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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
2.5 stars
Way too long and far too many untranslated Italian phrases scattered throughout. Also, I felt the mystery and all the loose ends were tied up very quickly and easily after 700 pages.
Way too long and far too many untranslated Italian phrases scattered throughout. Also, I felt the mystery and all the loose ends were tied up very quickly and easily after 700 pages.
I can't believe I have read 18 Lynley novels by Elizabeth George! They tend to be gruesome but this one is not. It is long, some parts are slow and if you don't speak some Italian might be put off. I will say I was thrilled that the it took place in Lucca. I have been there and it is awesome - even drove on the wall and yes, that is against the law but Ed made a wrong turn. a story for another time. A god read and as the Kindle version was released on 10-15-13 and today is 10-19-13, I had a hard time putting it down!
I remember the moment where I decided to stop watching CSI: it was after the season ending cliff hanger where one of the team members was kidnapped by a serial killer. The season before that, in the last episode one the team was shot and presumed dead; and in the season before that, one of the team members was buried alive. For me, the point of watching CSI was the fascinating mysteries solved by forensic science; I was always only tangentially interested in the lives of the team members and I didn’t need cliff-hangers to keep me interested.
I think this is now, in part, why my interest in the Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series is waning. I just want to read a really good mystery but the focus of the mysteries have become too much about the lives of the detectives for my taste.
Now with a television show, I can kind of understand how this might happen since actors may grow tired of playing a limited range. But that doesn’t really make sense in fiction, unless it is George growing tired of her characters.
I will add, however, it is a testament to George’s talent that readers may become infuriated with the direction she has been taking over the last few books BECAUSE they love these characters she created.
CSI went on for something like 7 more seasons after I switched it off and George has already written book #20 in this series and is not showing any signs of stopping. I have one more book that I physically own. I will read it and if it sucks the way the last two books have sucked, I am pulling the plug on this series.
I think this is now, in part, why my interest in the Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series is waning. I just want to read a really good mystery but the focus of the mysteries have become too much about the lives of the detectives for my taste.
Now with a television show, I can kind of understand how this might happen since actors may grow tired of playing a limited range. But that doesn’t really make sense in fiction, unless it is George growing tired of her characters.
I will add, however, it is a testament to George’s talent that readers may become infuriated with the direction she has been taking over the last few books BECAUSE they love these characters she created.
CSI went on for something like 7 more seasons after I switched it off and George has already written book #20 in this series and is not showing any signs of stopping. I have one more book that I physically own. I will read it and if it sucks the way the last two books have sucked, I am pulling the plug on this series.
Havers! I love Barbara Havers inordinately, and I love that George gave us some fresh lenses through which to view her. And that each view solidified my appreciation of this complex, troubling, trouble-maker, truth-seeker of a detective sergeant. I also enjoyed the process Lynley went through in his personal life in this novel, and most of all, I admire and appreciate that George built her well-known and well-loved characters while having them deal with a case that was complex, heart-breaking, and tense.
Sono indecisa se essere indignata o solo triste: durante la lettura di questa vergogna mi sono detta che non è la George a scrivere, probabilmente ha un ghostwriter (o più di uno, viste le 957 ripetizioni) perché non è più in grado di scrivere o forse si è scocciata di Linley e Havers (pruriginosa sensazione che già mi aveva colpito nel libro precedente), non so.. Fatto sta che se invece lo avesse scritto lei e non fosse - per dire - affetta da demenza senile, l'indignazione sarebbe il minimo.
La George è un'autrice che venero, la consiglio sempre con grande piacere e soprattutto Linley e Havers sono sempre stati personaggi molto amati, quindi la pugnalata alle spalle è atroce.
Innanzi tutto il poco rispetto per il personaggio di Barbara che è totalmente snaturato, una pazza che agisce senza logica e per cui è veramente difficile fare il tifo. Il finale? RIDICOLO.
La scrittura è noiosa e ripetitiva, a volte credevo che come mio solito avessi premuto la parte sbagliata dello schermo del kindle e che fossi tornata indietro perché sono ripetute proprio frasi intere a distanza di nemmeno una pagina, cose davvero imbarazzanti, giuro!
Poi vabbé, sempre sostenuto che Linley e Havers fuori da Londra non danno mai il meglio di sé, ma questa avventura italiana è ai limiti del paradosso.. Oltre all'irrealtà dei personaggi fuori dal loro contesto, c'è anche la parte di stereotipi sul popolo italiani: siamo dipinti come un popolo di poveri deficienti, mammoni, sfaticati e tanto tanto cretini.
Un fallimento totale, che pianto
La George è un'autrice che venero, la consiglio sempre con grande piacere e soprattutto Linley e Havers sono sempre stati personaggi molto amati, quindi la pugnalata alle spalle è atroce.
Innanzi tutto il poco rispetto per il personaggio di Barbara che è totalmente snaturato, una pazza che agisce senza logica e per cui è veramente difficile fare il tifo. Il finale? RIDICOLO.
La scrittura è noiosa e ripetitiva, a volte credevo che come mio solito avessi premuto la parte sbagliata dello schermo del kindle e che fossi tornata indietro perché sono ripetute proprio frasi intere a distanza di nemmeno una pagina, cose davvero imbarazzanti, giuro!
