city Council wants them to shove it under the rug. Instead, Malone recruits Jane as an informant, and keeps looking... even as the plot that's uncovered spirals up to the highest echelons.
What does the rakish rogue Roman Arnault have to do with the crime? Will Jane's attraction to him blind her to the potential of his guilt?
Thanks to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book!
August 12, 2016
I quite enjoyed this book. In my earlier post I categorized it as Steam punk but it doesn't really belong there. It is dystopian fantasy. 'The Buried Life' is in an alternate Victorian timeline but does not focus on scientific and mechanical development.
Carrie Patel has us explore the city of Recoletta with a Laundress, a Reporter, two municipal investigators whose jurisdiction is part of an independent contract agency, and a bureaucrat whose functions are important but distasteful to his peers the ruling class of the Council. Recoletta is underground and a Warren of tunnels and streets that dig deeper and deeper into the earth. There is a subway like train but no cars. People either use this train, horse-drawn hansom cabs or walk. Culture has gone back to the Victorian not only in design and dress, but also in social structure. The rich being very rich and a large poor servant class to support it. A notable difference is a lack of racial and gender issues that further highlight economic class structure disparities.
The Council regulates its citizens ability to access information, particularly historical information, strictly. They supply a wealth of poetry and fiction to serve as "an opiate to the masses," but restricts political, philosophical, and historical literature. Society does not know of a time when the Council didn't rule or a concept of revolution. As Patel's characters investigate a series of murders of Council members much deeper issues are exposed.
I started the book thinking it was Steam punk alternate noir fantasy. I was wrong. My misconceptions made the mystery and reveals more effective. I just destroyed that possibility for you, but I believe it will create a more accurate view of the book. It was a nice refresher from young adult romances making up the bulk of dystopian literature.
Patel is descriptive in her world building. In a previous post I likened the book to a lighter version of China Mieville and a heavier version of Cassandra Clare but there is no supernatural our paranormal element. I have to retract the statement. There are similarities, but Patel's voice is her own. It is not perfect, and I don't particularly like the fact this is being made into a series. I would have preferred it as stand alone novel, but I have to say I was impressed. Patel's debut novel is definitely worth reading.
I received this from Netgalley and Angry Robot in return for an honest review.
Carrie Patel has us explore the city of Recoletta with a Laundress, a Reporter, two municipal investigators whose jurisdiction is part of an independent contract agency, and a bureaucrat whose functions are important but distasteful to his peers the ruling class of the Council. Recoletta is underground and a Warren of tunnels and streets that dig deeper and deeper into the earth. There is a subway like train but no cars. People either use this train, horse-drawn hansom cabs or walk. Culture has gone back to the Victorian not only in design and dress, but also in social structure. The rich being very rich and a large poor servant class to support it. A notable difference is a lack of racial and gender issues that further highlight economic class structure disparities.
The Council regulates its citizens ability to access information, particularly historical information, strictly. They supply a wealth of poetry and fiction to serve as "an opiate to the masses," but restricts political, philosophical, and historical literature. Society does not know of a time when the Council didn't rule or a concept of revolution. As Patel's characters investigate a series of murders of Council members much deeper issues are exposed.
I started the book thinking it was Steam punk alternate noir fantasy. I was wrong. My misconceptions made the mystery and reveals more effective. I just destroyed that possibility for you, but I believe it will create a more accurate view of the book. It was a nice refresher from young adult romances making up the bulk of dystopian literature.
Patel is descriptive in her world building. In a previous post I likened the book to a lighter version of China Mieville and a heavier version of Cassandra Clare but there is no supernatural our paranormal element. I have to retract the statement. There are similarities, but Patel's voice is her own. It is not perfect, and I don't particularly like the fact this is being made into a series. I would have preferred it as stand alone novel, but I have to say I was impressed. Patel's debut novel is definitely worth reading.
I received this from Netgalley and Angry Robot in return for an honest review.
June 22, 2014
**Thank you Angry Robot and Netgalley for providing this in exchange for an honest review**
DNF @ 37%
Its not very often I rate a DNF above 1 Star. While this book isn't bad, its not holding my interest. I've been picking it up and putting it down for a month or so now. The mystery itself is ok, but I ordered this for the steampunk/gaslight aspect of it. Sadly, its doesn't have a strong enough presence. The mystery just isn't strong enough on its own to keep my attention.
DNF @ 37%
Its not very often I rate a DNF above 1 Star. While this book isn't bad, its not holding my interest. I've been picking it up and putting it down for a month or so now. The mystery itself is ok, but I ordered this for the steampunk/gaslight aspect of it. Sadly, its doesn't have a strong enough presence. The mystery just isn't strong enough on its own to keep my attention.
August 5, 2014
Three Stars: A book with great potential that falters with shaky world building.
Malone hurries through the darkened streets, her mind racing over what she has just encountered. A quiet, historian murdered in his own home while surrounded by valuable banned books. Who killed him and why? Meanwhile on the other side of town, an unassuming laundress frantically searches for a missing button amongst her washing. The small pearl button likely cost a fortune and could mean the end of her career. She heads to the market, hoping to procure a replacement, not knowing that her path will collide with two whitenails. Before long, Jane, the laundress, finds herself in the middle of the same murder investigation, and it is big and dangerous. So large, it could topple the entire city. Will Malone and Jane find the killer?
What I Liked:
*I am always up for something new and different, and I can say that The Buried Life delivered on that aspect. This is a complicated book that doesn't fit neatly into one category. It is a bit dystopian, steampunk and murder mystery with a definite hint of the Victorian Era. I liked the blend of genres and the interesting setting and concepts.
Jane, the laundress, stole the show for me. I was immediately drawn to this resourceful and plucky gal. Jane is an orphan who through hard work and determination has made a name for herself doing laundry for the elite and wealthy citizens known as the whitenails. In her position, Jane sees and hears many things that are best kept quiet. Her discretion is what keeps her employed. Jane was such an admirable girl, I couldn't help but be drawn to her. I cheered her on as she plundered her way through a big society event and later as she was sucked into the dangerous murder investigation. Jane is an underdog type character, easy to like and fun to follow.
*Though the world building was a bit shaky, I did like the foundation. This book has a Victorian type feel to it, but it is actually set in the future in a large underground city called Recolletta. It is a civilization where the wealthy hold the cards and control everything, including what people read, while the poor, working class scrape by. Yet, there is more to it than that. It seems that Recolletta was formed after some type of apocalyptic event that destroyed the world as we know it. Many of the books and such recovered from our world are banned in this one as the people fear that they could lead to another fall. It is a dark and bleak world that is on the cusp of revolution. Where this book excels is in the atmospheric setting.
*The overall mystery is intriguing and solid. I enjoyed watching the two inspectors, Malone and her new partner, Sundar, use skill, logic and resourcefulness to continue their investigation even when they are thwarted at every turn. Sundar with his enthusiasm and gregariousness is a terrific addition to the team, and I couldn't help but enjoy his antics.
*There were some big twists toward the end that took the story in a new and unexpected direction. It certainly wasn't predictable.
And The Not So Much:
*For me, the biggest problem with this book was the lack of world building. You get the bare bones skeleton of this world, and I found I had so many questions. I wanted to know more about the destruction and how the people survived and rebuilt. Even the class stratification is a mystery. It seems you have the poor and the working class, but there has to be more to it than that. I had very little to go on as far as how the government worked and how the council came to be. Were the member elected? How did they get their positions? I also wanted to know so much more about why archaic information was banned from the general population. I am the type of reader that needs a strong foundation when going into a dystopian type book, and I felt the story was ready to topple at any moment because of the lack of detail.
*The book is told through Jane's and Malone's view points. While I adored Jane and immediately connected with her, I didn't feel any type of emotion when it came to Malone. She seemed flat and uninteresting. Only when paired with Sundar did I warm up to her, but then again at the end, I found myself detaching and not liking her. It is hard to read a book when you don't feel any type of emotion toward one of the main characters, and that is what happened with Malone.
*There is the hint of a romance between Jane and Roman, who is this rogue, bad boy guy who refuses to fit into societal constraints. I struggled greatly with this fledging relationship because it felt like it came out of nowhere and there was no depth to it. I couldn't see why Jane would so quickly be drawn to this man, and I thought it just didn't work.
*The book builds to a dramatic conclusion and then ends on a cliffhanger note with a bunch of unanswered questions, which was frustrating considering this an adult book. I am not used to my adult reads coming to an end with little payout. As to whether or not I will continue the series, I am leaning toward not. It was good, but not great and there was a development at the end with one of the characters that put me off.
The Buried Life is a book that I desperately wanted to love, but in the end, I was disappointed as I wanted more depth especially when it came to the world building. I struggled with the pace, and a couple of the characters as well. It was a good read, worth checking out if you want something original, but be prepared for a cliffhanger ending.
Favorite Quotations:
"The Library became my haven---whenever I wanted to be alone, I was. And when I needed company.... all I had to do was open a book."
"Swirling in the room, she saw secrets. They sulked in the corners, glided across the floor, and they stood huddled in discreetly chattering groups."
"Secrets, hovering just out of reach and scattering like moths from a lantern."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Malone hurries through the darkened streets, her mind racing over what she has just encountered. A quiet, historian murdered in his own home while surrounded by valuable banned books. Who killed him and why? Meanwhile on the other side of town, an unassuming laundress frantically searches for a missing button amongst her washing. The small pearl button likely cost a fortune and could mean the end of her career. She heads to the market, hoping to procure a replacement, not knowing that her path will collide with two whitenails. Before long, Jane, the laundress, finds herself in the middle of the same murder investigation, and it is big and dangerous. So large, it could topple the entire city. Will Malone and Jane find the killer?
