I received my digital copies (Kindle and audiobook) of The Running Grave on Tuesday morning, and started reading through as fast as I could, eager to get to the story. I finished reading late on Thursday. Except perhaps out of a care to avoid recency bias, I would say that it is my favorite Strike book yet. It is brilliantly complex in plotting, its structural and motivic ties to the other books are well constructed and deeply fun to find, and Rowling has surpassed herself in the depth of depiction of her characters. I was also interested in seeing how various theories of mine were stacking up to our large new data-set. I will begin with my favorite new piece of parallel series connection, the degree to which Rowling made sure that there was a parallel to the “Tale of the Three Brothers” as centerpiece of
Bravo! Your identification of the connection to the Tree Brother’s via the Pardoner’s Tale brilliant. What fun this is! Thank you so much, and I am certain Robin would love your beard.
Evan, I was so intrigued by your comparison of the UHC to the Pythagoreans, hiding the truth about irrational numbers in a pentagram. The irony of such rational thinkers being irrational about irrational numbers is rich. I also appreciate your likeness of the Pardoner in the Canterbury tales to Jonathan Wace, both itinerant swindlers.
As to Mercury Markers I'm wondering about a couple possibilities, that I only noticed after I finished my first read. I seem to remember these markers were often right before, but could they also be during or right after an encounter with a villain? I say "a villain" because there's clearly more than one. Strike has to travel to his first interview with Abigail, and travelers and traveling is a hermetic aspect. Then their interview is interrupted by Baz, a name which can mean bird of prey or hawk, and hawks are one of Hermes' spirit animals. Back at the office Strike's study of that interview is also interrupted by a raven who crashes into his window. Ravens are talking birds often associated with the dead and acting as a psychopomp in stories. I could be completely off-base but I've been fascinated by the idea of Mercury markers for a while now.
Finally your parallel of Dobby's and Charlotte's deaths, especially the purifying of purpose our heroes experience in their grieving, is very poignant. I was struck by the poetic aspect of Strike's reverie at the church beginning and ending with "still."
Oh and how many ways can Strike's first name be messed up? When Sheila referred to Robin's partner as "Condoman" I laughed out loud!
A low level Mercury Marker, but I was struck by a number of people hidden from sight early on in the book - Sheila Kennett's neighbour, Niamh Doherty's husband and her married name, and someone else in the background when Ava Reaney was in the phone to Strike.
Great review! Hadn't thought of Three Brothers comparison, so definitely appreciate that connection.
FYI Toy Boy case involved an acquaintance of Charlotte asking the agency to investigate his mother's new boyfriend who he thinks is bleeding her dry. In Chapter 59, Strike is spying on them at Jean-Gorges when the Patterson operative tries to identify/embarrass him. Unfortunately I can't quite place where they pick the case up earlier in the book.
I have been fascinated by your “Mercury Marker” hypothesis since you first suggested it and I think I might have found the mark in “The Running Grave”. When Strike first meets Abigail Glover at The Forester she is described as a tall, striking woman wearing a Lycra top and leggings. She is good looking with dark blue eyes, pale flawless skin and grey hair tied back in a ponytail. Not quite the Harley Quinn Halloween costume but pretty close.
Bravo! Your identification of the connection to the Tree Brother’s via the Pardoner’s Tale brilliant. What fun this is! Thank you so much, and I am certain Robin would love your beard.
Evan, I was so intrigued by your comparison of the UHC to the Pythagoreans, hiding the truth about irrational numbers in a pentagram. The irony of such rational thinkers being irrational about irrational numbers is rich. I also appreciate your likeness of the Pardoner in the Canterbury tales to Jonathan Wace, both itinerant swindlers.
As to Mercury Markers I'm wondering about a couple possibilities, that I only noticed after I finished my first read. I seem to remember these markers were often right before, but could they also be during or right after an encounter with a villain? I say "a villain" because there's clearly more than one. Strike has to travel to his first interview with Abigail, and travelers and traveling is a hermetic aspect. Then their interview is interrupted by Baz, a name which can mean bird of prey or hawk, and hawks are one of Hermes' spirit animals. Back at the office Strike's study of that interview is also interrupted by a raven who crashes into his window. Ravens are talking birds often associated with the dead and acting as a psychopomp in stories. I could be completely off-base but I've been fascinated by the idea of Mercury markers for a while now.
Finally your parallel of Dobby's and Charlotte's deaths, especially the purifying of purpose our heroes experience in their grieving, is very poignant. I was struck by the poetic aspect of Strike's reverie at the church beginning and ending with "still."
Oh and how many ways can Strike's first name be messed up? When Sheila referred to Robin's partner as "Condoman" I laughed out loud!
A low level Mercury Marker, but I was struck by a number of people hidden from sight early on in the book - Sheila Kennett's neighbour, Niamh Doherty's husband and her married name, and someone else in the background when Ava Reaney was in the phone to Strike.
Great review! Hadn't thought of Three Brothers comparison, so definitely appreciate that connection.
FYI Toy Boy case involved an acquaintance of Charlotte asking the agency to investigate his mother's new boyfriend who he thinks is bleeding her dry. In Chapter 59, Strike is spying on them at Jean-Gorges when the Patterson operative tries to identify/embarrass him. Unfortunately I can't quite place where they pick the case up earlier in the book.
I have been fascinated by your “Mercury Marker” hypothesis since you first suggested it and I think I might have found the mark in “The Running Grave”. When Strike first meets Abigail Glover at The Forester she is described as a tall, striking woman wearing a Lycra top and leggings. She is good looking with dark blue eyes, pale flawless skin and grey hair tied back in a ponytail. Not quite the Harley Quinn Halloween costume but pretty close.
I like it. The parallelism to 5, across Tetractys center at 6, would be excellent, as the Commedia figure was the marker there.