Book Review: Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield

Set in Victorian times, Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield tells the story of William Black and how he ultimately pays the price for killing a rook when he was just a boy. The rook that was killed was an ancestor of Thought and Memory, the rooks of the god, Odin. William pays for his crimes through the loss of family and friends but strikes a deal for the survival of his daughter.He believes this deal is the construction of Bellman and Black Mourning Goods Store. It is later, he learns this is not the case.

At first, I was not aware the story was set in Victorian times. It was not until about 1/3 into it, that may have been a mistake on my part but it was easily overcome. About half way of the book, I correctly predicted the ending of the booking, which was disappointing. I was hoping that with every turn of the page, I would encounter the twist and turns of Setterfield's previous work, The  Thirteenth Tale. However, this never happened, which left me disappointed.

Without taking the thrilling The Thirteenth Tale into account, Bellman and Black did provide an entertaining tale full of history, culture, and mystery. If you are a Setterfield fan, I would recommend this book. However, I feel that she was pressured to write something so quickly after her best seller, The Thirteenth Tale.The book did seem rushed but still well put together. For those who are thinking about reading her work for the first time, I suggest reading Bellman and Black first then The Thirteenth Tale. Overall, I will look forward to Setterfield's next work, but with trepidation.