What I Liked:
*I am always up for something new and different, and I can say that The Buried Life delivered on that aspect. This is a complicated book that doesn't fit neatly into one category. It is a bit dystopian, steampunk and murder mystery with a definite hint of the Victorian Era. I liked the blend of genres and the interesting setting and concepts.
Jane, the laundress, stole the show for me. I was immediately drawn to this resourceful and plucky gal. Jane is an orphan who through hard work and determination has made a name for herself doing laundry for the elite and wealthy citizens known as the whitenails. In her position, Jane sees and hears many things that are best kept quiet. Her discretion is what keeps her employed. Jane was such an admirable girl, I couldn't help but be drawn to her. I cheered her on as she plundered her way through a big society event and later as she was sucked into the dangerous murder investigation. Jane is an underdog type character, easy to like and fun to follow.
*Though the world building was a bit shaky, I did like the foundation. This book has a Victorian type feel to it, but it is actually set in the future in a large underground city called Recolletta. It is a civilization where the wealthy hold the cards and control everything, including what people read, while the poor, working class scrape by. Yet, there is more to it than that. It seems that Recolletta was formed after some type of apocalyptic event that destroyed the world as we know it. Many of the books and such recovered from our world are banned in this one as the people fear that they could lead to another fall. It is a dark and bleak world that is on the cusp of revolution. Where this book excels is in the atmospheric setting.
*The overall mystery is intriguing and solid. I enjoyed watching the two inspectors, Malone and her new partner, Sundar, use skill, logic and resourcefulness to continue their investigation even when they are thwarted at every turn. Sundar with his enthusiasm and gregariousness is a terrific addition to the team, and I couldn't help but enjoy his antics.
*There were some big twists toward the end that took the story in a new and unexpected direction. It certainly wasn't predictable.
And The Not So Much:
*For me, the biggest problem with this book was the lack of world building. You get the bare bones skeleton of this world, and I found I had so many questions. I wanted to know more about the destruction and how the people survived and rebuilt. Even the class stratification is a mystery. It seems you have the poor and the working class, but there has to be more to it than that. I had very little to go on as far as how the government worked and how the council came to be. Were the member elected? How did they get their positions? I also wanted to know so much more about why archaic information was banned from the general population. I am the type of reader that needs a strong foundation when going into a dystopian type book, and I felt the story was ready to topple at any moment because of the lack of detail.
*The book is told through Jane's and Malone's view points. While I adored Jane and immediately connected with her, I didn't feel any type of emotion when it came to Malone. She seemed flat and uninteresting. Only when paired with Sundar did I warm up to her, but then again at the end, I found myself detaching and not liking her. It is hard to read a book when you don't feel any type of emotion toward one of the main characters, and that is what happened with Malone.
*There is the hint of a romance between Jane and Roman, who is this rogue, bad boy guy who refuses to fit into societal constraints. I struggled greatly with this fledging relationship because it felt like it came out of nowhere and there was no depth to it. I couldn't see why Jane would so quickly be drawn to this man, and I thought it just didn't work.
*The book builds to a dramatic conclusion and then ends on a cliffhanger note with a bunch of unanswered questions, which was frustrating considering this an adult book. I am not used to my adult reads coming to an end with little payout. As to whether or not I will continue the series, I am leaning toward not. It was good, but not great and there was a development at the end with one of the characters that put me off.
The Buried Life is a book that I desperately wanted to love, but in the end, I was disappointed as I wanted more depth especially when it came to the world building. I struggled with the pace, and a couple of the characters as well. It was a good read, worth checking out if you want something original, but be prepared for a cliffhanger ending.
Favorite Quotations:
"The Library became my haven---whenever I wanted to be alone, I was. And when I needed company.... all I had to do was open a book."
"Swirling in the room, she saw secrets. They sulked in the corners, glided across the floor, and they stood huddled in discreetly chattering groups."
"Secrets, hovering just out of reach and scattering like moths from a lantern."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
May 24, 2014
Inspector Malone’s day isn’t starting out well. Not only has she been landed with a new partner--a flamboyant ex-actor, no less-- but she’s just been called in on a perplexing new murder case. Homicides may be everyday fare for the Metropolitan police force of Recoletta, but this case is something of an anomaly. For one thing, the victim is a mild-mannered historian, and it is hard to imagine a less high-risk career. For another, the victim was a whitenail--a member of Recoletta’s upper-class--and his death shatters the illusion of impervious privilege that the aristocracy holds so dear.
Centuries ago, shortly after the unspecified “Catastrophe” that destroyed the aboveground world, houses and streets were dug deep belowground, slowly crystallising into modern-day Recoletta. The world of sunlight may not be dangerous these days, but a fondness for wilderness rambles is still considered an embarrassing-- even potentially scandalous-- peculiarity. Civilization may have been driven deep underground, but human nature remains the same. Recoletta is run by the Council, a cabal of whitenails who hold absolute power over the city. All but the most inoffensive of pre-Catastrophe books have been censored. In this stifling, stultified atmosphere, the murder of an aristocrat is as risky as an open flame in a petroleum distillery. As Malone will discover, the death of a whitenail is only the opening in what promises to be an explosive plot.
The Buried Life was an enjoyable read, lighthearted for the most part, and based around an interesting worldbuilding conception. The society has a Victorian flavour, but one of the greatest aspects of the dystopian future scenario is that the world can use bits and pieces from various cultures and time periods without ever triggering anachronism- driven irritations. I also really liked the idea of an underground civilization, and rather wished that the book had delved more into the stifling atmosphere. What are the “streets” that the characters walk through actually like? How tall are the tunnel ceilings? I would have also loved to know more details of the Catastrophe and the origins of Recoletta itself; hopefully the next book will flesh out a few more of the details. How did people create a world under the earth, and why? How did they dig it out? And where did they put all the dislodged earth, anyway?
The characters, too, are reasonably likeable. Other than the pair of investigators, the other major point-of-view character is Jane Lin, a rather naive seamstress who keeps accidentally stumbling into crime scenes. I wasn’t particularly invested in Jane’s adventures, possibly because many of them involved her obsessions over a handsome and dangerous rake. However, I quite adored the hard-eyed and unimaginative police officer and her theatrical partner. With Malone as his straight-woman, Sundar manages to inject quite a bit of humour into the narrative. For example, here’s Sundar’s rationale for joining the police force:
The playful humour is visible in other areas as well. One of my favourite moments is when the seamstress Jane is introduced to three rather elderly high-society ladies with a tendency towards cutting (sorry, I had to) commentary: Lady Myra Lachesse, Madame Francine Attrop, and Madame Lucinda Clothoe.
Despite its whimsical Victorian veneer, Recoletta is a world of dark greys, in more ways than simply the literal one. As the story proceeds, the tone drops more and more often into a darker mood. While the story begins as a routine mystery, it quickly develops into something else entirely. While I enjoyed this, I think the twistiness and cleverness of the actual detective aspect suffered somewhat from the shift, as it led to a certain amount of exposition and plot-motivated character stupidity. All the same, I think the worldbuilding was my favourite aspect of the book. You can't lose with Victoriana, and I loved the little unexplained details; for example, I'm betting the aristocracy are "whitenails" because they didn't have to dig. It's all the more fun for remaining unexplained. While the mystery is, in a sense, wrapped up in this book, the story itself doesn’t really draw to a conclusion, and instead seems to set the scene for the next book in the series. The story sets up a promising storyline and an interesting world, and I’ll be curious to see how the things develop in the city of Recoletta.
**NOTE: Quotations are taken from an uncorrected digital galley and are therefore provisional. Quotes will be corrected when the book is released.**
Excerpted from my review on Booklikes.
~~I received this ebook through NetGalley from the publisher, Angry Robot, in exchange for my review.~~
Centuries ago, shortly after the unspecified “Catastrophe” that destroyed the aboveground world, houses and streets were dug deep belowground, slowly crystallising into modern-day Recoletta. The world of sunlight may not be dangerous these days, but a fondness for wilderness rambles is still considered an embarrassing-- even potentially scandalous-- peculiarity. Civilization may have been driven deep underground, but human nature remains the same. Recoletta is run by the Council, a cabal of whitenails who hold absolute power over the city. All but the most inoffensive of pre-Catastrophe books have been censored. In this stifling, stultified atmosphere, the murder of an aristocrat is as risky as an open flame in a petroleum distillery. As Malone will discover, the death of a whitenail is only the opening in what promises to be an explosive plot.
The Buried Life was an enjoyable read, lighthearted for the most part, and based around an interesting worldbuilding conception. The society has a Victorian flavour, but one of the greatest aspects of the dystopian future scenario is that the world can use bits and pieces from various cultures and time periods without ever triggering anachronism- driven irritations. I also really liked the idea of an underground civilization, and rather wished that the book had delved more into the stifling atmosphere. What are the “streets” that the characters walk through actually like? How tall are the tunnel ceilings? I would have also loved to know more details of the Catastrophe and the origins of Recoletta itself; hopefully the next book will flesh out a few more of the details. How did people create a world under the earth, and why? How did they dig it out? And where did they put all the dislodged earth, anyway?
The characters, too, are reasonably likeable. Other than the pair of investigators, the other major point-of-view character is Jane Lin, a rather naive seamstress who keeps accidentally stumbling into crime scenes. I wasn’t particularly invested in Jane’s adventures, possibly because many of them involved her obsessions over a handsome and dangerous rake. However, I quite adored the hard-eyed and unimaginative police officer and her theatrical partner. With Malone as his straight-woman, Sundar manages to inject quite a bit of humour into the narrative. For example, here’s Sundar’s rationale for joining the police force:
"I came from a four-year career in the theatre."Or take an instance of Sundar’s investigative brilliance at work:
Malone's eyebrows shot up and her lips tightened. "Why the career change?"
Sundar stopped fidgeting. "Too much memorization. I'd gotten into it for the improv."
