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Black Swan (2007), Paperback, 352 pages
Description
A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd.On a hillside near the cozy Irish village of Glennkill, the members of the flock gather around their shepherd, George, whose body lies pinned to the ground with a spade. George has cared for the sheep, reading them a plethora of books every night. The daily exposure to literature has made them far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep. Led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world), they set out to find George' s killer.The A-team of investigators includes Othello, the "bad-boy" black ram; Mopple the Whale, a merino who eats a lot and remembers everything; and Zora, a pensive, black-faced ewe with a weakness for abysses. Joined by other members of the richly talented flock, they engage in nightlong discussions about the crime and wild metaphysical speculations, and they embark on reconnaissance missions into the village, where they encounter some likely suspects. There' s Ham, the terrifying butcher; Rebecca, a village newcomer with a secret and a scheme; Gabriel, the shady shepherd of a very odd flock; and Father Will, a sinister priest. Along the way, the sheep confront their own all-too-human struggles with guilt, misdeeds, and unrequited love.Three Bags Full is already an international hit. Funny, fresh, and endearing, it introduces a wonderful breed of detectives to American audiences.… (more)
Media reviews
Three Bags Full is ponderous, slow, involved and pedestrian, but it is also genuinely odd and affecting, and without a doubt the best sheep detective novel you're going to read this year.
Das wäre so weit einfach nur nett und nicht weiter bemerkenswert, würde die Autorin nicht obendrein furchtlosen Umgang mit literarischen Versatzstücken betreiben. Man kann "Glennkill" als Krimi-Persiflage lesen, man kann sich aber auch ein Vergnügen daraus machen, die Anspielungen und
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ironischen Zitate zu entdecken. Show Less
Und an Tiefe mangelt es auch. Auffallend ist einzig die infantile Liebheit, auf deren Niveau sich Amüsement und Unterhaltung bewegen.
Originellt, rart och väldigt roligt är det hur som helst.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Lman
I am having trouble finding words to adequately express my opinion of this book; adorable, delightful, innovative, original and insightful may serve. Just how do you describe a book titled Three Bags Full, a sheep detective story?
For a detective story it is, a classic ‘whodunnit’ from the very
George was a good shepherd – in the judgement of his sheep; he named them, he cared for them, and significantly, he taught them by reading stories to them every day. The flock comprises some extraordinary members: Sir Ritchfield is the lead ram and hard of hearing; Miss Maple is the cleverest sheep (perhaps in the whole world); Mopple the Whale is the memory sheep, Cloud the woolliest, Maude the warning sheep with an acute sense of smell, Zora has a black face, a head for heights and a set of horns, and Othello, the black sheep has a mysterious past. And Melmoth, he is an enigma, a legend, cognizant with an Irish shore. These captivating characters, with their individual personalities and distinct abilities, put their powers of observation, and their innate teamwork and support network, into unravelling the events surrounding their beloved shepherd’s demise. Due to his death many locals, and outsiders, now visit the pasture, and the sheep become astute at deciphering the many facets of these visitors’ personalities through their own inimitable senses; therefore delivering a rather disparaging, inevitably ironic, and oft-times hilarious consensus on our world.
This is a very intelligent story. In fact, at times it was easy to reflect that the misinterpretations of the sheep are comparable to any foreigner setting foot on an alien shore. As silly as the premise of this book may seem, the wackiness served only to emphasis the ridiculousness apparent in our everyday lives – the words in our language, the concepts in our religion, the incapacity for us to utilise our senses fully, the illogic in many of our actions; and our ability to grossly ignore situations happening right under our very noses! And the poignancy through this story, the inability of the villagers to work together – as a flock - and thrive in a stable community, for the benefit of that community, in stark contrast to the sheep, offers a discerning insight into our world.
The only other difficulty I have is with the title of this book. The original title Glennkill is another clever use of words – entirely apt in reflecting the plot and the book; and I do not understand why such a suitably pertinent name has been overlooked and usurped.
I was charmed by this book. At times I was unable to laugh as much as I wished, as the underlying pathos overruled the adroit, wry particulars the author used to express her point. At other times I was unable to read for the tears in my eyes from laughing so much. I can’t recommend this book enough; this is a pleasure, a treasure and quite exceptional. I will never look at a sheep quite the same way again!
