The Luminaries

I watched both episodes and thoroughly enjoyed them. I will definitely keep watching the rest of the series. DH on the other hand fell asleep during both of them.

I tried it for the first episode. I can't say that I enjoyed it, and won't bother with any more.
I might try the book, but it's 800 pages long!

The only problem with it for me was the constant going back to the past story and returning to the current time. I’d rather it start at the beginning and just keep going to the end without the flashbacks. This seems to be a trend which can be very confusing. Have not read the book so I don’t know if it was written like that.

Watched first episode from record tonight , certainly not impressed, too dark and uninspiring , pretty awful really , glad I’m not the only one who didn’t like it . .

I enjoyed the second episode. I’m surprised at myself as normally all the things people here are mentioning would annoy me, too, but I’ve got right into it. I don’t mind the time hops, for once I’m managing to keep up.

The men, though. All the European men seem to look alike, to me - bearded and grubby.

I watched about 5 minutes of episode 2, and thought blow this, switched off and watched a repeat of Strike on I player.

I’m enjoying it after a shaky start as I didn’t realise that the flash backs were just that and got very confused. I’m hooked now though.

DH on the other hand, took himself off with a good book to avoid last nights episode.

Please would someone who has read the book tell me if it is written in flashbacks, or if it goes from the start to the end in a straight line. I might read it without flashbacks but not if it has. This is the most annoying part of the TV series. We watched the first two, not sure if we'll continue. A shame really, I do love a costume drama.

I thought I would stick with it and watch the second episode but soon got distracted by a book. I don't think I will be watching it again.

Mouseybrown60

The only problem with it for me was the constant going back to the past story and returning to the current time. I’d rather it start at the beginning and just keep going to the end without the flashbacks. This seems to be a trend which can be very confusing. Have not read the book so I don’t know if it was written like that.

It is annoying, isn't it!

I've just read a book which flips back and forth from present day Australia to 1800s South America and just as I became absorbed in one story, the next chapter changed back.

Couldn’t get on with it at all.
Found it disjointed, hard to follow and some aspects just not believable - particularly women in those circs. looking so pristinely clean and groomed!

I turned the first showing off after about 10 mins, just didnt grab me.

I don’t usually mind flashbacks but this is like major flipping
I m getting seasick I think I ll watch it all in one go I might get better continuity
I m quite muddled as to whether people are alive /dead in prison / out of prison Not done themselves any favours here unless the book was a flip flopper too

Rubysong, I mentioned up-thread that I had tried to read it but given up. I doubt if it becomes more inspiring by adaptation to the small screen.

I’ve read the book, it was a bit of a challenge, I found it quite hard to follow and difficult to identify the many characters but I have to say it stayed with me, you know how some books do. I was surprised to see it adapted for tv to only 6 episodes for such a huge book. I’ve watched the first episode but told my OH not to bother has he hasn’t got the level of concentration needed and would be continually asking me who was who and it drives me nuts. I think it would be hard to follow if you haven’t read the book. Will watch the next episodes on iPlayer But may not stick with it the whole,way...

I found t hard to follow and very dark but the sheer unlikelihood was what really got me. She arrived on a boat apparently without making contact with anyone until she saw a man laid on the deck. What????!!! During a long voyage she would have been forced into close contact with a great many people and some of them would have wanted to keep contact with her, if only because she was a woman and there was a shortage of women.

The start of the book is nothing like the series.
It starts on board the boat, but there is what appears to be the ghost of a murdered man with blood pouring from him, down in the hold ( in the book.)
Can’t say more without spoiling the story. The series has changed things around quite a bit to suit itself, but isn’t bad, just a tad confusing for anyone who doesn’t know the story.
Acting and dialogue are good.

I am on the 3rd episode, and it is still so confusing I think I'll give up. Shame because the idea of a story set in those times in New Zealand appeals. It is just so hard to follow, especially all the mystic stuff.

H described it as a load of “drivel”. I wouldn’t say that but agree it is hard to follow especially the bits in the dark! It’s also difficult to fathom who the various men are.I shall continue watching it while H falls asleep as there’s nothing else on a Sunday night.Come back Poldark and Downton!

We have been watching it, I don't want to watch any more episodes but Mr Barmey wants to stick with it. Me, I find it confusing with these flash backs and the story is a bit slow.

I can't watch it. The story is so vapid the effort to understand the flashbacks and deliberate smokiness is not worth a minute of my time and energy.

Drama is expensive to produce and this one has not redeeming features and will be a big failure.

As stated in a previous post, I read the book when it first came out and have forgotten the intricacies of the plot, it's firmly planted in my memory of being over 800 pages and tedious. Strangely, my husband seems to be enjoying it which is why we have it on and now he's having to explain the finer details to me because it seems I'm still baffled after the book and the series but then I'm prone to drifting off!

especially the bits in the dark
Every drama made by the BBC lately is so dark we wondered if they haven't paid the electricity bill and they've been cut off.

It makes it difficult to know what's going on and none are viewer friendly

?

I watched the third episode last night and finding it hard going I keep hoping it will get better not relaxing viewing for me on a Sunday evening I'll be giving it a miss