Tim's review
Strong Poison
by Dorothy L. Sayers
Tim's review
Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
Tim's review
rating:
recommended for: People with nothing better to do
It's intersting to read a book from this period by this author, but honestly that's the best thing I can say about it - the main plot device was betrayed to me for many years beforehand by hollywood and the media in general, almost certainly ripped of from Ms Sayers in any case, so the whole idea simply wasn't going to intrigue me like it would have in the 1930s when it was published.
Also the cultural references just aren't in our culture any more, the Gentleman Detective doesn't exist because there are no more people who would tolerate an unqualified toff going around poking his nose in and to be quite honest he would get prosecuted by victim, villain and the police alike, and also, at all events, there simply ain't any true gentlemen of leisure left in the world.
Which isn't to say the idea isn't charming, but it falls down time after time thanks to the `progress` of modern society. Britain just isn't great any more, and all the toffs have gone to spain.
Also the cultural references just aren't in our culture any more, the Gentleman Detective doesn't exist because there are no more people who would tolerate an unqualified toff going around poking his nose in and to be quite honest he would get prosecuted by victim, villain and the police alike, and also, at all events, there simply ain't any true gentlemen of leisure left in the world.
Which isn't to say the idea isn't charming, but it falls down time after time thanks to the `progress` of modern society. Britain just isn't great any more, and all the toffs have gone to spain.