For a detective story it is, a classic ‘whodunnit’ from the very
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first page until the very last – but from a most remarkable perspective. When George Glenn, the shepherd, is found dead in the grass beside the hay barn by his flock of sheep, these rather unusual sheep decide to solve the mystery of his death. Thus ensues an investigation of this crime entirely considered through the viewpoint of the flock, and hence an enchanting look at our world through sheep’s eyes.George was a good shepherd – in the judgement of his sheep; he named them, he cared for them, and significantly, he taught them by reading stories to them every day. The flock comprises some extraordinary members: Sir Ritchfield is the lead ram and hard of hearing; Miss Maple is the cleverest sheep (perhaps in the whole world); Mopple the Whale is the memory sheep, Cloud the woolliest, Maude the warning sheep with an acute sense of smell, Zora has a black face, a head for heights and a set of horns, and Othello, the black sheep has a mysterious past. And Melmoth, he is an enigma, a legend, cognizant with an Irish shore. These captivating characters, with their individual personalities and distinct abilities, put their powers of observation, and their innate teamwork and support network, into unravelling the events surrounding their beloved shepherd’s demise. Due to his death many locals, and outsiders, now visit the pasture, and the sheep become astute at deciphering the many facets of these visitors’ personalities through their own inimitable senses; therefore delivering a rather disparaging, inevitably ironic, and oft-times hilarious consensus on our world.
This is a very intelligent story. In fact, at times it was easy to reflect that the misinterpretations of the sheep are comparable to any foreigner setting foot on an alien shore. As silly as the premise of this book may seem, the wackiness served only to emphasis the ridiculousness apparent in our everyday lives – the words in our language, the concepts in our religion, the incapacity for us to utilise our senses fully, the illogic in many of our actions; and our ability to grossly ignore situations happening right under our very noses! And the poignancy through this story, the inability of the villagers to work together – as a flock - and thrive in a stable community, for the benefit of that community, in stark contrast to the sheep, offers a discerning insight into our world.
The only other difficulty I have is with the title of this book. The original title Glennkill is another clever use of words – entirely apt in reflecting the plot and the book; and I do not understand why such a suitably pertinent name has been overlooked and usurped.
I was charmed by this book. At times I was unable to laugh as much as I wished, as the underlying pathos overruled the adroit, wry particulars the author used to express her point. At other times I was unable to read for the tears in my eyes from laughing so much. I can’t recommend this book enough; this is a pleasure, a treasure and quite exceptional. I will never look at a sheep quite the same way again!
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This book has a very clever premise: sheep, whose shepherd, George, is found dead on a hillside in Ireland, take it upon themselves to solve the mystery of his death. Since George had read books to them daily, including detective novels, they are quite familiar with the ways of men, and set out
The book begins with a “Dramatis Oves,” a list of all the sheep who appear in the story along with a brief description of each. Most notable is Miss Maple, “the cleverest sheep in the flock, maybe the cleverest sheep in Glennkill, quite possibly the cleverest sheep in the whole world.” I also grew quite fond of Mopple the Whale, "a very stout Merino ram ... almost always hungry."
The sheep overhear witnesses claiming “the Lord took George” and this throws them off at first. More confusing, some of the sheep have heard the Lord is a lamb, and others that the Lord is a shepherd. After a bit they decide the local pastor is the Lord, because they once heard him say “Welcome to the house of God!”
They also suspect the butcher, simply because they find him to be such a reprehensible fellow.
This book has such promise, but I found that reading about sheep can be, well, rather soporific. The pace is a bit slow, as the sheep are easily distracted by fragrant tufts of grass and clover. The humans in the book aren’t very interesting, except for George, who is dead.
My husband and I both read this book, and, as usual, we have two different evaluations:
Evaluation by Jill: Oh, how I wish this book were as cute as the idea behind it. But there’s a reason why counting sheep is recommended for insomnia. It isn’t a bad book, it just isn’t as engaging as I had hoped. Rating: 3/5
Evaluation by Jim: I enjoyed the book and give it a higher rating than my wife does. The author is quite clever in writing from the perspective of the sheep. For example, they learn a great deal from scent. At the same time, their worldview is extremely limited, all but two of them having spent all of their lives in the same pasture. The eventual solution to the murder is a bit contrived, but the resolution of the inter-ovine relationships seems genuine. Rating: 3.8/5
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looking for clues.The book begins with a “Dramatis Oves,” a list of all the sheep who appear in the story along with a brief description of each. Most notable is Miss Maple, “the cleverest sheep in the flock, maybe the cleverest sheep in Glennkill, quite possibly the cleverest sheep in the whole world.” I also grew quite fond of Mopple the Whale, "a very stout Merino ram ... almost always hungry."
