2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Dissolution, the first book in the Matthew Shardlake series by C.J. Sansom.

Pages: 456 pages

Length: 1 month (August)

Participants: Lorraine, Caterina, Allison, Beth

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I don't think I will get to this until closer to the end of the month.

That’s alright. We should be using spoilers anyway 🙂

I just started a book Monday, it’s not long but I have had ZERO reading time this week. I don’t have any plans this weekend so I’m hoping to knock that out and then start this one. But in reality, it’ll probably be next week at least.

Starting today.

I started yesterday and am about 1/2 through. I'm quite enjoying it so far, and once I finish this I want to watch the series [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shardla...] (but I'm not sure I still have Disney+). I was doing a little research and learned that the author passed away just in April.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._J._S...

Finished, and very much enjoyed the story, in spite of feeling it was rather slow paced. The reveal that (view spoiler)[Alice and Mark survived didn't really surprise me; I just had a feeling the author wouldn't kill them off. I am hoping to see them in future books of the series. (hide spoiler)]

I found a few discussion questions (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...) that I thought I'd include and answer here.

How effective was the author in maintaining suspense? At what point in the novel did you have an inkling as to who Singleton’s murderer was, and when did you see the murders as separate events as opposed to being committed by one culprit?
I didn't have any inkling as to the real murderer until they were actually revealed, and I assumed, (view spoiler)[as did the characters, that there was only guilty party. It was an interesting twist to have there be multiple, separate perpetrators (hide spoiler)].

Can you imagine what your life might have been like during this period of history? Elaborate on the different ways in which the author evoked Tudor England, particularly London.
Sansom did an excellent job of evoking life in Tudor England... the sights and smells were vividly described. The contrast between the "haves" and the "have-nots" was striking, and that made it easy to see why people would resent the monks who were perceived as living richly while the townspeople were starving. When Shardlake visited the former Smeaton home in Ch. 29, the living condition of that resident family was absolutely appalling, particularly in contrast to how we'd seen other groups of people living (the monks, Cromwell himself, etc.).

Again, I very much enjoyed this book and will likely read the entire series. If anyone else is interested, I'll let SarahKat know in the Buddy Reads thread. We still might be able to squeeze into being added for September for book 2.

You can count me in for the series. I should receive book 2 in about two weeks so just in time for september! I am only at chapter 10th but like it so far.

Beth wrote: "I started yesterday and am about 1/2 through. I'm quite enjoying it so far, and once I finish this I want to watch the series [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shardla...] (but I'm not sure..."

Yes. Our local newspaper did an article on him when he passed away. This is how I learned of this series. But I did not know there was a TV series. Interesting!

Great, Lorraine! I've posted to Sarah to add book 2 in Sept (or Oct, in case it's too late for Sept).

Perfect. I will manage my reservation accordingly.

Finished. I had some problems at first to get into the story but after a few chapters, it went well. (view spoiler)[ I had guessed one of the perpetrators (i.e. the girl) but not that there was two. Interesting twist! (hide spoiler)] I agree that the author is doing a very good job describing the living conditions of people in those days. Looking forward to book 2.

I just started this yesterday, the last day of the month. I only got 2 chapters in too. This has not been my reading year.

I’m up to chapter 17.

How effective was the author in maintaining suspense? I have no issue with the writing but I’m not finding it suspenseful. I’m not worried for the characters safety or anything at this point. There doesn’t seem to be anyone that’s formidable yet.

I had started this book a few years ago and didn’t get passed maybe 70 pages? Was finding it boring. I’m liking it much better now so perhaps it was the wrong time for me then. Although I’m a little more than half way and it’s sort of slowing down for me again. Maybe that’s because I just went to the library last night and picked up a pile of shiny, new books.

But if I end up still liking it at the end, I’m not adverse to joining in for the second. I haven’t read HF in a while (which is unusual for me).

I find this book has a slow rhythm, and as you mentioned, it's not as suspenseful as more modern stories. It reminded me a bit of The Name of the Rose, but I still enjoy it. It adds balance to my reading, contrasting well with the faster-paced stories I also enjoy.
I hope you enjoy it this time.