Three Bags Full

When a shepherd is found dead in the field, his flock of sheep are determined to uncover what happened even though they have no way to talk to suspects, reveal to humans what they have found, or, for that matter, fully understand the often incomprehensible and seemingly irrational behaviour of humans. But these are very clever sheep, especially Miss Maple, because their shepherd had read to them daily and they will not let anything stand in their way, well, except the occasional distraction of finding a particularly tasty patch of grass.

Three Bags Full by German author, Leonie Swann, and translated by Anthea Bell is a very charming, clever, and often humorous cozy mystery. The sheep each have their own unique personality and the show more mystery, as seen through their eyes, is a whole lot of fun. But the story also deals with some very deep issues like depression, loss, importance of community, and the need for justice. A unique and enjoyable read and one that I know I will read again.

Thanks to Netgalley and Allison and Busby for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less

It's difficult to describe this uniquely inventive yet charming book. I expected a mystery typical of many cozies that are "solved" by cats but I was far off target. Instead, the mystery of the shepherd's unexpected death and the investigation by his flock, is mere background for the allegorical nature of the book. Who would have imagined a flock of sheep could have such well-developed individual characters while continuing to behave exactly like sheep? Swann introduced a number of dark topics but all the while maintained the innocence of the flock who remain sheeply in all respects. It's more light-hearted than funny, and although it has melancholy moments, more contemplative than sad. Swann has introduced me to new friends and I show more sincerely hope there will be future meetings. show less

A thoroughly enjoyable shift in perspective. Swann takes us inside the thoughts of sheep as they work to understand human motivations and bring justice to the murderer of their shepherd George. They are guided by the books George has read to them over their lifetime, and the explanations he has provided. They decide that humans, like sheep, are herd animals and don't like those who are outside their herd. They see that humans, like sheep, are ruled by what they fear and so they try to understand what a human would be afraid of. They confuse 'mete' with 'meat', 'grass' with 'grass (a/k/a pot)', and think the priest's name is 'god' which leads to confusion about his role. They think humans, despite being dimmer than sheep, won't be able show more to miss the clues they provide.
Although I've actually never read any Miss Marple mysteries, I've heard enough about her that it was amusing to have the lead sheep investigator named Maple. show less

I love a book with a unique perspective; I've read books told by typewriters (Olivetti), paintings (The Improbability of Love), trees (Wishtree), birds (Hollow Kingdom), pigs (Animal Farm, Charlotte's Web) and now, SHEEP! This is a traditional mystery, but the sleuth is a flock of Irish sheep who investigate what happened to their shepherd, George. With the innocence of the little boy in Room and the cluelessness of my beloved Joyce in The Thursday Murder Club, these sheep are a hoot. I was laughing out loud while sipping on my Sleepy Time tea. These sheep have woolpower and tenacity in spades. They're fantastic. I have NO CLUE how this will be adapted. Is it animated like Chicken Run? Or will it be more like Babe? Charlotte's Web? I show more don't know but I am very interested in finding out more. (I found out more...apparently live action, retitled to The Sheep Detectives, with Emma Thompson and Hugh Jackman, to be released Mother's Day weekend 2026.) show less

Sheep who solve a murder? Yes, that is the premise of this mystery. Sounds crazy, right? It is but in a fun way.

Shepherd George Glenn cares deeply for his sheep. He even reads to them every day. His flock is very loyal to him in turn. When they find him dead in the pasture, killed by a spade, they decide that they need to figure out who killed him, using some of the knowledge they’ve gained from George reading them mysteries. The main sheep investigating the murder are Miss Maple, Othello, and Mopple the Whale. They are thoughtful and philosophical (there’s even a debate about whether human beings have souls or not) and they overhear a lot of information from the people around them. They are well drawn and have very distinct show more characters with their own foibles, strengths, and fears. Sometimes following the sheep’s reasoning is difficult and it’s hard to tell if that’s a translation issue or if it is meant to be written that way because, well, sheep. In general it was entertaining to be in the minds of the sheep, to watch them try to reason out the motive behind the murder, to try to understand the confounding humans, to get distracted by good grass and herbs, to try and connect the clues they’ve stumbled across, and in the end, to share their conclusion with the people who can bring the murderer to justice. The end was a little drawn out but overall it was a pleasing read. show less

Shaun the Sheep meets Midsomer Murders. Absolutely delightful. This is told from the point of view of a flock of very clever sheep. They find their beloved shepherd murdered, and are determined to find the culprit, despite a less-than-complete understanding of humans. The book has a silly premise, but is very cleverly executed. The sheep are delightful characters, and it is fun observing humans through their eyes and understanding more than the sheep do about what they are watching.

Bellissimo, mi è piaciuto assai più di quanto mi aspettassi!
Innanzitutto, è molto divertente, e questo lo immaginavo. Ha cominciato a farmi sorridere già prima di iniziare, col Dramatis Oves! :) Poi è ricco di situazioni buffe dovute ai fraintendimenti da parte delle pecore di alcune questioni umane.
Bello anche l’elemento giallo, le indagini delle pecore, la tensione che spesso era acuita dal fatto che, guardando tutto dal loro punto di vista, anche noi lettori capivamo molte meno cose! ;)
Ma soprattutto, quello cha da questo libro non mi aspettavo, è che oltre a essere divertente e avvincente, è ricco anche di molto, molto altro. Queste pecore così umane contrapposte agli uomini che spesso si dimostrano a loro volta molto show more ovini, mi hanno conquistata da ogni punto di vista. Non solo per i singoli personaggi (mi riferisco sempre agli ovini, eh!), che, senza eccezione, ho amato dal primo all’ultimo, ma anche per il loro insieme, il gregge, appunto. Infatti, mi chiedevo come mai il libro non si intitolasse semplicemente “Miss Maple”, visto che è lei la protagonista: bè, semplicemente perché mi sbagliavo, protagonista di questo libro è il gregge. Quello di pecore, ognuna con le sue caratteristiche, i suoi pregi e le sue virtù, i suoi amori e le sue paure (che spesso, come accade per noi -guarda un po’!- coincidono), ma anche quello degli umani, Glennkill, il villaggio, così triste, confuso, meschino… insomma, noi bipedi non ci facciamo gran bella figura, con i nostri pensieri calvi, così ipocriti di rumori, traditori di odori.
Davvero mi ha colpito oltre ogni dire questo romanzo! E’ pure stampato su carta “amica delle foreste” (riciclata senza cloro), quindi nessun albero è stato abbattuto per permettermi il piacere di leggerlo. Insomma, cosa si può volere di più? :)

http://www.naufragio.it/iltempodileggere/4087 show less