The sheep overhear witnesses claiming “the Lord took George” and this throws them off at first. More confusing, some of the sheep have heard the Lord is a lamb, and others that the Lord is a shepherd. After a bit they decide the local pastor is the Lord, because they once heard him say “Welcome to the house of God!”
They also suspect the butcher, simply because they find him to be such a reprehensible fellow.
This book has such promise, but I found that reading about sheep can be, well, rather soporific. The pace is a bit slow, as the sheep are easily distracted by fragrant tufts of grass and clover. The humans in the book aren’t very interesting, except for George, who is dead.
My husband and I both read this book, and, as usual, we have two different evaluations:
Evaluation by Jill: Oh, how I wish this book were as cute as the idea behind it. But there’s a reason why counting sheep is recommended for insomnia. It isn’t a bad book, it just isn’t as engaging as I had hoped. Rating: 3/5
Evaluation by Jim: I enjoyed the book and give it a higher rating than my wife does. The author is quite clever in writing from the perspective of the sheep. For example, they learn a great deal from scent. At the same time, their worldview is extremely limited, all but two of them having spent all of their lives in the same pasture. The eventual solution to the murder is a bit contrived, but the resolution of the inter-ovine relationships seems genuine. Rating: 3.8/5
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LibraryThing member anotherjennifer
When shepherd George Glenn is found in his field with a spade driven through his body, the sheep he leaves behind take it upon themselves to solve the murder. The victim's habit of reading to his flock has rendered the animals unusually intelligent, and each sheep contributes his or her own talent
The novel can be cute and gentle but also darkly humorous, and even though the author has fun with the genre, there are serious elements to the story. Swann strikes a balance between making her furry protagonists intelligent and human enough to have emotional depth while still allowing them to maintain a sheep-y, childlike view of the world. A ram has a point after all, when he notes that death caused by blood-inducing injuries is "All perfectly natural," and no sheep is above ogling aromatic vegetables. While the novel is primarily a mystery, these particular sheep are also rather philosophical and will, for instance, pass their time pondering the "cloud sheep" in the sky, wondering what one does to become a "cloud sheep." Othello in particular is a very introspective ram, having lived through the horrors of a circus and the exoticism of residing in a zoo. The sheep's personalities are treated with as much care as those of any human characters, and the fate of the shepherd-less flock becomes as central to the story as the identity of the murderer.
The novel is not a fast-paced mystery, but taking time to graze among the sheep as they wax philosophic about the advantages and downfalls of being part of a flock, whether it's comprised of sheep or humans, is just as rewarding as their moments of amateur sleuthing.
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as they observe the villagers of Glennkill in hopes of uncovering the mystery. The best detectives in the flock appear to be the brilliant Miss Maple, smart enough to avoid the trivial "Smartest Sheep in Glennkill" contest, the bold black ram Othello, and the all-remembering (and all-eating) Mopple the Whale. As the sheep piece together clues and debate motives, they find that there's no shortage of suspects: "Bible-thumping Beth" paid George frequent visits, George's wife Kate was unhappy, the neighboring shepherd Gabriel has a strange flock of non-fleecy sheep, and the flock's favorite human to place under suspicion, Ham the Butcher, always smells of "screams, pain, and blood."The novel can be cute and gentle but also darkly humorous, and even though the author has fun with the genre, there are serious elements to the story. Swann strikes a balance between making her furry protagonists intelligent and human enough to have emotional depth while still allowing them to maintain a sheep-y, childlike view of the world. A ram has a point after all, when he notes that death caused by blood-inducing injuries is "All perfectly natural," and no sheep is above ogling aromatic vegetables. While the novel is primarily a mystery, these particular sheep are also rather philosophical and will, for instance, pass their time pondering the "cloud sheep" in the sky, wondering what one does to become a "cloud sheep." Othello in particular is a very introspective ram, having lived through the horrors of a circus and the exoticism of residing in a zoo. The sheep's personalities are treated with as much care as those of any human characters, and the fate of the shepherd-less flock becomes as central to the story as the identity of the murderer.
The novel is not a fast-paced mystery, but taking time to graze among the sheep as they wax philosophic about the advantages and downfalls of being part of a flock, whether it's comprised of sheep or humans, is just as rewarding as their moments of amateur sleuthing.
