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Dissolution

Author: C. J. Sansom
Category: Book

This item is no longer available

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

61 reviews

Media: Library Binding
Edition: Reprint
Pages: 400

ISBN: 1435290399
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9781435290396
ASIN: 1435290399

Publication Date: May 29, 2008

Also Available In:

•	Paperback - Dissolution
•	Paperback - Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake 1)
•	Hardcover - Dissolution
•	Paperback - Dissolution
•	Paperback - Dissolution
•	Paperback - Dissolution

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Customer Reviews: Read 56 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars

Don't judge a book by its cover - Sadly disappointed August 19, 2008
I was really looking forward to this book being a lover of Crime/Thirllers and Tudor history. I thought this would be right up my street and it seemed to be getting lots of good reviews on Amazon. Story surrounds Shardlake - lawyer and officer of Thomas Cromwell - who is sent to a monastery to investigate a murder. The book looked great and I began it with great excitement but I have to say I found it slow, dull, predictable and very put downable. Has some similarities to Name of the Rose in atmosphere (but obviously not as good) but I won't be reading any more of his.

5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic historical crime novel - totally unmissable August 9, 2008
The weaving of historical detail into a complex storyline is masterful and I found this novel totally compelling. Sansom is expert at evoking the sounds and smells of London in the 1500s, and developing his characters as the story progresses. His use of language is rich and expressive, in some ways reminiscent of Hardy and Dickens, but with great pace and clever crime thriller plot. What really impressed me was the way that the reader's sympathy for the characters portrayed - including Shardlake - wavers and changes through the story, making them much more convincing. I read this straight through, then rushed off to buy Dark Fire.

2 out of 5 stars

Sadly disappointing July 16, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I was beginning to think I was the only person who found this book to be disappointing, after reading all the 5-star reviews on Amazon, and my family telling me I had to read it as it was 'wonderful, terrific' etc. I'm afraid I was disappointed. Firstly, I could not sympathise with ANY of the characters, especially Shardlake. I was disappointed that almost the whole story takes place within the monastery walls, which made me feel quite claustraphobic, longing to get out and see a bit more of the life and politics of the time! Although it seems historically sound and I enjoyed the little gems of information about the reformation and dissolution of the monasteries, and of life in those times, the plot just didn't grab me at all. It just seemed to be a series of one murder after another, happening to people I hadn't been able to symapthise with or identify with hardly at all. By the end I was just skipping whole paragraphs to get to the end and really couldn't have cared less 'whodunnit'. I can't understand how people have given it 5 stars! Uberto Eco's Name of the Rose is far superior...and maybe spoiled me?

5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant book June 20, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

There aren't many books that can hold my attention but this one did. I saw an advertisment for C.J Sansom's book entitled, "Revelation" when I was on a trip to London recently and remarked I fancied reading it to which my mum replied that she already had 3 C.J Sansom books. I started with this, "Dissolution". I was hooked from the start. I really did not want it to end. It's a really enjoyable read and I'm onto my next one now. Apparently there are 4 in the Shardlake series so I've got some reading ahead of me! If you have an interest in history, then this is a really impressive read.

4 out of 5 stars

Excellent stuff June 20, 2008
What an excellent read this was. Gripping from begining to end and left me wanting more from C J Sansom. Well ballanced characters and a believable plot all the way through. As good as it gets for this type of fiction and absolutely worth the read.