The Luminaries

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!

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.

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.

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’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.

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

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.

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 . .

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.

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!

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 have read the book....yes, it takes some ploughing through as others have said.?
The only reason that I persevered is that it was so wonderfully descriptive, evocative, and generally well written.
What it needed was some serious editing.
The main female character ( can’t remember her name) is a prostitute and heroin addict, and every man seems to be in love with her.I found her very tiresome.

I watched it last night and probably won’t bother to watch further episodes as it had two things that annoy me: scenes in the dark and hopping back and forth in time

Well I m no further forward tonight after the second one than I was after the first one
No not really enjoying it

I watched the first part but with the combination of unending gloom and endless flashbacks and flash forwards I was no wiser at the end. I'm recording tonight's and might have another look at it.

There's always the playground of the rich which is Monaco on BBC2, which I was watching until this series started.
It's like a very rich Benidorm

Really pleased to read the above reviews as I thought it was just me being confused by time shifts.

I forgot to watch it last night but was thinking of watching it on i-Player. However, I tried to read it when it first came out and didn't get very far. 'Dark' was my main impression so I'm not surprised to read the impressions on this thread. So thanks very much, everyone. You've saved me from the boredom of confirming my previous impressions of the book.

I posted on the other thread about this

it seems to be yet another BBC drama set partly in the dark. Is it just me?
Those were DH's words too
Another dark and dismal BBC drama so we can scarcely see what's going on.

I have read many books about early European settlement in New Zealand and Australia and any one could have been televised and made into much better drama than this.

OK, so she is illiterate - but is she that stupid too? If you found your purse would you not take it and go? Unless, of course, she had worked as a prostitute in London and that was her intention, to go to the goldfields as a prostitute and get rich that way.

phoenix to arrive in NZ that well dressed and clean after weeks at sea she can't have travelled cattle class so must have had some money.

I don't mind a few spoilers please, Terribull - if you type SPOILER at the top of the post others can avoid it. I won't have to watch the rest then.

I was going to watch until I saw those 3 dreaded words “Booker Prize Winner” guaranteed borefest

The critic in Radio Times said it was a bit bonkers... I haven't seen it yet, but have recorded the first episode.

A bit of useless information about the lead actress, Eve Hewson, Bono's daughter no less! not that she can make the plot any better, so if it doesn't grab you now it probably never will. I don't know why I'm bothering to watch it really other than my husband says he will continue with it

I watched but was not inspired by it at all I ll see if it revs up at all tonight but so far it’s a ??

It didn’t look very Bloomsbury set, Terribull!

I shall delete it from my Kindle. I’ve got lots more enjoyable books to read.

SueDonin, definitely not about the Bloomsbury set! 25Avalon, don't be impressed, I shouldn't have persevered it was a waste of time, Booker prize no less, but as with others that have won that accolade that doesn't always mean it's going to be good, well an enjoyable read is subjective of course, but lets just say I've read worse particularly Booker Prize winners! that said "The Luminaries" was far from what I'd call a good read. I don't think this series is going to be a great success somehow or other.

I've just seen I've made a mistake in my first post meant "Normal People" not "Ordinary People".