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LibraryThing member TadAD
The basic story is a mystery: a shepherd is murdered and the book is told from the perspective of his sheep as they try to unravel who did it. It sounded lighthearted, perhaps a bit fluffy, but it might be fun...and, certainly, it has received positive reviews. In the end, I only found it fair. The
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personalities of the sheep were well done—human-like, but certainly not human—and I enjoyed them. However, the plot could not carry the story: disjointed, lacking in depth, and occasionally venturing off into the metaphysical, which didn't fit the book's type. Show Less
LibraryThing member wandering_star
This is a charming story about a flock of sheep who try to solve the murder of their shepherd. They have the advantage of being able to listen in on private conversations (George, the shepherd, used to read to them every day, so they understand some quite complicated words) - but as you might
I enjoyed this, although the fact that it's quite light-hearted doesn't mean you don't have to concentrate - the storyline is complicated (especially when filtered through the interpretation of a flock of sheep) that you need to make sure you know what's going on!
Sample: Miss Maple was the cleverest sheep in all Glennkill. Some even claimed that she was the cleverest sheep in the world, but no one could prove it. There was in fact an annual Smartest Sheep in Glennkill contest, but Maple's extraordinary intelligence showed in the very fact that she did not take part in such competitions.
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imagine, they can't always understand the motivations of the humans who are speaking them. But bringing together their various skills, they manage to figure most of it out... if only they can get the message across.I enjoyed this, although the fact that it's quite light-hearted doesn't mean you don't have to concentrate - the storyline is complicated (especially when filtered through the interpretation of a flock of sheep) that you need to make sure you know what's going on!
Sample: Miss Maple was the cleverest sheep in all Glennkill. Some even claimed that she was the cleverest sheep in the world, but no one could prove it. There was in fact an annual Smartest Sheep in Glennkill contest, but Maple's extraordinary intelligence showed in the very fact that she did not take part in such competitions.
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LibraryThing member mysterymax
I stumbled across this book quite by accident while shelf-reading in our large-print section, and I thought it sounded like fun.
And fun it was. One morning a flock of sheep awake to find their shepherd dead in the field with a shovel pinning him to the ground. These Irish sheep are clever and
I loved the way in which the sheep remained sheep. They think (I am guessing) like sheep and they act like sheep, not like people. It was a wonderful look at the human world through the eyes of someone who doesn't quite understand the multiplicity of concepts and layers of meanings that humans take quite as a matter of course. It is almost Zen-like because the sheep don't understand everything the way we would and so they come to the truth of the matter more quickly. Some quite deep concepts are dealt with - such as death, suicide, the will to live, the need for a community, aging, justice, fear and courage. But they are dealt with slowly and simply.
This is not a fast-paced book. If you need action, it probably isn't the read for you. This is about a death in rural Ireland, where the pace of life is slower. Each of the sheep in the flock has a real strength and a real personality. The character development of each of the sheep is strong and is as carefully done as if the main characters were people. You get to feel you know each animal; you get to laugh at their silliness; and you get to be amazed at the truths they see.
This book is translated from the original German. I hope that her next book with these dear sheep will also become available in English as I would really like to read it.
And fun it was. One morning a flock of sheep awake to find their shepherd dead in the field with a shovel pinning him to the ground. These Irish sheep are clever and
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understand some human words and concepts because their shepherd used to read to them each day. The cleverest one of them all, Miss Maple, decides that they must find out who killed their shepherd.I loved the way in which the sheep remained sheep. They think (I am guessing) like sheep and they act like sheep, not like people. It was a wonderful look at the human world through the eyes of someone who doesn't quite understand the multiplicity of concepts and layers of meanings that humans take quite as a matter of course. It is almost Zen-like because the sheep don't understand everything the way we would and so they come to the truth of the matter more quickly. Some quite deep concepts are dealt with - such as death, suicide, the will to live, the need for a community, aging, justice, fear and courage. But they are dealt with slowly and simply.
This is not a fast-paced book. If you need action, it probably isn't the read for you. This is about a death in rural Ireland, where the pace of life is slower. Each of the sheep in the flock has a real strength and a real personality. The character development of each of the sheep is strong and is as carefully done as if the main characters were people. You get to feel you know each animal; you get to laugh at their silliness; and you get to be amazed at the truths they see.
This book is translated from the original German. I hope that her next book with these dear sheep will also become available in English as I would really like to read it.
