Customer Reviews

Blackening Song: An Ella Clah Novel

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I read a lot of mysteries, including Hillerman, Michael McGarrity, James Doss, James Burke, but I could not finish Blackening Song. The plot was episodic, with events unrelated to each other and no rising arc of development. Characters' motivations were unconvincing and the characters seemed to undergo sudden and inexplicable personality changes. Dialogue was wooden, with Clah frequently asserting that her "special training" made her superior to others. Who talks like that? Clah also ricochets between trusting some characters and suspecting everyone, which was confusing. I've lived close to the Rez and did not find the authors'presentation of the area or culture convincing. You can pass on this one and wait for Hillerman or McGarrity's next book.

By the time I finished this overly long (382 pages) mystery, I was thoroughly irritated with the authors for their unfortunate bait-and-switch approach. The Thurlos start off with a potentially interesting main character, FBI agent Navajo Ella Clah, in the naturally attractive Southwest setting. All too soon, however, the nasty, lurid plot repeatedly lurches unevenly between violent physical confrontations and Ella's immature interior monologues -- with timeouts for her brother's allegedly tradition medicine protective rituals. In addition, as another reviewer has noted, the dialogue too often is unnatural, even donwright unlikely. Even more unfortunate is the sensational presentation of the darker aspects of some traditional Navajo beliefs.

Fortunately, mystery enthusiasts and fans of the Southwest can read one or all of Tony Hillerman's better crafted and much more culturally accurate novels! Happily he never victimizes nor insults the Dineh.

I was looking for a Hillerman-type book and I found it. This was a great book!! It only took me about 3 days to read because I couldn't put it down. This complements/competes very well with Hillerman's style. Loved it! Watch out Tony! :)

A murder mystery set on the Navajo rez, Blackening Song reads like a Tony Hillerman novel, but Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn are nowhere to be found. Ellah Clah is the protagonist in this fast-paced and engaging story. As with all good mysteries, the last hundred pages or so must be read in one sitting. Though perhaps not as well written or complex as some of Hillerman's better works, Blackening Song was certainly a satisfying read. Indeed, so satisfying, that I'm planning on reading the other books in this series - to help tide me over until Tony's next one.

By the time the book got to the terrible evil lurking in the proposed school yard, I thought that we had been transported to Sunnyvale High. Tony Hillerman should feel insulted to have this book compared to his; they are a world apart. Don't waste your time or money - I wish I hadn't.

The Thurlos got their start writing romances for lines such as Second Chance at Love and Harlequin Intrigue. It shows in this first book in this series. For instance there is the recently widowed mother who keeps making coy attempts at matchmaking her daughter(didn't realize matchmaking was one of the stages of grief); the FBI agent with an anger control problem who could have doubled as a Harlequin alpha jerk hero-- oh, but he must have some redeeming qualities, he likes children; and the all round good guy old high school flame who everyone but the heroine seems to realize lusts after her.

The action scenes are also clumsy. My favorite was the scene where Ella is driving a pickup truck (I lost track of the number of pickup trucks that were destroyed in the making of this story), there is a slavering, biting coyote head stuck through the back window. She draws her gun from a (waist?) holster and shoots it between the eyes without out even going into a ditch. Then she shoots one off the hood through the windshield. I would think it would be better for her ability to see had she slammed on the brakes or hit the accelerator instead. Physically improbable as these actions are, it is still preferable to the fact that Ella tends to need to be rescued at most other points in the book.

She does, however, have the Nancy Drew like quality of stumbling on just the place where the bad guys are having a palaver at just the time to hear what she needs to hear to advance the plot.

All in all, I cannot see any reason to compare this book to Tony Hillerman. I will admit though that there are a couple of effective scary moments-- immediately spoiled by Ella's shrill insistance there is no supernatural agents involved. If I was Navaho I might also be offended by the scene where a ritual singer is shot and the whole crowd rushes for their cars without even checking to make sure first aid isn't needed.

A little slow and ploding. I'm anxious to read Death Walker to see if it is a little better. I have read so much Tony Hillerman that I might be spoild. I picked up on the one causing the trouble pretty quick. It was interesting reading and since I bought three of there novels I'll get a better idea of there style.

I enjoyed the book very much. This is the first in a series about a
Navajo woman, Ella Clah who left the reservation to become an FBI agent. She returns
to the Rez when she learns her father has been murdered and her brother, a medicine man is accused of the murder and is in hiding. Ella runs into
obstacles and distrust from both local law enforcement and her tribesmen.
Very well written and lets you experience life on the Navajo Reservation.

I bought this book because I wanted to learn about Native American customs and practices in a novel format vs. a reference type book. While it did give me some insight into Navajo culture, the book is written at about the 3rd grade level. It was mildly entertaining if you want a no-brainer type of book. But if you want something you can really sink your teeth into, this isn't it. The characters lack depth and the plot is hokey. I wouldn't recommend this book.

This a fine start to the series. Each volume can stand alone, but it's a good idea to read them in order, if possible.