"He or she was strong and agile enough to overpower a seventy-year-old man. And right-handed. There were no hair fibers, snatches of clothing, or foreign materials on the corpse or at the scene which could help us identify the attacker."
"So it was a naked bald guy," Sundar said.
The playful humour is visible in other areas as well. One of my favourite moments is when the seamstress Jane is introduced to three rather elderly high-society ladies with a tendency towards cutting (sorry, I had to) commentary: Lady Myra Lachesse, Madame Francine Attrop, and Madame Lucinda Clothoe.
Despite its whimsical Victorian veneer, Recoletta is a world of dark greys, in more ways than simply the literal one. As the story proceeds, the tone drops more and more often into a darker mood. While the story begins as a routine mystery, it quickly develops into something else entirely. While I enjoyed this, I think the twistiness and cleverness of the actual detective aspect suffered somewhat from the shift, as it led to a certain amount of exposition and plot-motivated character stupidity. All the same, I think the worldbuilding was my favourite aspect of the book. You can't lose with Victoriana, and I loved the little unexplained details; for example, I'm betting the aristocracy are "whitenails" because they didn't have to dig. It's all the more fun for remaining unexplained. While the mystery is, in a sense, wrapped up in this book, the story itself doesn’t really draw to a conclusion, and instead seems to set the scene for the next book in the series. The story sets up a promising storyline and an interesting world, and I’ll be curious to see how the things develop in the city of Recoletta.
**NOTE: Quotations are taken from an uncorrected digital galley and are therefore provisional. Quotes will be corrected when the book is released.**
Excerpted from my review on Booklikes.
~~I received this ebook through NetGalley from the publisher, Angry Robot, in exchange for my review.~~
March 6, 2015
Fantasy Review Barn
The City of Recoletta is an underground metropolis that comes with a common The Buried Life steampunk feel; though it runs completely without the steam. I suppose that would mean it has a Victorian feel but that doesn’t really feel right either. Recoletta is one of many buries cities that sit beneath Earth after some unknown event knocked humanity out of the modern age. Unlike many post-apocalyptic tales life carried on in a fairly normal fashion – only with less technology and a reversion to a ruling class of landed aristocracy.
The Buried Life is the story of two women who find their paths entwined after a series of murders. The first, Liesl Malone plays the part of grizzled inspector with a new sidekick; a handsome young rookie named Rafe Sundar. Together they are charged with investigating the murder of a historian; shocking outwardly violent crimes don’t often affect the upper classes. This automatically places the two officers in dangerous territory. If there is one thing the ruling council doesn’t want it is the past reopened; they are investigating the death of someone who had access to stuff they are not allowed to know. After a second murder the work gets even harder; answers they find could be dangerous to the wrong people and powerful hands are obstructing them throughout.
The other young woman is Jane, a laundress who goes from worrying about being blamed for a lost button on a rich clients clothing to being thrust in the middle of a conspiracy that goes all the way up. After stumbling upon the second victim she will play a part in events to come no matter her wishes. Her stubborn streak and a sense of adventure will push her even farther in.
This is not a fantasy book, it is a murder mystery in a slightly different setting. Conspiracies and jockeying for power among the upper class leads to big problems for those down below; especially for Jane and Malone. As a mystery it holds up fairly well. It is perhaps a bit rushed, a rare book I wish had expanded on some things a bit more in the early going. But Patel was good at keeping me guessing; throwing false leads and fake trails that were plausible enough that it never felt like she was cheating. The pacing was well handled as well. It was quick enough that I read the book over two lunch breaks, and only felt rushed in terms of setting, never the plot itself.
The focus on two characters worked out well. I enjoyed the dynamic Malone had with her rookie partner especially. Despite Malone being the grizzled vet she shows more confidence than others of the same archetype I have read; judging Sundar on his skills and performance and quickly getting over her grumblings in favor of valuing her new partner. Jane is serviceable in her part of an everyday woman in a strange situation but I can’t say I ever fell in love with the character. She moved around to the spots she needed to and while she did show some moments of inspiration and competence she was more often just kind of there.
The setting should have been something that stands out but it really faded into the background. The unknown event that wrecked civilization drove people underground and most of the book takes place in the large labyrinth under a well known modern city. But this is an easily forgotten fact; it never really matters to the book and only comes up occasionally when the surface is mentioned. I didn’t like that the surface appears to be still livable, with major agriculture still carried out in the above, but it left me wondering why everyone is staying below. It was never really explained.
The Buried Life was fast and fun, had a good mystery element, and is well worth reading. There is very little bad I can say about the book. But it is also very familiar in setting and seemed to lack urgency (as subjective as that conclusion is). So it is with full confidence that I recommend reading it if you enjoy mysteries, urban settings, and discovering modern clues in a far future reality. But it is not a book I found to be all that memorable, nor am I clamoring for the next installment.
3 Stars
Copy for review received from publisher.
The City of Recoletta is an underground metropolis that comes with a common The Buried Life steampunk feel; though it runs completely without the steam. I suppose that would mean it has a Victorian feel but that doesn’t really feel right either. Recoletta is one of many buries cities that sit beneath Earth after some unknown event knocked humanity out of the modern age. Unlike many post-apocalyptic tales life carried on in a fairly normal fashion – only with less technology and a reversion to a ruling class of landed aristocracy.
The Buried Life is the story of two women who find their paths entwined after a series of murders. The first, Liesl Malone plays the part of grizzled inspector with a new sidekick; a handsome young rookie named Rafe Sundar. Together they are charged with investigating the murder of a historian; shocking outwardly violent crimes don’t often affect the upper classes. This automatically places the two officers in dangerous territory. If there is one thing the ruling council doesn’t want it is the past reopened; they are investigating the death of someone who had access to stuff they are not allowed to know. After a second murder the work gets even harder; answers they find could be dangerous to the wrong people and powerful hands are obstructing them throughout.
The other young woman is Jane, a laundress who goes from worrying about being blamed for a lost button on a rich clients clothing to being thrust in the middle of a conspiracy that goes all the way up. After stumbling upon the second victim she will play a part in events to come no matter her wishes. Her stubborn streak and a sense of adventure will push her even farther in.
This is not a fantasy book, it is a murder mystery in a slightly different setting. Conspiracies and jockeying for power among the upper class leads to big problems for those down below; especially for Jane and Malone. As a mystery it holds up fairly well. It is perhaps a bit rushed, a rare book I wish had expanded on some things a bit more in the early going. But Patel was good at keeping me guessing; throwing false leads and fake trails that were plausible enough that it never felt like she was cheating. The pacing was well handled as well. It was quick enough that I read the book over two lunch breaks, and only felt rushed in terms of setting, never the plot itself.
The focus on two characters worked out well. I enjoyed the dynamic Malone had with her rookie partner especially. Despite Malone being the grizzled vet she shows more confidence than others of the same archetype I have read; judging Sundar on his skills and performance and quickly getting over her grumblings in favor of valuing her new partner. Jane is serviceable in her part of an everyday woman in a strange situation but I can’t say I ever fell in love with the character. She moved around to the spots she needed to and while she did show some moments of inspiration and competence she was more often just kind of there.
The setting should have been something that stands out but it really faded into the background. The unknown event that wrecked civilization drove people underground and most of the book takes place in the large labyrinth under a well known modern city. But this is an easily forgotten fact; it never really matters to the book and only comes up occasionally when the surface is mentioned. I didn’t like that the surface appears to be still livable, with major agriculture still carried out in the above, but it left me wondering why everyone is staying below. It was never really explained.
The Buried Life was fast and fun, had a good mystery element, and is well worth reading. There is very little bad I can say about the book. But it is also very familiar in setting and seemed to lack urgency (as subjective as that conclusion is). So it is with full confidence that I recommend reading it if you enjoy mysteries, urban settings, and discovering modern clues in a far future reality. But it is not a book I found to be all that memorable, nor am I clamoring for the next installment.
3 Stars
Copy for review received from publisher.
July 24, 2014
This review was originally posted on Avid Reviews: www.avidfantasyreviews.wordpress.com
Release Date: July 29, 2014
The Buried Life, the debut novel of author Carrie Patel, is the first book in a new series from one of my favorite publishers, Angry Robot Books. It is a mystery novel set in a dystopian future with a bit of a steampunk vibe thrown into its setting. Unlike many dystopian novels, the dystopian element of the story remains in the background, and the murder mystery is the main aspect that drives the plot. Though I am not usually a huge fan of mystery novels, I found that Patel did a wonderful job of engaging my attention while throwing in just enough of a unique view of the future to keep me wanting to read more.
The story takes places in the underground city of Recoletta, an extensive network of tunnels lit by both skylight and gaslight. When one of the city’s most prestigious members gets murdered, it is up to inspector Liesl Malone to infiltrate the lives of Recoletta’s elite in order to solve the case. Malone and her rookie partner, who has just switched from a career in acting, soon find that the murder is connected to a mysterious project funded by Ricoletta’s top historical research facility. Since the study of antebellum history is outlawed to the public, they must tread very carefully if they wish to catch the murderer.
I found that this story proceeded at a relatively fast pace, which was sufficient to keep the reader engaged. The characters were not incredibly complex, but they did not have to be in able to further the story. My favorite part of the book was the mystery, as Patel sets the reader up with plenty of implications surrounding the cause of the murders. The dystopian aspect of the novel was important to the novel’s mystery, but it did not override the plot in any way. The setting stays a part of the background, and though it is a fascinating future that Patel crafts for the reader, the descriptions of the underground city are only given when they help to further the plot. I also enjoyed the ending of the book, and even though the secret Patel reveals is not monumental, I found it fascinating enough to want to read more books in the Buried Life series.
Overall, I thought that this was an enjoyable read even though it was not one of the best books I have read this year. On the other hand, it is one of the best mystery novels I have ever read. I would recommend this novel to both fans of mystery and fans of dystopian novels.