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LibraryThing member craso
This is a sweet and humorous mystery story. A shepherd is found dead by his flock. The sheep decide that he was a pretty good shepherd, so they will find his killer and bring him or her to justice. They ease drop on the humans in the village and search for clues. The sheep find humans to be strange
You will fall in love with the main characters. They are smart, kind, brave and funny. Each sheep has a well defined personality; lead ram, cleverest sheep, woolliest sheep, memory sheep, mysterious ram, sheep with the best sense of smell, sheep with a good head for heights, etc. The sheep are intelligent and they learn from each other and from the humans. They have there own philosophy of life and death. The way they treat each other and live there lives is better than the humans in the village; you stay in your flock and treat each other with respect and kindness then you become a cloud sheep and float away.
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and hard to understand, but these animals are clever and have learned about the human flock and what motivates them through the stories that their shepherd read to them.You will fall in love with the main characters. They are smart, kind, brave and funny. Each sheep has a well defined personality; lead ram, cleverest sheep, woolliest sheep, memory sheep, mysterious ram, sheep with the best sense of smell, sheep with a good head for heights, etc. The sheep are intelligent and they learn from each other and from the humans. They have there own philosophy of life and death. The way they treat each other and live there lives is better than the humans in the village; you stay in your flock and treat each other with respect and kindness then you become a cloud sheep and float away.
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LibraryThing member k2togger
This author has mastered third person pont of view - actually, third sheep point of view. A shepherd has been murdered and the individual members of his flock react in many different ways. OK, if you have never made the aquaintance of a flock of sheep you maybe won't appreciate the author's
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whimsical but dead-on accurate sheep's eye view of the world. I am a hand spinner of fine wool that comes from a lovingly tended small flock of sheep in Kentucky (check out myfavoritesheep.com). Hang out with sheep for a day and you know they are not stupid; all of them have stories they are keeping to themselves. The author skillfully captured individual sheep personalities and the problems of living in community - uh, er, a flock. Plot is secondary here and used as a vehicle for these animals to voice their fears, hopes, dreams, and simple pleasures. Clever without seeming so, touching, funny, and sheep-affirming. I loved it and will read it again and again. Show Less
LibraryThing member WinterFox
I won't say that the idea of the book didn't amuse me from the start. Here we have a flock of sheep trying to find the person who killed their shepherd. You can pretty easily, however, have an intriguing starting point for your mystery and have it turn out to not be carried off well. Doing a good
Quite fortunately, Swann does a very good job with this book. You get to know the main sheep characters early on, and they turn out to be quite distinct and interesting; smart Miss Maple, stout Mopple the Whale, Othello with the mysterious past, etc. The nice thing about these and the other ovine characters in the book is that they can be very interesting, while still being quite sheep-like. There isn't a feeling of great anthropomorphism in the book. The sheep are sheep, and the people are people.
And for the most part, you only get to see the people through what the sheep see of them. Still, with enterprising sheep, this isn't that much of a problem. While the human characters aren't central, they're more than one-dimensional, and there are a variety of suspects available that would work.
I found the plot engaging, and the mystery itself I think was guessable, even if I didn't get it. The writing style was well done, and a credit to the translator as well as the author. It didn't feel dodgy at all, and the stranger bits were still easy to read through.
All in all, very enjoyable, and one of my top five books for the year thus far.
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mystery is hard, after all.Quite fortunately, Swann does a very good job with this book. You get to know the main sheep characters early on, and they turn out to be quite distinct and interesting; smart Miss Maple, stout Mopple the Whale, Othello with the mysterious past, etc. The nice thing about these and the other ovine characters in the book is that they can be very interesting, while still being quite sheep-like. There isn't a feeling of great anthropomorphism in the book. The sheep are sheep, and the people are people.
And for the most part, you only get to see the people through what the sheep see of them. Still, with enterprising sheep, this isn't that much of a problem. While the human characters aren't central, they're more than one-dimensional, and there are a variety of suspects available that would work.
I found the plot engaging, and the mystery itself I think was guessable, even if I didn't get it. The writing style was well done, and a credit to the translator as well as the author. It didn't feel dodgy at all, and the stranger bits were still easy to read through.
All in all, very enjoyable, and one of my top five books for the year thus far.
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LibraryThing member poolays
I tried to read this book because it was recommended to me, but every time I picked it up, it put me to sleep. The characters are sweet sheep, trying to solve the murder. Their sheep innocence was sweet, but the story dragged.
