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OK - finished this morning. Although I was a little neutral in the first part of the novel, I warmed to Cormorant Strike more as the story progressed. In the end, despite the constant references to his missing leg (ok, I get it), I found his character worthwhile.
I still wasn't overly impressed with Robin's character as she seemed to be portrayed as an efficient, switched-on professional and then as a childish, starry-eyed daydreamer. But despite her inconsistent and rather annoying portrayal, her prominence waned in the shadow of Strike, so she didn't end up damaging my enjoyment too much as I continued reading.
There were a few times where the shifting POV was a bit annoying. For example, there were a couple of times where the first paragraph of a chapter would start from Robin's point of view only to immediately shift to Strike's. It happened a few times when they were together in the story.
The plot itself I enjoyed. Initially, I picked the correct killer, but was convinced enough by revelations here and there to shift my suspicions to different characters. I agree that it was pretty convoluted. Enough sub-plots were woven in that you could legitimately sense guilt in multiple quarters - all the better to muddy the waters. The book gave the classic climax with the crime explained which, although hardly an original idea, is satisfying.
So, in the end, I liked the book. I thought it was a nice blend of classic whodunnit with a healthy dollop of noir.
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