Title: The Cuckoo's Calling
Author: Robert Galbraith
Genre: Crime, Mystery
Publisher: Sphere
"When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case.
Strike is a war veteran--wounded both physically and psychologically--and his life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model's complex world, the darker things get and the closer he gets to terrible danger...
A gripping, elegant mystery steeped into the atmosphere of London--from the hushed streets of Mayfair to the backstreet pubs of the East End to the bustle of Soho--The Cuckoo's Calling is a remarkable book. Introducing Cormoran Strike, this is the acclaimed first crime novel by J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith."
From the writer of the phenomenal Harry Potter series that has mesmerized readers around the world comes this first crime novel by J.K. Rowling. She used the pseudonym Robert Galbraith so that she would be able to write without having her subsequent novels compared to the Harry Potter books, even if they were of a completely different genre. However, as soon as the truth was "leaked" (by the friend of the wife of a lawyer from the law firm to whom she had entrusted her secret), copies of this book soon began flying off the shelves, with J.K. Rowling fans and curious readers alike eager to see whether this book would be able to match the success of the books about the young wizard.
As much as I don't want to make the comparison, I just can't help it, really. The Cuckoo's Calling possesses qualities that you'd easily attribute to J.K. Rowling's style--from the characters with unusual names (The Cuckoo's Calling's Cormoran Strike versus Harry Potter's, say, Nymphadora Tonks, for one) to the sophisticated, vivid descriptions of each setting, character, or scenario that would really make you feel as if you were really a part of the whole thing, with prose that would put many writers today to shame.
Another strength from the Harry Potter books that J.K. Rowling did manage to carry over to this new crime novel of hers is how well she is able to create and develop each of her characters, and how they interact with one another. The readers are given a good look into Cormoran Strike's personal life as well, so that readers don't see him as just another detective. Robin, Cormoran's attractive female "sidekick", is much more than just a typical secretary. The interaction between the two of them, while somewhat awkward, is surely entertaining. Even Lula Landry, the model who fell to her death from her balcony, was somehow magically brought to life by the author, through stories about her told by the other characters to Cormoran as he interrogates them.
Story-wise, I would say that everything was certainly well laid-out. With the introduction of so many characters and the story of the murder (as well as the circumstances that led to it) told from so many different (and sometimes seemingly unrelated) angles, you'd think J.K. Rowling might end up missing some points, but no. When the revelation about the crime happens towards the end of the novel, you would see that everything adds up really well--expect to utter ooohs and aaahs as you read Cormoran's revelations about the crime and be blown away by how well everything just connects. The latter pages of the book will surely leave you satisfied and will not leave you hanging.
While those who've read one too many mystery or crime novels may possibly figure out the identity of the killer before Cormoran reveals it, J.K. Rowling does a good job of messing with the readers' heads a bit--no, scratch that--a lot. When I did finally discover who the killer was, I was happy to find out that one of my first few guesses was correct, but J.K. Rowling managed to play with my mind a bit which resulted in me jumping from one conclusion to the next throughout the story.
On the other hand, though, at some point some chapters seemed to drag on a bit too much, and the last thing an author would want is to lose the readers' interest or attention. I guess this is an effect of reading many of today's new releases with chapters that can be as short as a single page, but having long chapters slows down the pace of reading. It took me quite a while before I finished reading this book.
Would I recommend this book? Definitely! This book is for those who want something different, a pleasant change from the usual crime or mystery novels of today. This is also for those Harry Potter fanatics (such as myself) who still ache for a new Harry Potter novel but have to deal with the fact that the author has finally put the series and its characters to rest but still want a piece of the "magic" anyway. This is also for those who have never read any of J.K. Rowling's novels and aren't really that interested in getting a copy of the Harry Potter books, but are dying to know what the fuss about J.K. Rowling is all about. This book is a good look into the world of J.K. Rowling and the massive fanbase that her Harry Potter books have created.
J.K. Rowling (or should I say Robert Galbraith?), you have done it again.
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