LibraryThing member pratchettfan
What does a flock of sheep do when their sheperd is murdered? They go out of their way to solve the crime of course. At least that's what these smart sheep from Glennkill do... A fantastic tale told from the viewpoint of the sheep itself which lends the story a charming edge and keeps one wanting
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to know how it goes on. Show Less
LibraryThing member LauraBLough
I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio version and I thought it was well done (I almost always listen to my books b/c I can listen while dyeing yarn or doing yard work/chores). I was a bit confused at first b/c I assumed they were in England due to the accent, and then found out they
Now for the story. I've read plenty of murder mysteries and I'm not sure I'd really put this book in the same category. Technically it is a mystery about a murder but otherwise it doesn't really seem to fit the genre, in my opinion. So I think if you pick it up anticipating a modern murder mystery, you might be disappointed.
There were a couple of places that the story fell flat (like when the shepherd's daughter had a totally random affair with a drug dealer) but I loved all the parts involving the sheep.
To be fair, I'm biased. I have a small flock of sheep myself and often find myself wondering what they are "thinking" and anthropomorphising their actions. While the thoughts and language are pure fantasy, I can say with conviction that different sheep have different personalities. Especially the less commercialized breeds, IMHO.
This book made me wonder about the authors experience with sheep. Does she own sheep? Did she spend time "in the field" (literally) researching this book? She certainly writes as if she has been around sheep. I can easily imagine her watching a flock, observing their behaviors and thinking to herself "I wonder what that sheep is thinking..."
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were in Ireland. But other than that it was well read. Now for the story. I've read plenty of murder mysteries and I'm not sure I'd really put this book in the same category. Technically it is a mystery about a murder but otherwise it doesn't really seem to fit the genre, in my opinion. So I think if you pick it up anticipating a modern murder mystery, you might be disappointed.
There were a couple of places that the story fell flat (like when the shepherd's daughter had a totally random affair with a drug dealer) but I loved all the parts involving the sheep.
To be fair, I'm biased. I have a small flock of sheep myself and often find myself wondering what they are "thinking" and anthropomorphising their actions. While the thoughts and language are pure fantasy, I can say with conviction that different sheep have different personalities. Especially the less commercialized breeds, IMHO.
This book made me wonder about the authors experience with sheep. Does she own sheep? Did she spend time "in the field" (literally) researching this book? She certainly writes as if she has been around sheep. I can easily imagine her watching a flock, observing their behaviors and thinking to herself "I wonder what that sheep is thinking..."
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LibraryThing member alexann
Sentient sheep solve shepherd's shoveling! For some reason, the last two books I've read have involved very smart animal detectives. In this British pastoral, George's flock is distressed to find him dead, with a shovel stuck through his chest! Because it seems apparent that the local constabulary
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will not search hard or long for George's killer, the sheep, led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill, set out to find George's killer. Because, oh, they miss him! Who else will read to them? Or sit quietly of an evening smoking his pipe and keeping them company? The sheep are enchanting--their different talents are all put to good use as they team together to solve the mystery. This delightful book moved a little slowly at times (but with sheep in charge it's only natural that it wouldn't move with lightning speed.) Rather on the whimsical side, and great fun! Show Less
LibraryThing member ChemChick
Three Bags Full is a murder mystery told from the perspective of the sheep whose shepherd has been killed. A "Sheep Detective Story," if you will. Interesting, right? How could you go wrong? While the book *is* good and entertaining, it just hasn't managed to capture my attention -- or my
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imagination -- in the way I had hoped. Yes, the sheep's perspective of the world is just what it should be: new and different and a little off-kilter, but not necessarily in the ways you would hope. This is especially sad given then adorable flip-book pictures next to every page number! Show Less
LibraryThing member CasualFriday
This is a delightful book about a flock of sheep who solve the mystery of their shepherd's death. The premise is wacky yet the book is very affecting and not at all gimmicky. The sheep detectives are impossibly endearing, and never lose their essential sheepiness. How on earth did these animals get
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so smart? Because their shepherd used to read to them. Show Less
LibraryThing member Groovybaby
I picked up this book because of the Carl Hiassen blurb on the front cover. I was a little hesitant on doing that as I had been burned int he past by a great author blurb only to find the actual book the blurb as on to be terrible. No so with this one, not so at all. *phew!* My thought at buying
I laughed (a lot), I cried (a little) and twards the end of the book when the mystery wrapped up, I didn't want the tale to end.
Superb story, cleverly written and highly reccomended.