I would rate this novel a 7/10.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
Release Date: July 29, 2014
The Buried Life, the debut novel of author Carrie Patel, is the first book in a new series from one of my favorite publishers, Angry Robot Books. It is a mystery novel set in a dystopian future with a bit of a steampunk vibe thrown into its setting. Unlike many dystopian novels, the dystopian element of the story remains in the background, and the murder mystery is the main aspect that drives the plot. Though I am not usually a huge fan of mystery novels, I found that Patel did a wonderful job of engaging my attention while throwing in just enough of a unique view of the future to keep me wanting to read more.
The story takes places in the underground city of Recoletta, an extensive network of tunnels lit by both skylight and gaslight. When one of the city’s most prestigious members gets murdered, it is up to inspector Liesl Malone to infiltrate the lives of Recoletta’s elite in order to solve the case. Malone and her rookie partner, who has just switched from a career in acting, soon find that the murder is connected to a mysterious project funded by Ricoletta’s top historical research facility. Since the study of antebellum history is outlawed to the public, they must tread very carefully if they wish to catch the murderer.
I found that this story proceeded at a relatively fast pace, which was sufficient to keep the reader engaged. The characters were not incredibly complex, but they did not have to be in able to further the story. My favorite part of the book was the mystery, as Patel sets the reader up with plenty of implications surrounding the cause of the murders. The dystopian aspect of the novel was important to the novel’s mystery, but it did not override the plot in any way. The setting stays a part of the background, and though it is a fascinating future that Patel crafts for the reader, the descriptions of the underground city are only given when they help to further the plot. I also enjoyed the ending of the book, and even though the secret Patel reveals is not monumental, I found it fascinating enough to want to read more books in the Buried Life series.
Overall, I thought that this was an enjoyable read even though it was not one of the best books I have read this year. On the other hand, it is one of the best mystery novels I have ever read. I would recommend this novel to both fans of mystery and fans of dystopian novels.
I would rate this novel a 7/10.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
November 29, 2017
Did the editor fall asleep and miss the first part of this book? The writing has a lot of errors and things that don't make sense. The action isn't always coherent and descriptions often felt awkward. Conversations aren't logical in that it's like the characters aren't replying to each other but to something that's going on in their heads we haven't seen.
Then suddenly, about 120 pages in, it gets so much better it's like a different book. There's still the odd thing that doesn't quite fit and makes me feel like I'm having a brain stutter but I can actually read normally instead of having to spend 2 minutes a page flicking backwards and forwards.
I was really enjoying it but then the plot switches gears at the end and turns around on itself. I'm not sure how I felt about the way it ended. There are a lot of what feels like plot holes - how did the councillor know to direct Liesl towards the Sato murders? And what use is a spy when everyone and their Mum knows that he's a spy?
There's a lot of good ideas in here and I liked the plot and the characters. I always enjoy a good murder investigation but there were too many coincidences in it for it to feel truly convincing.
Liesl would probably have been my favourite character if we'd just had a bit more info about her. I liked that she was closed off and I can identify with that myself but I just needed a bit more about her to fully connect with her. She came across as robotic and I couldn't pick up on the reasons for her actions, especially at the end.
Most disappointing for me was that the blurb suggested that this would be a dark steampunk style story but that doesn't come across at all. I struggled to picture the underground world and I just didn't feel the atmosphere. I found that I had to imagine a typical Victorian city that's not underground to be able to follow the story and carry on reading. The steampunk elements were non-existent but they did make a rather lovely cover!
The author definitely has a lot of imagination and I can see that there is potential. The writing improved massively throughout the book and I'm interested enough that I want to see where the story goes next. But it needs more atmosphere. If more time was spent on worldbuilding and creating an atmosphere that lived up to the blurb then I could have forgiven the story being a bit up and down.
Then suddenly, about 120 pages in, it gets so much better it's like a different book. There's still the odd thing that doesn't quite fit and makes me feel like I'm having a brain stutter but I can actually read normally instead of having to spend 2 minutes a page flicking backwards and forwards.
I was really enjoying it but then the plot switches gears at the end and turns around on itself. I'm not sure how I felt about the way it ended. There are a lot of what feels like plot holes - how did the councillor know to direct Liesl towards the Sato murders? And what use is a spy when everyone and their Mum knows that he's a spy?
There's a lot of good ideas in here and I liked the plot and the characters. I always enjoy a good murder investigation but there were too many coincidences in it for it to feel truly convincing.
Liesl would probably have been my favourite character if we'd just had a bit more info about her. I liked that she was closed off and I can identify with that myself but I just needed a bit more about her to fully connect with her. She came across as robotic and I couldn't pick up on the reasons for her actions, especially at the end.
Most disappointing for me was that the blurb suggested that this would be a dark steampunk style story but that doesn't come across at all. I struggled to picture the underground world and I just didn't feel the atmosphere. I found that I had to imagine a typical Victorian city that's not underground to be able to follow the story and carry on reading. The steampunk elements were non-existent but they did make a rather lovely cover!
The author definitely has a lot of imagination and I can see that there is potential. The writing improved massively throughout the book and I'm interested enough that I want to see where the story goes next. But it needs more atmosphere. If more time was spent on worldbuilding and creating an atmosphere that lived up to the blurb then I could have forgiven the story being a bit up and down.
February 1, 2016
Almost flunked the “fifty page test.” The story starts slow—-skip the Prologue—-and exhibits many logical and storytelling gaffs. But the hook finally sets and the reader is pulled along by the inner urgency of several characters, if not the story itself.
Needs a serious editor. “Half a mile underground”? “stumbled and nearly tripped”? “slid the gun to her feet” thirty yards away? Investigating a murder and never checks the pile of books at the body’s feet? My favorite: “guards gripping bayonets” Ouch. Too many very convenient coincidences. Even as they become more improbable, the reader comes to expect them. Too convenient; too easy.
I’m serious about skipping the Prologue. It detracts rather than adds to the story. It also raises a question which is never again addressed in the entire book.
Why read it? Because it has a ripping good story line and excellent characterization, though this reader cared more about Jane and Rafe than Liesl and Roman, the presumed main characters. Too bad, especially since ... but that would be telling.
The story seems aimed at Young Adult readers, maybe even Middle Grade, except for the casual acceptance of violence and death. I realize that the Hunger Games and Twilight series, not to mention Harry Potter, have lowered the bar, but the off-the-cuff dispensing of mayhem (and the characters nonchalant acceptance of it) detracts.
Like the cover art.
I read this book based on the blog recommendation of John Scalzi, whose writing I enjoy. His credibility as a referrer, however, has diminished.
In keeping with my policy of encouraging freshman efforts, I boosted the rating one star. (Do the math.) Patel will be a good writer. Book Two (Cities and ThronesCities and Thrones) is done, though this series has so much baggage that I’ll wait until she starts afresh.
Keep your eyes on her.
Needs a serious editor. “Half a mile underground”? “stumbled and nearly tripped”? “slid the gun to her feet” thirty yards away? Investigating a murder and never checks the pile of books at the body’s feet? My favorite: “guards gripping bayonets” Ouch. Too many very convenient coincidences. Even as they become more improbable, the reader comes to expect them. Too convenient; too easy.
I’m serious about skipping the Prologue. It detracts rather than adds to the story. It also raises a question which is never again addressed in the entire book.
Why read it? Because it has a ripping good story line and excellent characterization, though this reader cared more about Jane and Rafe than Liesl and Roman, the presumed main characters. Too bad, especially since ... but that would be telling.
The story seems aimed at Young Adult readers, maybe even Middle Grade, except for the casual acceptance of violence and death. I realize that the Hunger Games and Twilight series, not to mention Harry Potter, have lowered the bar, but the off-the-cuff dispensing of mayhem (and the characters nonchalant acceptance of it) detracts.
Like the cover art.
I read this book based on the blog recommendation of John Scalzi, whose writing I enjoy. His credibility as a referrer, however, has diminished.
In keeping with my policy of encouraging freshman efforts, I boosted the rating one star. (Do the math.) Patel will be a good writer. Book Two (Cities and ThronesCities and Thrones) is done, though this series has so much baggage that I’ll wait until she starts afresh.
Keep your eyes on her.
May 27, 2015
Full disclosure, I also voted for Angry Robot to publish Carrie (you can read about my day at their HQ here), and she’s swung by The Bibliophibian on her blog tour for this book. I’ve owed this review for ages; I’m sorry!
I had really high hopes for this based on the first chapters I read way back, and as with most Angry Robot books, I found the ideas really fascinating. The whole set-up of the world, the mystery behind the way it’s got there (because it’s quickly obvious it’s a post-catastrophe version of our world), combined with the two main characters. They’re both women, and they’re both awesome in very different ways: Liesl Malone is a tough as nails cop, and Jane Lin is a laundress in a highly stratified society which doesn’t necessarily see the value of her quick wits and constantly underestimates her.
I think the set-up for this story is great, and the characters too — although I predicted the plot whenever it involved Roman Arnault, particularly! — although I found it a little weaker in the middle. It starts out strongly, but the mystery doesn’t really stand out, and details come out a bit too slowly. Liesl (in particular) is awesome, and the whole issue of the sheer volume of knowledge being kept from the populace gives it an interesting background, but some parts just didn’t feel as sharp as they could be.
I’m looking forward to reading Cities and Thrones, the sequel, which will hopefully expand on all the stuff I’m interested in. The positions the characters are left in at the end of the book intrigue me particularly; everything’s changing for them.
Originally posted here.
