Gentle Reads Annotation
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith - Precious Ramotswe is the first, the only, lady detective in Botswana. Using the money she received from her father’s estate, Precious opens her own detective agency in the town of Gabarone and sets out to help the people of her community with any and all of their detective needs. Business seems slow at first but picks up quickly as word gets out that Mma Ramotswe is successful at unraveling mysteries. From the basic cases determining if a husband is cheating to the more serious search for a missing child, Precious takes on a variety of different problems for her clients. At once charming and genteel in the descriptions of life in Botswana, this title is the first in a now famous series about the delightful Mma Ramotswe, her sidekick secretary Mma Makusti, and her good friend Mr. J.L.B Matekoni. Readers looking for cozy mysteries that take them to a far away place will devour this novel and those that follow.
Characteristics of Gentle Reads as described by Saricks:
Hopeful Tone/Mood - The tone is indeed hopeful and also atmospheric with a strong sense of place. It could easily be argued that Botswana is a secondary character in these novels (see Frame/Setting). Despite the many factors against her in making a success of her new detective agency, Precious persists. Even when she is unsure about how she will carry forward, she finds a way which I find to be incredibly hopeful.
“Safe” and Colorful Language/Style - In this first installment, Smith takes care to describe the landscape, the people who reside there, and Precious’ love for them. Her family history is described in detail over several chapters, giving the reader a true sense of her character.
Details such as the building she buys for her business, the cattle her father owned, and the bush tea she often drinks make the narrative come alive. No profanity is used, and a description of domestic abuse is short and only serves to better describe Precious’ character and further the plot without being gratuitous.
Characterization - This novel is all about its characters. Protagonist, Precious Ramotswe, is very likeable and courageous, a strong female character. Precious is both smart and good natured. She aims to help all that come to her with investigative needs. She comes across as a genuine person who is authentic and unique in her chosen field. She is, in fact, the “only lady detective in Botswana” (p. 4).
Frame/Setting - You couldn’t take Precious out of Botswana any more than you could take Winnie the Pooh and friends out of the Hundred Acre Wood. The setting of Gabarone, Botswana is as much a character of this novel as Precious Ramostwe, and the marrying of the protagonist to her land and the people that reside there is one of the most appealing parts of this novel.
Storyline - Overall the story is a charming and hopeful representation of a strong female character in a remote place that most readers have never encountered. Although mainly “gentle” in nature, Smith allows brief description of some trauma in Precious’ life, including minimal description of her abusive ex-husband forcing himself on her. Smith also alludes to Precious losing a child, but the story doesn’t dwell on this incident, and, I believe, Smith includes it as a way to show Precious’ ability to survive and thrive in what is a difficult place to be a woman.
Leisurely Pacing - The pacing is decidedly leisurely which adds a great deal to the Gentle Reads qualities of this novel. An example of this unhurried pace is the manner in which Smith uses entire chapters to reach back in time and tell the history of Precious’ father and her childhood.
Library Laura’s Top Takeaways Using Saricks’ Rule of Three:
Tone - A Strong Sense of Place pervades every aspect of this book and provides readers with a quick education on the ways of Botswana and her people.
Character - A Strong Female Character, Precious Ramotswe is one you won’t soon forget.
Pace - Leisurely and unhurried, Smith is telling a longer tale than can be contained in one book.
Read-a-likes:
The Sunday Philosophy Club (and series) by Alexander McCall Smith- Protagonist Isabel Dalhousie is an amateur sleuth and philosopher based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama - Retiree Mr. Ali opens a marriage bureau in contemporary India.
Both of these heartwarming novels have a strong sense of place and memorable characters.
References:
Saricks, J. G. (2009). The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: ALA.
Saricks, J. (2009, October). Rule of Three. Booklist, 25.
Smith, A. M. (1998). The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Anchor Books, New York.
The Secret Language of Books: A Guide to Appeal. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/novelist/pdf/NoveList_Appeal_2018.pdf
Hopeful Tone/Mood - The tone is indeed hopeful and also atmospheric with a strong sense of place. It could easily be argued that Botswana is a secondary character in these novels (see Frame/Setting). Despite the many factors against her in making a success of her new detective agency, Precious persists. Even when she is unsure about how she will carry forward, she finds a way which I find to be incredibly hopeful.
“Safe” and Colorful Language/Style - In this first installment, Smith takes care to describe the landscape, the people who reside there, and Precious’ love for them. Her family history is described in detail over several chapters, giving the reader a true sense of her character.
Details such as the building she buys for her business, the cattle her father owned, and the bush tea she often drinks make the narrative come alive. No profanity is used, and a description of domestic abuse is short and only serves to better describe Precious’ character and further the plot without being gratuitous.
Characterization - This novel is all about its characters. Protagonist, Precious Ramotswe, is very likeable and courageous, a strong female character. Precious is both smart and good natured. She aims to help all that come to her with investigative needs. She comes across as a genuine person who is authentic and unique in her chosen field. She is, in fact, the “only lady detective in Botswana” (p. 4).
Frame/Setting - You couldn’t take Precious out of Botswana any more than you could take Winnie the Pooh and friends out of the Hundred Acre Wood. The setting of Gabarone, Botswana is as much a character of this novel as Precious Ramostwe, and the marrying of the protagonist to her land and the people that reside there is one of the most appealing parts of this novel.
Storyline - Overall the story is a charming and hopeful representation of a strong female character in a remote place that most readers have never encountered. Although mainly “gentle” in nature, Smith allows brief description of some trauma in Precious’ life, including minimal description of her abusive ex-husband forcing himself on her. Smith also alludes to Precious losing a child, but the story doesn’t dwell on this incident, and, I believe, Smith includes it as a way to show Precious’ ability to survive and thrive in what is a difficult place to be a woman.
Leisurely Pacing - The pacing is decidedly leisurely which adds a great deal to the Gentle Reads qualities of this novel. An example of this unhurried pace is the manner in which Smith uses entire chapters to reach back in time and tell the history of Precious’ father and her childhood.
Library Laura’s Top Takeaways Using Saricks’ Rule of Three:
Tone - A Strong Sense of Place pervades every aspect of this book and provides readers with a quick education on the ways of Botswana and her people.
Character - A Strong Female Character, Precious Ramotswe is one you won’t soon forget.
Pace - Leisurely and unhurried, Smith is telling a longer tale than can be contained in one book.
Read-a-likes:
The Sunday Philosophy Club (and series) by Alexander McCall Smith- Protagonist Isabel Dalhousie is an amateur sleuth and philosopher based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama - Retiree Mr. Ali opens a marriage bureau in contemporary India.
Both of these heartwarming novels have a strong sense of place and memorable characters.
References:
Saricks, J. G. (2009). The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: ALA.
Saricks, J. (2009, October). Rule of Three. Booklist, 25.
Smith, A. M. (1998). The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Anchor Books, New York.
The Secret Language of Books: A Guide to Appeal. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/novelist/pdf/NoveList_Appeal_2018.pdf
Good book choice! This book sounds sweet and like a good read. I normally read books that don't go easy on the language or 'mature themes' so I will keep this one in mind the next time I have a patron who just wants a nice, clean book to read!
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I was in a "Women Authors" book club. We'd been reading strictly women authors for about 2 years and this book came out, so we decided let's look at a male author and how he writes from the female perspective. Our overwhelming sense (when subjecting the book to that particular scrutiny) was that it didn't hold up to how we felt female authors would have treated the character of Precious. We felt her internal dialog just was different from what we had been reading with other female authors. I wonder if you felt this at all, especially since you were looking at it from a gentle reads perspective- one it fits well, instead of a feminist prose perspective. Thanks for the review, it's good to remember there are other reasons to like a book, even when it might disappoint you in some ways!
ReplyDeleteExcellent annotation! The summary and detailed characteristics are superb! Full points!
ReplyDeleteGood title, you did a wonderful job summarizing this book and providing such a detailed outline of the characters. I liked the titles you chose for the read alikes. good work!
ReplyDelete