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this book was, "Carl Hiaasen woudn't steer us wrong, would he?" apparently not, the book was great. A tangled mystery with a surprise ending told by the flock of sheep owned by the shepherd that was murdered. The sheep characters are rich and well developed with personalities that endear them to the reader immediately. The language and dialogue is fast easy reading but not without thoughtful poetic moments. I laughed (a lot), I cried (a little) and twards the end of the book when the mystery wrapped up, I didn't want the tale to end.
Superb story, cleverly written and highly reccomended.
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LibraryThing member smik
The premise of THREE BAGS FULL is simple. Glenkill shepherd George Glenn is found dead in the paddock, murdered, a heavy spade stuck through his middle. So we have a murder mystery.
But what isn't so simple is that the tale of the investigation is told from the point of view of his flock, a rag
Miss Maple impatiently scraped grass and earth up with her hoof. 'But it happened,' she said. 'There must be an end to the story. If George had finished the detective story we would know how it ended. And I want to know. You want to know too, I know you're curious about it. You just don't want to bother your sheepy heads.'
'It's too much for us,' said Cordelia, embarrassed. 'So many human things that we can't understand. And there's no-one to explain words to us now.'
Seeing things from a sheep's point of view with half-understanding can certainly be extremely perplexing and I thought Swann did a very good job of passing this perplexity on to the reader. There were times I was really scratching my head trying to work out what on earth was happening. I think I got the events straight, and I certainly know who killed George.
There were glimmers of ANIMAL FARM in this book, but Swann's ability to sustain the satire is nowhere near as good as Orwell's. There are some interesting characters among the flock, and also among the townspeople. We are given lots of clues that enable us to piece together events that have occurred in the last seven years (the span of a sheep's memory).
But this is not a book that will suit the impatient reader. Other reviewers have commented on how slow it is in patches, and I don't think Leonie Swann manages to sustain it's allegorical nature all the way through.
How to categorise it? A cozy perhaps, but not particularly light. There are little puzzles that keep the grey cells working all the time, and it is easy to miss a clue or two, with the result that what is happening becomes totally incomprehensible. There's humour too - Melmoth the disappearing ram for example; the minister hearing confession behind the grill and then discovering it is actually Othello in the box; the Winter Lamb, a troublemaker with a yen to be involved.
But what isn't so simple is that the tale of the investigation is told from the point of view of his flock, a rag
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taggle collection of rare breeds put together by George for their wool and rarity. George has been working on their intelligence too, reading to them every day. The cleverest sheep in the flock is Miss Maple, and her enquiring mind won't let her leave the puzzle of George's death alone. She is assisted by some other notable characters such as Othello, a black Hebridean sheep with four horns, who was once in a circus, and Mopple, a very stout Merino ram who never forgets anything.Miss Maple impatiently scraped grass and earth up with her hoof. 'But it happened,' she said. 'There must be an end to the story. If George had finished the detective story we would know how it ended. And I want to know. You want to know too, I know you're curious about it. You just don't want to bother your sheepy heads.'
'It's too much for us,' said Cordelia, embarrassed. 'So many human things that we can't understand. And there's no-one to explain words to us now.'
Seeing things from a sheep's point of view with half-understanding can certainly be extremely perplexing and I thought Swann did a very good job of passing this perplexity on to the reader. There were times I was really scratching my head trying to work out what on earth was happening. I think I got the events straight, and I certainly know who killed George.
There were glimmers of ANIMAL FARM in this book, but Swann's ability to sustain the satire is nowhere near as good as Orwell's. There are some interesting characters among the flock, and also among the townspeople. We are given lots of clues that enable us to piece together events that have occurred in the last seven years (the span of a sheep's memory).
But this is not a book that will suit the impatient reader. Other reviewers have commented on how slow it is in patches, and I don't think Leonie Swann manages to sustain it's allegorical nature all the way through.
How to categorise it? A cozy perhaps, but not particularly light. There are little puzzles that keep the grey cells working all the time, and it is easy to miss a clue or two, with the result that what is happening becomes totally incomprehensible. There's humour too - Melmoth the disappearing ram for example; the minister hearing confession behind the grill and then discovering it is actually Othello in the box; the Winter Lamb, a troublemaker with a yen to be involved.
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LibraryThing member the_awesome_opossum
A sheep detective story! George the shepherd is found dead in a field one day, with a spade shoved straight through him. His sheep, shepherd-less and terribly loyal, take it upon themselves to solve the crime. This was a fun book, a good whodunnit from an unusual point of view. The sheep are all
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colorful characters that the reader gets to know throughout the novel, and it's interesting to consider what misconceptions they would have about how the world works. Nice fun fluffy (woolly ;-) ) read Show Less
LibraryThing member moekane
original concept, entertaining characters and perspective, but at times unevenly sustained.
