A Great Concept Falls Flat - I'm Stoked for the 2026 Movie Adaptation!

Hello!

I was super hyped to dive into The Lamb Detective after catching a glimpse of the upcoming movie trailer. Unfortunately, the book didn't quite live up to my expectations. Still, I'd be down to give it another shot.

xa0

About the Story

One morning, the sheep stumble upon their owner's lifeless body - someone had whacked him with a spade. The animals decide to solve the mystery, and you'll find out how they went about it in the book.

Audio Book

I managed to get through most of the book in audio format. There are a ton of characters in this one - I always struggle with books like this, especially when there are similar names (in this case, nicknames). At the beginning of the book, there was a list of all the characters, and I had to spend some time studying it - I realized I wouldn't be able to keep track of everyone in audio format. So, I started reading the physical book, but around a quarter of the way in, I switched to audio.

I listened to it on Yandex Books, and the audio version lasts 12 hours, but I always crank up the speed - the standard pace feels too slow to me. If I don't have any issues with the characters, the storyline is pretty straightforward to follow in audio. I usually listen while driving or when I'm busy with household chores.The narrator is Kirill Radciq. This was my first time listening to him, and I really enjoyed it. He doesn't just read the text; he acts out the roles, trying to change his voice and tone. So, the text doesn't blend into a single narrative.

Overall Impression

My first observation was that there are a lot of characters with hooves in this story. The main plot revolves around a whole herd of animals, including several sheep with different abilities. It takes time to get to know everyone and visualize them in your head. Because of this, it's hard to keep track of who's who, why a particular sheep is involved in a certain scene, and so on.

But what I loved about the investigation being led by sheep is the comedic promise it holds. I mean, who wouldn't want to read about sheep solving mysteries? It's a clever play on anthropomorphism, where animals are given human-like qualities, in this case, the ability to think and reason. And the author doesn't shy away from classic sheep behaviors, like how they react to loud noises, bad weather, and their nighttime sleep patterns. The story itself is quite comedic, and I found it easy to imagine most of the scenes playing out in my head. Some of them were so funny that I couldn't help but chuckle while reading. I'm not sure if the author's talent or the sheep's natural charm is what drives the plot, but either way, it works. And I have to say, it's entertaining to see how the author represents the sheep's thought processes and the conclusions they come to. However, I found the plot to be a bit dragged out. I think the book's length is too big for a story like this. At first, I was invested in the world of the characters, then I enjoyed the comedic moments, but eventually, I felt like the investigation was lacking the necessary momentum. I wanted something to happen, but it just didn't. I also have to say that I didn't like where the investigation led. The events that unfold seem to clash with the overall atmosphere of the story. It's not to say that it can't happen, but it didn't quite work for me. I've got to say, the ending was a real surprise. And yeah, I'm glad I stuck with it - the finale was a game-changer. I mean, I was getting a bit bored towards the end, but the way it all wrapped up was amazing.

THE ADAPTATION

The movie's called The Sheep Detectives (The Ovine Detectives), and it's set to hit theaters on May 8th, 2026. And from what I've seen in the dubbed trailer on Kinopoisk, it's supposed to get a proper release in Russia too.

The cast is pretty stacked - Hugh Jackman, Emma Thompson, Molly Gordon, and more. The sheep are CGI, but they're voiced by real people. All things considered, I'm actually pretty stoked for the adaptation, despite the book being a bit of a snooze-fest. The trailer looked cool, but maybe it's just a highlight reel?

Check out some of my other book reviews:

Chasing a Turtle, by Carl Safina

When Trees Sing, by B.W. Walker

Elegy for a Hillbilly, by J.D. Vance (yeah, that's the ex-VP)

The Wife of a Killer, by Victor Metos