From the Bookshelf of Constant Reader

The Luminaries
by
Start date
December 15, 2014
Finish date
February 1, 2015
Discussion
Reading List

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 428 topics — 16,892 comments total
+ Reading List
* The Schedule for July through Dec. 2025
By Lynn · 1 post · 41 views
last updated Jun 20, 2025 08:37AM
Circe - discussion with spoilers
By Jane · 17 posts · 23 views
last updated Sep 06, 2025 04:48PM
showing 10 of 13 topics    view all »
Other topics mentioning this book
2013 Mann Booker long list
By Carol · 19 posts · 105 views
last updated Sep 01, 2013 09:47PM
Man Booker Prize Announced
By Sara · 30 posts · 89 views
last updated Nov 17, 2013 06:13AM
This topic has been closed to new comments. What I'm Reading DECEMBER 2013
By Larry · 254 posts · 123 views
last updated Dec 31, 2013 09:47PM
This topic has been closed to new comments. What I'm Reading JANUARY 2014
By Larry · 156 posts · 113 views
last updated Jan 31, 2014 06:43PM
This topic has been closed to new comments. What I'm Reading AUGUST 2014
By Larry · 154 posts · 90 views
last updated Sep 01, 2014 06:39AM
The Schedule for January 2015--June 2015
By Sherry , Doyenne · 6 posts · 139 views
last updated Jul 05, 2015 10:40AM
This topic has been closed to new comments. What I'm Reading DECEMBER 2014
By Larry · 142 posts · 86 views
last updated Jan 01, 2015 02:17AM
Best Books Read in 2014
By Barbara · 57 posts · 104 views
last updated Feb 21, 2015 07:41PM
This topic has been closed to new comments. What I'm Reading JANUARY 2015
By Larry · 186 posts · 82 views
last updated Feb 01, 2015 07:40AM
Oscar nominations
By Tonya · 44 posts · 48 views
last updated Mar 05, 2015 08:27AM

What Members Thought

Ann D
Aug 12, 2014 rated it it was ok

I can't believe I read the whole thing.

I think the majority of readers on this 830 page book will abandon it early on. The characters, who represent planets and signs of the zodiac are artificial, the writing is good but uses a somewhat difficult 19th century tone of voice, and the "true" story is almost impossible to discern. In fact, trying to figure out the connections between all the characters and what happened when, where and why is at the heart of the book. Most of the time I felt confuse
...more
David
Oct 15, 2013 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: favorites
I am completely bowled over by the power of this book. I was completely riveted from the first sentence to the last. To call it a mystery novel is to do it an injustice, but for sake of simplicity I will call it a book rife with mysteries wrapped in more mysteries; it is set in the 1860s in a mining town in New Zealand. Its cast of characters, grittiness, and setting reminded me of the best episodes of Deadwood.

It is such a powerful book because it balances a cast of over twenty key characters,
...more
Heather
Jul 25, 2013 marked it as to-read
Jade17
Jul 28, 2013 marked it as to-read
AmandaLil
Apr 28, 2021 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Jayme Pendergraft
Sep 11, 2013 rated it really liked it
Shelves: src-winter-2013, 2014
Sara
Oct 15, 2013 marked it as to-read
Shelves: audios-owned
Aaron
Oct 18, 2013 marked it as to-read
Julia Fierro
Oct 21, 2013 marked it as to-read
Marie
Nov 03, 2013 rated it really liked it
Stacie
Nov 06, 2013 marked it as to-read
Becca
Nov 15, 2013 marked it as to-read
 C
Dec 03, 2013 marked it as to-read
Sandra
Dec 03, 2013 marked it as to-read
Rose
Dec 24, 2013 marked it as to-read
Sharron
Jan 05, 2014 marked it as to-read
Kyle
Jan 18, 2014 is currently reading it
Paul
Feb 16, 2014 marked it as to-read
Jennifer
Mar 03, 2014 marked it as to-read
Robert
Aug 21, 2014 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Mandy
Sep 08, 2014 rated it liked it
Shelves: novels-novellas
Barbara
Nov 19, 2014 rated it really liked it
Jane
Dec 09, 2014 rated it liked it
Sherry
Jan 10, 2015 rated it liked it
allison
Jul 01, 2015 marked it as to-read
Loretta
Nov 21, 2017 marked it as to-read
J.D.
May 15, 2020 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
« previous 1 3