LibraryThing member sanddancer
I thought the idea for this book was a great one. I loved the different sheep characters with their names appropriate to their personalities, and the human world seen through their eyes were often comic. However, I thought the book was far too long for the slightness of the story and would have
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benefitted from more ruthless editing. Show Less
LibraryThing member Shirezu
An interesting concept that had me wanting to read it the moment I was told about it. Set in rural Ireland this books is about a flock of smarter-than-your-average sheep who set out to discover the truth behind the murder of their beloved shepherd. Led by the smartest sheep, Miss Maple, the rest of
I loved the sheep. They made for the best characters. Mopple and Zora were the best for me. I'd have liked to have seen more of Miss Maple. As much as they spoke and acted you never forgot they were sheep. Easily distracted by a nice bit of grass and scared of almost everything.
But the great writing of the sheep in turn led to what was the weakest part of the book. The humans. By the end of the book I didn't really care about why George died or who did it. I started it for the sheep and they were the reason I finished it. I also would have liked a little less Othello. There was a little too much focus on him which detracted from the rest of the flock.
A fun read, I did enjoy it. I wonder though if the sheep took too much attention away from the plot. I think this could make for a good movie as well.
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the flock, including Othello (the black sheep - literally and figuratively), Mopple (the sheep who never forgets), Sir Ritchfield (the aged lead ram) and a host of others, search for clues and motives in a village which isn't as nice and clean as it portrays itself.I loved the sheep. They made for the best characters. Mopple and Zora were the best for me. I'd have liked to have seen more of Miss Maple. As much as they spoke and acted you never forgot they were sheep. Easily distracted by a nice bit of grass and scared of almost everything.
But the great writing of the sheep in turn led to what was the weakest part of the book. The humans. By the end of the book I didn't really care about why George died or who did it. I started it for the sheep and they were the reason I finished it. I also would have liked a little less Othello. There was a little too much focus on him which detracted from the rest of the flock.
A fun read, I did enjoy it. I wonder though if the sheep took too much attention away from the plot. I think this could make for a good movie as well.
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LibraryThing member porch_reader
I had heard about this book when it came out, and at the time, it aroused my interest. A mystery in which a shepherd is killed and the sheep try to find the murderer - it seemed like a clever premise. But the book doesn't quite deliver.
There were a few things that I liked about the book. The sheep
But much of the plot was a bit fuzzy to me (pun intended). Perhaps that is because the story is being told from the perspective of sheep. Even so, it was difficult to piece together the story, and the whodunit seemed to come out of the blue. Most everyone in my book group was somewhat on the fence about this one.
There were a few things that I liked about the book. The sheep
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are incredibly interesting characters with distinct talents and personalities. Swann does a good job telling the story through their eyes, providing details (types of grass, different scents) that sheep would notice. And there are some pretty funny moments, mostly based on human-sheep misunderstandings. But much of the plot was a bit fuzzy to me (pun intended). Perhaps that is because the story is being told from the perspective of sheep. Even so, it was difficult to piece together the story, and the whodunit seemed to come out of the blue. Most everyone in my book group was somewhat on the fence about this one.
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LibraryThing member seitherin
Light, entertaining read about a flock of sheep intent on solving the mystery surrounding the death of their shepherd.
LibraryThing member Kendall41
A cute, fun read. Not a lot more. Once you accept Swann's unlikely premise, the rest pretty much follow from there.
LibraryThing member FicusFan
A fun, quirky book about a flock of sheep investigating the death of their shepherd.
The story is told from the POV of the sheep. There are several main sheep characters. They are not super or alien sheep, just sheep that were cared for and respected by their shepherd. The sheep have a small amount
I hope the story of their journey to Europe continues.
The story is told from the POV of the sheep. There are several main sheep characters. They are not super or alien sheep, just sheep that were cared for and respected by their shepherd. The sheep have a small amount
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of knowledge of the human world, so they see things sheep-centricly. The author does a good job keeping to the sheep POV, though at times it makes the story that deals with the humans and they mystery seem disjointed.I hope the story of their journey to Europe continues.
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Subjects
Awards
Friedrich-Glauser-Preis (Winner — 2006)
Language
Original publication date
2005
Physical description
352 p.; 7.8 inches
ISBN
0552773387 / 9780552773386
Local notes
A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd.