My short summary of this book to Rob was, "Mom picked it out. About an orphan girl surviving WW2 Poland by wandering the wilderness. There's a mystery about who the swallow man is. Has been good, if sad," which pretty much sums up the book.

It's a quick read. I hadn't realized until just as I'm writing this review that it is a young adult / teen's book, which pretty much explains the quick read, short number of pages, and easy plot. That all said, it is a moving book, sad not only because of the horrors going on around a seven year old girl who understands much and understands so little about human nature and the war raging around her in Poland during World War 2, but also because of the personal heartache of the loss of a friend, trusted companion, and father-figure, even as he is still there physically.

I liked how the characters began shallow and deepened as the book progressed.

And how the reader is reminded, as the characters are, that life is more than just existing.

This is the third of three books currently published in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith / J. K. Rowling. This one was also the most grisly (which, well, given all the violence in the world, isn't actually THAT grisly), and the one I read the fastest. Picked it up last night, finished it today.

Continuing in the series, we have Robin Ellacott still unable to communicate effectively with Cormoran, about needs and wants and desires. Cormoran isn't special, though: she can't communicate with her fiancee, Matthew Cunliffe either. We have the continual male-female tension between Cormoran and Robin, both attracted to each other but neither admitting it or moving forward with it, the tension made doubly so with a shocking (not shocking) revelation from Matthew early(-ish) in the book.

My enjoyment of characters and plot development in the last book lead me to believe I would enjoy this one, which I did for the most part. We learn a lot more of Robin, which is great, and a bit more of Cormoran, which is also great. We don't really learn that much about Matthew, other than he's still a money-obsessed asshat, but I suspect that's what J.K. want us to feel, so shrug on that one.

The delivery of the bottom half of a woman's leg, along with a couple other incidents of violence against various women, made parts of the story uncomfortable, but I think that's likely the point. The mystery's solution was revealed slowly, and in a good way to not have the reader going WTF, NO, which is good. I hope there's another Cormoran Strike novel, I'm enjoying the mysteries.

After reading The Cuckoo's Calling, I started reading Anna and the Swallow Man, managing all of 10 pages before I really wanted to read more about Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin. I guess that means that CC was a good enough book that I wanted to follow the characters again, dropping another book for it.

I did not see this book's mystery revelation coming. I love that about this book, and Rowling's adult mystery writing. I did think "SO MANY WORDS" when I read this book, as with all of Rowling's latest books it seems, and that Rowling really needs an editor to help cut down on how many words she likes to write. I thought this of the last four Harry Potters, and I think that about CC and this book. So. Many. Words.

This book continued the life of Cormoran Strike, after he started to gain success from the previous book's mystery's solving. After dealing with a lot of soul sucking cases, Cormoran takes the case of a distraught woman looking for her husband to come home. Her motivation wasn't punishment or anger or suspicion, but a desire for her family to be whole again. This hit a nerve with Cormoran causing him to take the case. He finds the husband, and a who-done-it mystery at the same time.

I'm enjoying these Strike books, and look forward to reading the third one, too.