I had really high hopes for this based on the first chapters I read way back, and as with most Angry Robot books, I found the ideas really fascinating. The whole set-up of the world, the mystery behind the way it’s got there (because it’s quickly obvious it’s a post-catastrophe version of our world), combined with the two main characters. They’re both women, and they’re both awesome in very different ways: Liesl Malone is a tough as nails cop, and Jane Lin is a laundress in a highly stratified society which doesn’t necessarily see the value of her quick wits and constantly underestimates her.
I think the set-up for this story is great, and the characters too — although I predicted the plot whenever it involved Roman Arnault, particularly! — although I found it a little weaker in the middle. It starts out strongly, but the mystery doesn’t really stand out, and details come out a bit too slowly. Liesl (in particular) is awesome, and the whole issue of the sheer volume of knowledge being kept from the populace gives it an interesting background, but some parts just didn’t feel as sharp as they could be.
I’m looking forward to reading Cities and Thrones, the sequel, which will hopefully expand on all the stuff I’m interested in. The positions the characters are left in at the end of the book intrigue me particularly; everything’s changing for them.
Originally posted here.
May 13, 2015
I hate to knock an author's debut but this book misses on a number of levels. The world building is virtually non-existent. There are people living above and below ground which makes for a potentially interesting story line but the author never expands upon it. The setting purports to be Victorian London but it might as well be modern day Yucca Flats. There's supposed to be steampunk elements but there isn't a dirigible or a gear in sight. Too much time is spent on the mundane. There's a ballroom scene that seems to last a week. The mystery involved isn't very mysterious and has a flat ending. The writing also contains numerous non sequiturs where characters reach odd conclusions or saying to the effect "I tripped and almost stumbled." Eh? as my Canadian friends would say. I did manage to finish but this isn't one of Angry Robot's better efforts.
April 25, 2015
It is not my book of the year 2015 but this crime noir novel in a fantasy settings is an entertaining one.
Most part of the story takees place in the subterranean city Recoletta which has a link between underground and surface. The political system has a huge impact of the story with twits and turns.
I really appreciated the two female main characters in person of Inspectoe Liesl Malon and the laundress Jane.
Most part of the story takees place in the subterranean city Recoletta which has a link between underground and surface. The political system has a huge impact of the story with twits and turns.
I really appreciated the two female main characters in person of Inspectoe Liesl Malon and the laundress Jane.
June 25, 2023
Read my full review: https://mackat.dk/the-buried-life-by-...
Love the setting and the two protagonists. The book actually had me thinking about real world politics and power dynamics. At the same time it was entertaining and a page turner... I don't often read books in less than two days.
Well plotted and it kept me guessing, without any of the renewals feeling like it wasn't earned.
If you are in the mood for a political steampunk thriller, I recommend this.
Love the setting and the two protagonists. The book actually had me thinking about real world politics and power dynamics. At the same time it was entertaining and a page turner... I don't often read books in less than two days.
Well plotted and it kept me guessing, without any of the renewals feeling like it wasn't earned.
If you are in the mood for a political steampunk thriller, I recommend this.
March 11, 2015
The Review: http://thefictionalhangout.blogspot.c....
The gaslight and shadows of the underground city of Recoletta hide secrets and lies. When Inspector Liesl Malone investigates the murder of a renowned historian, she finds herself stonewalled by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation – Recoletta’s top-secret historical research facility.
When a second high-profile murder threatens the very fabric of city society, Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar must tread carefully, lest they fall victim to not only the criminals they seek, but the government which purports to protect them. Knowledge is power, and power must be preserved at all costs…
Angry Robot Books are one of my most reliable publishers for bringing out quality, entertaining fiction and it’s great to see that they’re bringing us some awesome new content again. The Buried Life from Carrie Patel is one of the most recent crop of new Angry Robot novels and it’s certainly something that fans of steampunk should love. However, it’s not just limited to the steampunk genre, using a dystopian setting as a backdrop with several unique elements that make it standout from not only your typical dystopian novel but also your typical steampunk as well. It blends all of these two elements along with the mystery at the book’s core to create a very interesting novel that’s very promising indeed, and certainly should put Carrie Patel on that list of authors who readers will be looking forward to seeing what she can come up with next.
The book uses the backdrop of the underground city of Recoletta to tell a very interesting story through its pages. Inspector Liesl Malone is the main protagonist, and it’s her job to investigate the murder of a renowned historian. However, that job’s made all the more harder by the fact that her investigation is being blocked at every turn by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation. And then, to make matters worse, the bodies are piling up, with a second high-profile murder threatening to upend the fabric of the city’s society, with it not being long before both Liesl and her new partner, Rafe Sundar, are cast under the watchful eye of not just the criminals that they seek to capture, but also the Government who claims to protect them.
The Buried Life has a great premise and it delivers, for the most part. The pace is fast and intriguing with interesting characters even if they aren’t quite as developed as they should be, with the mystery in the fascinating world being the main draw here. The world doesn’t really fall into the trap of being from one particular genre, and it’s really exploited here, with some strong narrative making the book really work. The idea and the story are both equally compelling and it’s great to see that the author doesn’t fall into the trap of sacrificing one for the other, with no over-reliance on the world building or a complete lack of it. There’s just enough to keep us hooked, drawn in and wanting to know more, which is hopefully something that we will get in the sequel, Cities and Thrones
On the whole then, Patel’s The Buried Life is a promising debut that benefits from a very original setting and a story that doesn’t get bogged down too much in it. Whilst not all of the characters work as well as well as they should, this book is certainly something that is still worth trying out. Recommended.
VERDICT: 7.9/10
The gaslight and shadows of the underground city of Recoletta hide secrets and lies. When Inspector Liesl Malone investigates the murder of a renowned historian, she finds herself stonewalled by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation – Recoletta’s top-secret historical research facility.
When a second high-profile murder threatens the very fabric of city society, Malone and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar must tread carefully, lest they fall victim to not only the criminals they seek, but the government which purports to protect them. Knowledge is power, and power must be preserved at all costs…
Angry Robot Books are one of my most reliable publishers for bringing out quality, entertaining fiction and it’s great to see that they’re bringing us some awesome new content again. The Buried Life from Carrie Patel is one of the most recent crop of new Angry Robot novels and it’s certainly something that fans of steampunk should love. However, it’s not just limited to the steampunk genre, using a dystopian setting as a backdrop with several unique elements that make it standout from not only your typical dystopian novel but also your typical steampunk as well. It blends all of these two elements along with the mystery at the book’s core to create a very interesting novel that’s very promising indeed, and certainly should put Carrie Patel on that list of authors who readers will be looking forward to seeing what she can come up with next.
The book uses the backdrop of the underground city of Recoletta to tell a very interesting story through its pages. Inspector Liesl Malone is the main protagonist, and it’s her job to investigate the murder of a renowned historian. However, that job’s made all the more harder by the fact that her investigation is being blocked at every turn by the all-powerful Directorate of Preservation. And then, to make matters worse, the bodies are piling up, with a second high-profile murder threatening to upend the fabric of the city’s society, with it not being long before both Liesl and her new partner, Rafe Sundar, are cast under the watchful eye of not just the criminals that they seek to capture, but also the Government who claims to protect them.
The Buried Life has a great premise and it delivers, for the most part. The pace is fast and intriguing with interesting characters even if they aren’t quite as developed as they should be, with the mystery in the fascinating world being the main draw here. The world doesn’t really fall into the trap of being from one particular genre, and it’s really exploited here, with some strong narrative making the book really work. The idea and the story are both equally compelling and it’s great to see that the author doesn’t fall into the trap of sacrificing one for the other, with no over-reliance on the world building or a complete lack of it. There’s just enough to keep us hooked, drawn in and wanting to know more, which is hopefully something that we will get in the sequel, Cities and Thrones
On the whole then, Patel’s The Buried Life is a promising debut that benefits from a very original setting and a story that doesn’t get bogged down too much in it. Whilst not all of the characters work as well as well as they should, this book is certainly something that is still worth trying out. Recommended.
VERDICT: 7.9/10
Read
May 3, 2014THE BURIED LIFE showed lots of potential, but for me the writing was too uneven for me to fully enjoy it.
CHARACTERS
There are two main characters in THE BURIED LIFE: hard-boiled detective Liesl Malone, and laundress, Jane. Malone comes off paper thin and overly familiar. She wears all black, has short blond hair, and is a badass. Jane the laundress, on the other hand, is a wonderful character with a background and friends. She works hard and is diligent. She touches other characters and has motivation. I was invested in her and in her relationships, and it was because of my interest in her that I finished the book.
WORLD-BUILDING
There really isn't much. Other than a description of the Municipals (police force) black, jack-booted wardrobe there isn't a lot of description. Mentions of living underground, mentions of stone, lighting, and desks. I haven't a clue what Jane or the rich wore on a daily basis. It's left up to the readers' imagination. They have elevators and yet still use quills.
THE STORY
THE BURIED LIFE is a murder-mystery set in a post-apoc setting. It's not clear what caused the disaster, although there is one hint in the last pages. In a murder mystery which revolves around politics it's important that peoples' motivations are well reasoned. While the criminals motivations ARE entirely reasonable in this book, what isn't is the reaction of the police force, including our hard-boiled detective. They appear to be shocked that other people could be mean and even brutal. Is there anything a politician would do that would shock you?
LOGIC
Maybe I watched too much DRAGNET as a kid, but some of the logic in this book eluded me. Let me give you an example. They find a body and immediately conclude that something was stolen. Odd enough, but the response to that conclusion was that no there probably wasn't anything stolen 'because there were better places to rob'.
Well, I don't know about you but the first thing that popped into my head was that "There are ALWAYS better places to rob". Robbery is frequently just based on opportunity, not well thought out planning.
~
THE BURIED LIFE is not horrible, but it's filled with lapses in logic, analysis and description. The sections with Jane show that the author can write beautifully, and I'll definitely look forward to her next series. This book though is not one I'd recommend to my fastidious, detail oriented reading friends.
