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(More customer reviews)If you're a fan of Alexander McCall Smith, as I am, you may notice in The Charming Quirks of Others that Isabel Dalhousie is turning into an insecure, lighter-weight, Scottish sketch of Mme Ramotswe (of his Ladies' Detective Agency series). The "detective" work she does has become a much smaller part of the novel. The story lines in general are less developed and detailed than previous books in the series as well as by the author in general. There also are significant parts of stories that are treated with back of the envelope resolutions by the end of the book (such as the one with Lettuce) -- an unwelcome inconsistency with his previous works. And, well, while I hate to say it, Isabel comes off as whiny in this one.
I'm glad that Isabel is with Jamie full-time now, her interactions with him in this novel make her seem less of the independent woman she has been in the previous books. McCall Smith also has cut Jamie a bit thin as a character. I was dismayed to discover that the relationship Isabel has with her niece has deteriorated into jealous sniping as well. The bits about Charlie are satisfying and realistic.
There are the customary nods to artists of Edinburgh and a few key locals tossed in, but not as many as you would expect of an Alexander McCall Smith novel. Usually, there are lengthy discussions of the country's gorgeous landscape, and of the islands, but there were few mentions of it in this book.
Overall, I was disappointed with this one, as I have of his latest books. Sadly, he set the bar very high in his earlier novels and is now falling a bit short.
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