Poi vabbé, sempre sostenuto che Linley e Havers fuori da Londra non danno mai il meglio di sé, ma questa avventura italiana è ai limiti del paradosso.. Oltre all'irrealtà dei personaggi fuori dal loro contesto, c'è anche la parte di stereotipi sul popolo italiani: siamo dipinti come un popolo di poveri deficienti, mammoni, sfaticati e tanto tanto cretini.
Un fallimento totale, che pianto
I adored this book! It gripped me from beginning to end, despite panning out like a car crash - I just knew bad things were going to happen but I couldn't look away. Elizabeth George kept her fingers on the dial and turned up the tension the whole way through the book- I may have had a few sleepless nights with this one!
I love George's style and I love her characters (I do hope we meet Salvatore again in another book! And I think I hate Corsico more than I'm supposed to, but I understand him, as well) and found it very amusing to meet Barbara through the eyes of the Italians for the first time. This book highlighted just how much of a wildcard Havers can be during the course of an investigation and certainly left the way open for more consequences and follow ups in the next novel. I can't beleive Havers still has a job!
My only complaint - I have to wait for the next book! WAAHHHHHH!
I love George's style and I love her characters (I do hope we meet Salvatore again in another book! And I think I hate Corsico more than I'm supposed to, but I understand him, as well) and found it very amusing to meet Barbara through the eyes of the Italians for the first time. This book highlighted just how much of a wildcard Havers can be during the course of an investigation and certainly left the way open for more consequences and follow ups in the next novel. I can't beleive Havers still has a job!
My only complaint - I have to wait for the next book! WAAHHHHHH!
didn't get far lynley was hardly in it. didnt like it at all :( and i like lynley.
It seems like the Lynley books get longer and longer as you go on. Ordinarily I love Barbara Havers, but I found myself getting annoyed with her in this one. By contrast, I found myself liking Isabelle Ardery (for a change), which I guess is good because it looks like she's here to stay.
This book could have used some editing without losing the story. It came in at 24 CDs (723 pages)
Barbara Havers' neighbour Taymullah Azhar has had his daughter taken by the girl's mother Angelina Upton. Angelina had disappeared herself for several months and then returned, and seemed to be back for good, redecorating the house and such, but it appears that this behaviour was just to lull Azhar into complacency before she took Hadiyyah.
Because the two were not married, and Azhar is not named as the father on the birth certificate, it seems he has little legal standing, and so Barbara helps him in hiring a private detective to find them two. He reports little headway in the search, until suddenly Angelina and her new Italian lover appear accusing Azhar of kidnapping Hadiyyah. It appears that she has disappeared from the Italian town where Angelina know lives.
Lynley is sent to Italy to liase with the Italian police on the investigation, a good choice as he speaks relatively fluent Italian. He develops a good relationship with the detective in charge of the case and there are several lines to follow in both countries.
Barbara lets her personal feelings for Azhar and Hadiyyah influence her to the point where she disregards her professional duties and makes some questionable contacts and judgment calls. These put her in a bad position in terms of work and with a supervisor who doesn't like her to begin with, may affect her future with the police.
We also see some of Lynley's personal life as he begins to move forward and show an interest in a woman again. Lynley wants to protect Barbara due to his knowledge of her good intentions and their history, but he can only do so much in the situation he now finds himself in.
When things in Italy escalate and a death occurs, things get more complex and a charge of murder is a distinct possibility.
An interesting case of parental rights, jealousy, and the difficulties of communicating in a different language and culture.
Barbara Havers' neighbour Taymullah Azhar has had his daughter taken by the girl's mother Angelina Upton. Angelina had disappeared herself for several months and then returned, and seemed to be back for good, redecorating the house and such, but it appears that this behaviour was just to lull Azhar into complacency before she took Hadiyyah.
Because the two were not married, and Azhar is not named as the father on the birth certificate, it seems he has little legal standing, and so Barbara helps him in hiring a private detective to find them two. He reports little headway in the search, until suddenly Angelina and her new Italian lover appear accusing Azhar of kidnapping Hadiyyah. It appears that she has disappeared from the Italian town where Angelina know lives.
Lynley is sent to Italy to liase with the Italian police on the investigation, a good choice as he speaks relatively fluent Italian. He develops a good relationship with the detective in charge of the case and there are several lines to follow in both countries.
Barbara lets her personal feelings for Azhar and Hadiyyah influence her to the point where she disregards her professional duties and makes some questionable contacts and judgment calls. These put her in a bad position in terms of work and with a supervisor who doesn't like her to begin with, may affect her future with the police.
We also see some of Lynley's personal life as he begins to move forward and show an interest in a woman again. Lynley wants to protect Barbara due to his knowledge of her good intentions and their history, but he can only do so much in the situation he now finds himself in.
When things in Italy escalate and a death occurs, things get more complex and a charge of murder is a distinct possibility.
An interesting case of parental rights, jealousy, and the difficulties of communicating in a different language and culture.
After following characters for so many years I think it's remarkable that the author still managed to surprise me and show me just another different layer. I'm not sure whether I really liked what I discovered in this novel about Havers and Lynley - but I leave that for the following books to decide.
What I always love about the books are the descriptions of scenery - some might say unnecessary detailed - but for me they really paint a picture in my head which makes it easier for me to just escape the real world while reading.
What I always love about the books are the descriptions of scenery - some might say unnecessary detailed - but for me they really paint a picture in my head which makes it easier for me to just escape the real world while reading.