--review copy
CHARACTERS
There are two main characters in THE BURIED LIFE: hard-boiled detective Liesl Malone, and laundress, Jane. Malone comes off paper thin and overly familiar. She wears all black, has short blond hair, and is a badass. Jane the laundress, on the other hand, is a wonderful character with a background and friends. She works hard and is diligent. She touches other characters and has motivation. I was invested in her and in her relationships, and it was because of my interest in her that I finished the book.
WORLD-BUILDING
There really isn't much. Other than a description of the Municipals (police force) black, jack-booted wardrobe there isn't a lot of description. Mentions of living underground, mentions of stone, lighting, and desks. I haven't a clue what Jane or the rich wore on a daily basis. It's left up to the readers' imagination. They have elevators and yet still use quills.
THE STORY
THE BURIED LIFE is a murder-mystery set in a post-apoc setting. It's not clear what caused the disaster, although there is one hint in the last pages. In a murder mystery which revolves around politics it's important that peoples' motivations are well reasoned. While the criminals motivations ARE entirely reasonable in this book, what isn't is the reaction of the police force, including our hard-boiled detective. They appear to be shocked that other people could be mean and even brutal. Is there anything a politician would do that would shock you?
LOGIC
Maybe I watched too much DRAGNET as a kid, but some of the logic in this book eluded me. Let me give you an example. They find a body and immediately conclude that something was stolen. Odd enough, but the response to that conclusion was that no there probably wasn't anything stolen 'because there were better places to rob'.
Well, I don't know about you but the first thing that popped into my head was that "There are ALWAYS better places to rob". Robbery is frequently just based on opportunity, not well thought out planning.
~
THE BURIED LIFE is not horrible, but it's filled with lapses in logic, analysis and description. The sections with Jane show that the author can write beautifully, and I'll definitely look forward to her next series. This book though is not one I'd recommend to my fastidious, detail oriented reading friends.
--review copy
July 23, 2014
Review copy
The Buried Life is an enjoyable first novel by Carrie Patel. Set in a future where many have chosen to live below the Earth's surface. The fictional city of Recoletta, like all modern cities, had been constructed around the two values that society prized most, security and privacy.
It's important to note, most historical records were destroyed in the period immediately following The Catastrophe and any that did survive are severely restricted as to who can access them.
The story begins with the murder of Professor Werner Thomas Cahill, a historian working on a secret project...Prometheus.
Investigating the murder, are Inspector Liesl Malone and her new assistant, Inspector Randolph Sundar. There's a nice relationship that builds between these two characters and the author is skillful in dialog that rings true and is comfortable to read..
Soon after a second murder, that of Mr. Lanning Fitzhugh, a master Architect of the city, the Inspectors are forbidden by the city's council from investigating the case any further. However, the Municipal Police and the Council don't exactly get along and at this point the Inspectors have come to far to let it go.
In addition to the police, there is also a laundry-woman and her reporter friend who become deeply involved in the mystery.
The Buried Life is actually well written and there is a pretty good story here, but in many ways, the writer has merely scratched the surface. There is so much I found myself wanting to know about the back-story that just wasn't revealed. What was The Catastrophe? Why is this town underground? Why is knowledge of the past denied to those living in the present?
The Buried Life will be available in print and e-book formats from the usual online retailers on July 29,2014 and is published by Angry Robot Books.
The Buried Life is an enjoyable first novel by Carrie Patel. Set in a future where many have chosen to live below the Earth's surface. The fictional city of Recoletta, like all modern cities, had been constructed around the two values that society prized most, security and privacy.
It's important to note, most historical records were destroyed in the period immediately following The Catastrophe and any that did survive are severely restricted as to who can access them.
The story begins with the murder of Professor Werner Thomas Cahill, a historian working on a secret project...Prometheus.
Investigating the murder, are Inspector Liesl Malone and her new assistant, Inspector Randolph Sundar. There's a nice relationship that builds between these two characters and the author is skillful in dialog that rings true and is comfortable to read..
Soon after a second murder, that of Mr. Lanning Fitzhugh, a master Architect of the city, the Inspectors are forbidden by the city's council from investigating the case any further. However, the Municipal Police and the Council don't exactly get along and at this point the Inspectors have come to far to let it go.
In addition to the police, there is also a laundry-woman and her reporter friend who become deeply involved in the mystery.
The Buried Life is actually well written and there is a pretty good story here, but in many ways, the writer has merely scratched the surface. There is so much I found myself wanting to know about the back-story that just wasn't revealed. What was The Catastrophe? Why is this town underground? Why is knowledge of the past denied to those living in the present?
The Buried Life will be available in print and e-book formats from the usual online retailers on July 29,2014 and is published by Angry Robot Books.
February 18, 2016
TL;DR Review:
3 stars. A for effort, my friend.
Long Review:
Hundreds of years ago, something happened that changed the course of humanity. An event, the Cataclysm, that isn’t talked about has driven humanity underground. They’ve regressed to a more Victorian style setting where modern technology no longer exists. History prior to the event has either been destroyed or is closely guarded by one of its directorates. People have become intensely private and secretive about their affairs. This story takes place in one such city called Recoletta.
The Buried Life introduces us to Inspector Liesl Malone and Inspector Rafe Sundar. Malone is a wizened inspector who has spent many years working on the force, and Rafe is her wide-eyed new partner. Among the most secretive of inhabitants are the “whitenails,” Recoletta’s crème de la crème. They are the aristocrats called white nails because they keep their nails clean and trimmed. However, when the murder of two whitenails fall on Malone and Sundar to investigate, they’re thrust in a guarded world where they’re regarded with suspicion and stonewalled. They’re given little recourse because the whitenails are held to a different standard than the ordinary citizens.
Admittedly, I went into this book expecting something a little dark. Instead, I was greeted with a fast-paced, light whodunit. I appreciated that the book didn’t spend much time with Malone giving Sundar all kinds of hell because he was a rookie. Sundar, a former actor turned inspector, brings a charm to Malone’s veteran investigation skills. He’s the sugar to her spice, and they work extremely well together, complementing each other’s weaknesses and strengths. Malone doesn’t spend half the book trying to discredit Sundar as many protagonists usually do with their rookie partners. Malone is about business, and she’s not going to quibble over something as working with a rookie as long as he keeps up. Also, I thought it was a piece of writing ingenuity that Sundar used to be an actor and Patel uses his background to help them along in their investigation.
Another major player is Jane Lin, a laundress for the rich, who finds herself a sort of witness for the second murder. She’s suddenly pushed into this world of opulence that is miles away from her own simple life. I never really reconciled with Jane in this book, even if the book did try to give Jane a role that was part of the bigger picture. I liked the character on her own merits and the freshness she brought to whitenails world, but her parts always felt so out of place to me. And she was a bit too doe-eyed for me sometimes in the context of the story and surroundings. I did feel she gelled better as the story went on, but I still have varied feelings about Jane’s role in this story, even though I did like the character.
The beginning of this book is a little slow, so if you’re one of those people who have a rule where you stop reading if things don’t get better by page 50, I do implore you to at least give it until about page 100 (maybe a little before) where things start to pick up significantly as threads begin to show themselves and you start seeing the characters in their elements more. After that, it becomes an incredibly fast read. The pages just seemed to fly by once I got out of that beginning. I wanted to know what happened. I had to know who did it and why they did it. Once Patel found her steam, her writing gripped me.
However, while Patel is a great writer, she spends almost no time using that skill on anything but the characters. I love characters, but part of what makes me love characters is their surroundings, the places they live, how they’ve been shaped by these things, how they interact with their world. There is almost no focus here on the setting or what happened to drive people to live underground. This was a world begging to be explored in prose.
While I don’t mind that the catastrophe isn’t defined and serves as a vague warning/fear in the back of the characters’ minds, I was a little disappointed that the setting wasn’t described a bit more. We have humans living underground, creating their atmosphere with gaslights. However, this place could look like Neverland for all we know with so little description of Recoletta. Couple that with the fact that people still go to the surface to do things like farm and sunlight is filtered into the city by skylights. There’s also some indication that some of their buildings may be, at least, partially on the surface. However, no one wants to live on the surface. At least, no one that lives underground. Yep, there are surface dwellers, though, who seem to live in hippie communes. It can leave a reader feeling a bit frustrated knowing these things and having no explanation for them.
While briefly glancing at some reviews to get a general feel of what people thought about the book, I encountered this question often: “How do you have a steampunk novel with little to no steampunk?” Simple, because it’s a gaslamp/gaslight novel, which can be housed with steampunk. However, it doesn’t usually include the bells and whistles that come with steampunk or go into the industrial science of the setting. There are some steampunk elements here, but mostly, it’s just gaslamp. If you’re looking to add more hardcore steampunk to your read list, this isn’t it, but if you don’t mind gaslamp with some steampunk elements, you may enjoy this book.
This was a mostly solid debut by Patel. It interested me enough that I want to read the next book, which I have right now to review. The ending definitely leaves the next book open for some terrific things to happen.
3 stars. A for effort, my friend.
Long Review:
Hundreds of years ago, something happened that changed the course of humanity. An event, the Cataclysm, that isn’t talked about has driven humanity underground. They’ve regressed to a more Victorian style setting where modern technology no longer exists. History prior to the event has either been destroyed or is closely guarded by one of its directorates. People have become intensely private and secretive about their affairs. This story takes place in one such city called Recoletta.
The Buried Life introduces us to Inspector Liesl Malone and Inspector Rafe Sundar. Malone is a wizened inspector who has spent many years working on the force, and Rafe is her wide-eyed new partner. Among the most secretive of inhabitants are the “whitenails,” Recoletta’s crème de la crème. They are the aristocrats called white nails because they keep their nails clean and trimmed. However, when the murder of two whitenails fall on Malone and Sundar to investigate, they’re thrust in a guarded world where they’re regarded with suspicion and stonewalled. They’re given little recourse because the whitenails are held to a different standard than the ordinary citizens.
Admittedly, I went into this book expecting something a little dark. Instead, I was greeted with a fast-paced, light whodunit. I appreciated that the book didn’t spend much time with Malone giving Sundar all kinds of hell because he was a rookie. Sundar, a former actor turned inspector, brings a charm to Malone’s veteran investigation skills. He’s the sugar to her spice, and they work extremely well together, complementing each other’s weaknesses and strengths. Malone doesn’t spend half the book trying to discredit Sundar as many protagonists usually do with their rookie partners. Malone is about business, and she’s not going to quibble over something as working with a rookie as long as he keeps up. Also, I thought it was a piece of writing ingenuity that Sundar used to be an actor and Patel uses his background to help them along in their investigation.
Another major player is Jane Lin, a laundress for the rich, who finds herself a sort of witness for the second murder. She’s suddenly pushed into this world of opulence that is miles away from her own simple life. I never really reconciled with Jane in this book, even if the book did try to give Jane a role that was part of the bigger picture. I liked the character on her own merits and the freshness she brought to whitenails world, but her parts always felt so out of place to me. And she was a bit too doe-eyed for me sometimes in the context of the story and surroundings. I did feel she gelled better as the story went on, but I still have varied feelings about Jane’s role in this story, even though I did like the character.
The beginning of this book is a little slow, so if you’re one of those people who have a rule where you stop reading if things don’t get better by page 50, I do implore you to at least give it until about page 100 (maybe a little before) where things start to pick up significantly as threads begin to show themselves and you start seeing the characters in their elements more. After that, it becomes an incredibly fast read. The pages just seemed to fly by once I got out of that beginning. I wanted to know what happened. I had to know who did it and why they did it. Once Patel found her steam, her writing gripped me.
However, while Patel is a great writer, she spends almost no time using that skill on anything but the characters. I love characters, but part of what makes me love characters is their surroundings, the places they live, how they’ve been shaped by these things, how they interact with their world. There is almost no focus here on the setting or what happened to drive people to live underground. This was a world begging to be explored in prose.
While I don’t mind that the catastrophe isn’t defined and serves as a vague warning/fear in the back of the characters’ minds, I was a little disappointed that the setting wasn’t described a bit more. We have humans living underground, creating their atmosphere with gaslights. However, this place could look like Neverland for all we know with so little description of Recoletta. Couple that with the fact that people still go to the surface to do things like farm and sunlight is filtered into the city by skylights. There’s also some indication that some of their buildings may be, at least, partially on the surface. However, no one wants to live on the surface. At least, no one that lives underground. Yep, there are surface dwellers, though, who seem to live in hippie communes. It can leave a reader feeling a bit frustrated knowing these things and having no explanation for them.
While briefly glancing at some reviews to get a general feel of what people thought about the book, I encountered this question often: “How do you have a steampunk novel with little to no steampunk?” Simple, because it’s a gaslamp/gaslight novel, which can be housed with steampunk. However, it doesn’t usually include the bells and whistles that come with steampunk or go into the industrial science of the setting. There are some steampunk elements here, but mostly, it’s just gaslamp. If you’re looking to add more hardcore steampunk to your read list, this isn’t it, but if you don’t mind gaslamp with some steampunk elements, you may enjoy this book.
This was a mostly solid debut by Patel. It interested me enough that I want to read the next book, which I have right now to review. The ending definitely leaves the next book open for some terrific things to happen.
July 16, 2017
2.5 stars
It took me a while to get into the book. I found it dense. But when all the characters (and there are a lot) were defined and I kept track of them, I could enjoy the murder-mystery story.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a while to get into the book. I found it dense. But when all the characters (and there are a lot) were defined and I kept track of them, I could enjoy the murder-mystery story.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
May 6, 2014
The Buried Life is an interesting blend of steampunk and mystery, set in a post-apocalypse world. It's a combination of elements that really works for me, and the serial murders that masked an even greater mystery kept me riveted throughout most of the book. Yes, most of the book, and therein lies the problem: By the final third, it becomes quite obvious that there are a few issues here and there with the characterization, the realization of the mystery and the world-building that had snowballed by the end and kept me from feeling 100% satisfied with the result.
The underground world that we were introduced to at the outset was quite intriguing. We are told that a 'Catastrophe' occurred (although exactly what this Catastrophe involved is only hinted at towards the end), people fled underground and expanded their shelters into palaces carved out of rock. There's a marked divide between the upper echelons of society at the Vineyard and the poor living in the dirty, gritty and narrow streets of the factory areas. It's vividly described and caught my interest from the start, but I couldn't help but notice as the story progressed that I could have used some more knowledge of this place beyond the basic. It's populated by the Municipals (police), academics, councilors, the poorer working class... but aside from their jobs and the explained difference in status, we are told very little. We also have a curious mix of older and newer technology. Not finding out whether this is even a separate fantasy setting or a type of alternate history setting with links to our world until the end of the book left too much to the imagination.
The murder mystery at the center of the conflict is just the type of complication that I love in these stories. The novel opens with a darkly suggestive conversation between a council member and a historian... and that historian is soon found dead. He is followed by body after body, and they are all high-ranking people who reside in the Vineyard, but it isn't until a councilor is killed that the case takes a turn for the serious - killing a councilor is a taboo to end all taboos. Following the twists and turns of the case is just the sort of thing for murder mystery aficionados like me, but what becomes apparent towards the latter half of the book is that the "clues" that Malone and Sundar uncover throughout the story... aren't actually that useful. One after another, these clues:
1. Lead to dead ends because neither Malone nor Sundar have the clout to counter the powerful people who are behind the crimes committed in order to find out something substantial
2. Lead our detectives to something supposedly fruitful, but the reader is not privy to their thought processes and thus do not know the details
3. Reveal very minute details that barely shed much light on the conspiracy at hand
By the last third of the book, it was hard not to lose track of why Malone and Sundar were even bothering to chase down any particular leads. All the breaking into restricted buildings, masquerading as people they were not in order to gain access to records, etc. - none of it seemed to produce any fruitful results. Their process of investigation hardly described the experienced detectives that they were supposed to be. In fact, the only useful clues came from laundress Jane Lin, their contact in the Vineyard.
And that leads me to the main characters of The Buried Life. Despite what the synopsis describes, we have dual heroines: Inspector Liesl Malone and Jane Lin, the softly-spoken laundress with a will of iron who works for the rich who populate the Vineyard. The expectations that I had built from the synopsis was perhaps the first mistake when I came into this novel; I fully expected Malone to be the main character, and it didn't help that we began the story with a high-speed chase scene as she pursued a criminal in the factory backstreets on foot, toting a gun. She's AWESOME, and I was instantly hooked. What is she like as a person? What past secrets does she keep? Unfortunately, I realized that we wouldn't be finding out by the time I reached the last third - outside of her at work, which tells us nothing more beyond that she has no people skills and she's quietly badass with a tendency to break the rules, we know nothing. Instead, we spend more than half of the book following Jane. I confess that I found Jane far less interesting despite how much better we got to know her, her friends, her romantic interest and background. Perhaps if my expectations hadn't been so misdirected from the outset, I might have enjoyed Jane's story more, but as it is...
All in all, I enjoyed much of The Buried Life, but it lost me towards the end as events became increasingly confused and earlier expectations were dashed. I'll be checking out the second book of this series regardless to find out what happened to Malone and Jane after the momentous events at the end of this installment.
I received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Angry Robot!
The underground world that we were introduced to at the outset was quite intriguing. We are told that a 'Catastrophe' occurred (although exactly what this Catastrophe involved is only hinted at towards the end), people fled underground and expanded their shelters into palaces carved out of rock. There's a marked divide between the upper echelons of society at the Vineyard and the poor living in the dirty, gritty and narrow streets of the factory areas. It's vividly described and caught my interest from the start, but I couldn't help but notice as the story progressed that I could have used some more knowledge of this place beyond the basic. It's populated by the Municipals (police), academics, councilors, the poorer working class... but aside from their jobs and the explained difference in status, we are told very little. We also have a curious mix of older and newer technology. Not finding out whether this is even a separate fantasy setting or a type of alternate history setting with links to our world until the end of the book left too much to the imagination.
The murder mystery at the center of the conflict is just the type of complication that I love in these stories. The novel opens with a darkly suggestive conversation between a council member and a historian... and that historian is soon found dead. He is followed by body after body, and they are all high-ranking people who reside in the Vineyard, but it isn't until a councilor is killed that the case takes a turn for the serious - killing a councilor is a taboo to end all taboos. Following the twists and turns of the case is just the sort of thing for murder mystery aficionados like me, but what becomes apparent towards the latter half of the book is that the "clues" that Malone and Sundar uncover throughout the story... aren't actually that useful. One after another, these clues:
1. Lead to dead ends because neither Malone nor Sundar have the clout to counter the powerful people who are behind the crimes committed in order to find out something substantial
2. Lead our detectives to something supposedly fruitful, but the reader is not privy to their thought processes and thus do not know the details
3. Reveal very minute details that barely shed much light on the conspiracy at hand
By the last third of the book, it was hard not to lose track of why Malone and Sundar were even bothering to chase down any particular leads. All the breaking into restricted buildings, masquerading as people they were not in order to gain access to records, etc. - none of it seemed to produce any fruitful results. Their process of investigation hardly described the experienced detectives that they were supposed to be. In fact, the only useful clues came from laundress Jane Lin, their contact in the Vineyard.
And that leads me to the main characters of The Buried Life. Despite what the synopsis describes, we have dual heroines: Inspector Liesl Malone and Jane Lin, the softly-spoken laundress with a will of iron who works for the rich who populate the Vineyard. The expectations that I had built from the synopsis was perhaps the first mistake when I came into this novel; I fully expected Malone to be the main character, and it didn't help that we began the story with a high-speed chase scene as she pursued a criminal in the factory backstreets on foot, toting a gun. She's AWESOME, and I was instantly hooked. What is she like as a person? What past secrets does she keep? Unfortunately, I realized that we wouldn't be finding out by the time I reached the last third - outside of her at work, which tells us nothing more beyond that she has no people skills and she's quietly badass with a tendency to break the rules, we know nothing. Instead, we spend more than half of the book following Jane. I confess that I found Jane far less interesting despite how much better we got to know her, her friends, her romantic interest and background. Perhaps if my expectations hadn't been so misdirected from the outset, I might have enjoyed Jane's story more, but as it is...
All in all, I enjoyed much of The Buried Life, but it lost me towards the end as events became increasingly confused and earlier expectations were dashed. I'll be checking out the second book of this series regardless to find out what happened to Malone and Jane after the momentous events at the end of this installment.
I received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Angry Robot!
August 17, 2014
***Review Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy***
In a future where bureaucracy and totalitarianism have supplanted capitalism as our national language, the city of Recoletta’s own police force has a hard time getting permission to do its job. In Carrie Patel’s THE BURIED LIFE everything is compartmentalized and strictly need-to-know, which makes solving a series of murders amongst the elite very difficult. Not that that would stop a couple of investigators looking for the truth.
Recoletta is predominantly built underground, though with Patel’s references to ‘surface streets’ I sometimes had a hard time picturing the city. I thought Patel did an excellent job using description to fill in exposition at the start, and fortunately, the mystery captured me early on, thanks in part to Inspector Rafe Sundar, a charming thespian-turned-cop with a remarkable aptitude for improv. More actors should become real detectives. His people skills and enthusiasm make him the perfect partner for the world-weary, strong-willed Liesl Malone, and I only wish we got a chance to see more of their teamwork.
Though the narrative spends most of its time on the wealthier side of Recoletta, it’s explored through the eyes of outsiders to that world of privilege – including a laundress who is well-acquainted with dirty laundry. Jane Lin, the other star of this book, stumbles over one of the crime scenes on her route, and turns out to have an uncanny knack for ferreting out information. Though she seems timid and innocent at the start, she has a spine of steel, and puts her strong mind to good use in investigating the rash of murders that are killing her clients. Her instincts are slightly compromised by the attentions of Roman Arnault, a ‘consultant’ for the Powers That Be, but Patel did a pretty good job of meeting, then subverting, then reverting my expectations with his character. Ultimately I was satisfied that their relationship was as complicated as it seemed.
Though the resolution comes on a little fast, with elements that strike me as an almost superfluous B-story, the ending of THE BURIED LIFE is satisfying, so that if this were the only book about Recoletta, I wouldn’t feel cheated. Fortunately, it’s not the last we’ll hear of Inspector Malone or Roman Arnault, and I look forward to finding out what comes next.
In a future where bureaucracy and totalitarianism have supplanted capitalism as our national language, the city of Recoletta’s own police force has a hard time getting permission to do its job. In Carrie Patel’s THE BURIED LIFE everything is compartmentalized and strictly need-to-know, which makes solving a series of murders amongst the elite very difficult. Not that that would stop a couple of investigators looking for the truth.
Recoletta is predominantly built underground, though with Patel’s references to ‘surface streets’ I sometimes had a hard time picturing the city. I thought Patel did an excellent job using description to fill in exposition at the start, and fortunately, the mystery captured me early on, thanks in part to Inspector Rafe Sundar, a charming thespian-turned-cop with a remarkable aptitude for improv. More actors should become real detectives. His people skills and enthusiasm make him the perfect partner for the world-weary, strong-willed Liesl Malone, and I only wish we got a chance to see more of their teamwork.
Though the narrative spends most of its time on the wealthier side of Recoletta, it’s explored through the eyes of outsiders to that world of privilege – including a laundress who is well-acquainted with dirty laundry. Jane Lin, the other star of this book, stumbles over one of the crime scenes on her route, and turns out to have an uncanny knack for ferreting out information. Though she seems timid and innocent at the start, she has a spine of steel, and puts her strong mind to good use in investigating the rash of murders that are killing her clients. Her instincts are slightly compromised by the attentions of Roman Arnault, a ‘consultant’ for the Powers That Be, but Patel did a pretty good job of meeting, then subverting, then reverting my expectations with his character. Ultimately I was satisfied that their relationship was as complicated as it seemed.
Though the resolution comes on a little fast, with elements that strike me as an almost superfluous B-story, the ending of THE BURIED LIFE is satisfying, so that if this were the only book about Recoletta, I wouldn’t feel cheated. Fortunately, it’s not the last we’ll hear of Inspector Malone or Roman Arnault, and I look forward to finding out what comes next.
September 6, 2016
This novel has some fantastic ideas, but unfortunately its overall execution is lacking. I had been excited to read this, intrigued by the setting which I expected to be a kind of steampunk/gaslight/post-ap dystopia. Which it is, but not a very good one.
I would put it like this: it's quite difficult to see the forest for the trees. The world-building is not very good, for we get many little details focusing on the wrong things. Just bits and pieces rather than a complete picture or atmosphere. (This may be intentional, in the service of keeping a 'Big Reveal' secret until near the end, but it's not that big of a reveal and it also falls apart upon further analysis.)
Patel also tries to depict a complex society at the expense of characterization or tight plotting. There are inconsistent personalities and overwrought descriptions of facial expressions in lieu of real character development.
By the time the murder mystery is solved, I had long since stopped caring very much about it. Or anything else.
Although the official description suggests a kind of procedural thriller set in the underground city of Recoletta, starring "Inspector Liesl Malone ... and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar" (my favorite character, if I could be said to have one), the POV switches between Malone -- whom we still barely know by the end -- and laundress Jane Lin, and this is really more Jane's story than Malone's. Her inner life, history, and personality are far more on display. (It's cool that both main POV's are women though :)
This is not a terrible book, but it's not a good one either. It's clearly a first novel, though, and the author certainly has imagination and potential.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
I would put it like this: it's quite difficult to see the forest for the trees. The world-building is not very good, for we get many little details focusing on the wrong things. Just bits and pieces rather than a complete picture or atmosphere. (This may be intentional, in the service of keeping a 'Big Reveal' secret until near the end, but it's not that big of a reveal and it also falls apart upon further analysis.)
Patel also tries to depict a complex society at the expense of characterization or tight plotting. There are inconsistent personalities and overwrought descriptions of facial expressions in lieu of real character development.
By the time the murder mystery is solved, I had long since stopped caring very much about it. Or anything else.
Although the official description suggests a kind of procedural thriller set in the underground city of Recoletta, starring "Inspector Liesl Malone ... and her rookie partner Rafe Sundar" (my favorite character, if I could be said to have one), the POV switches between Malone -- whom we still barely know by the end -- and laundress Jane Lin, and this is really more Jane's story than Malone's. Her inner life, history, and personality are far more on display. (It's cool that both main POV's are women though :)
This is not a terrible book, but it's not a good one either. It's clearly a first novel, though, and the author certainly has imagination and potential.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
September 28, 2016
I wish I had some of what Beth Cato was on when she called this "a gripping read from start to finish." At no point at the start, finish, or in between was I gripped. This novel is so bland that you could throw a load of hot chilies on it and it would still be bland. It is a Victorianesque mystery (not fantasy as labelled on the cover) concerning the murders of some upper-echelon folk, while the detectives trying to investigate are blocked by the people they are trying to protect. There is also a canny maid who gets mixed up in the intrigue. I use that term loosely and in its noun form as there is nothing intriguing about the story. The characters have no character. Nothing is developed or explained in an adequate or interesting way. Then there are things that the author seemed to put in to try to make her story more interesting or different, but are completely arbitrary and irrelevant--for example, having society living underground. The story takes place after an undefined cataclysm, but some people do live above ground; there's no indication that there's anything wrong with the surface. So...why? The best I can say about this book is that the actual prose is competent. It would probably get high marks as an English class assignment, but I don't know how it got published. You could generously call it a cozy, but it was far too cozy for me.
August 17, 2014
Carrie Patel’s The Buried Life is one of those amiable novels that you keep reading because, well, you picked it up, and if this bit here feels a bit clunky, and that bit there even more so, and sure, that’s a little implausible, and yes, wouldn’t it be nice if the prose were livelier, the world richer, but it’s, you know, nice enough, and maybe it’ll get better than nice — sharper, or edgier, or “grabbier” — but no, it stays nice all the way through. And there of course isn’t anything wrong with nice. Nice is good. Nice is nice. But it’s hard to get excited about nice.
The setting is post-unknown-cataclysm, a long time post, when most folks reside in large underground cities. The surface world is still there, and looking pretty good actually (this is no Wool.... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The setting is post-unknown-cataclysm, a long time post, when most folks reside in large underground cities. The surface world is still there, and looking pretty good actually (this is no Wool.... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
October 28, 2015
"Patel is etching out traces of our own civilization from a future perspective, a cultural excavator carving out the recesses, digging up fossils that reveal both the geography of a collapsed United States as well as the intellectual debris of censorship."
http://www.examiner.com/article/5-fan...
http://www.examiner.com/article/5-fan...
Want to read
August 6, 20156 August 2015: $1.99 on Kindle
Read
August 2, 2014I tried to get into this book on numerous occasions and while I don't have any problem with the writing, it's just not for me.
Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for a review copy of this book.
Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for a review copy of this book.
to-read-own
January 27, 20168/6/15 Kindle Daily Deal $1.99
August 8, 2019
This story ultimately didn't grab me, but this was clearly well-written. Carrie Patel has a strong grasp on fully-formed, realistic characters.
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