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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
I figured out what had happened pretty early on in the story. At first I was frustrated by that but upon reflection I think the author intends for that to happen. It adds to the suspense, because if you know who did what, but not exactly how or when, and you know others know, you wonder when it will all come out in the open.
The characters are well drawn and the suspense does build through to the last third of the book, when Tey states straight out that the events of the next day will change everyone's lives forever. And she wasn't kidding.
The characters are well drawn and the suspense does build through to the last third of the book, when Tey states straight out that the events of the next day will change everyone's lives forever. And she wasn't kidding.
Quite good - wonderful characters - wish the last third didn't feel so rushed and abrupt.
Free download at Project Gutenberg Australia
Chapter 1:
"At this same table had eaten Ashbys who had died of fever in India, of wounds in the Crimea, of starvation in Queensland, of typhoid at the Cape, and of cirrhosis of the liver in the Straits Settlements. But always there had been an Ashby at Latchetts; and they had done well by the land."
"No queens had come to Latchetts to dine; no cavaliers to hide. For three hundred years it had stood in its meadows very much as it stood now; a yeoman’s dwelling. And for nearly two of those three hundred years Ashbys had lived in it."
"But the Ashbys stayed at Latchetts."
Chapter 18:
"Antipathy or no antipathy, common sense or no common sense, he wanted to know where Simon Ashby was when his twin went over the Westover cliffs."
Page 176:
"Some day, Brat Farrar, he thought as he walked down the path to the Rectory, you are going to be faced with something that you couldn’t possibly have forgotten."
Page 219:
“I suppose because you are the only one who doesn’t believe that I am Patrick.”
“You mean, don’t you, that I’m the only one who knows you’re not?”"
Another splendid gothic mystery written by Josephine Tey which books are becoming available at public domain.
Chapter 1:
"At this same table had eaten Ashbys who had died of fever in India, of wounds in the Crimea, of starvation in Queensland, of typhoid at the Cape, and of cirrhosis of the liver in the Straits Settlements. But always there had been an Ashby at Latchetts; and they had done well by the land."
"No queens had come to Latchetts to dine; no cavaliers to hide. For three hundred years it had stood in its meadows very much as it stood now; a yeoman’s dwelling. And for nearly two of those three hundred years Ashbys had lived in it."
"But the Ashbys stayed at Latchetts."
Chapter 18:
"Antipathy or no antipathy, common sense or no common sense, he wanted to know where Simon Ashby was when his twin went over the Westover cliffs."
Page 176:
"Some day, Brat Farrar, he thought as he walked down the path to the Rectory, you are going to be faced with something that you couldn’t possibly have forgotten."
Page 219:
“I suppose because you are the only one who doesn’t believe that I am Patrick.”
“You mean, don’t you, that I’m the only one who knows you’re not?”"
Another splendid gothic mystery written by Josephine Tey which books are becoming available at public domain.
A young orphan tries to pass himself off as the heir of an English family. In the process, he falls in love and solves an old family murder. This has some wonderful plot twists.
I simply love this book. I have a particular thing for impersonation/impostor/decoy plots, so that part makes sense.
***
I had to do a reread. I still love this book.
***
I had to do a reread. I still love this book.
4,5 estrellas.
Josephine Tey aúna la sofisticación "British" con un toque de maldad y mala idea deliciosas.
Muestra esa ideal campiña inglesa, con personajes entrañables y otros muchos excéntricos, hace gala de un sutil sentido del humor, te rodea de todo ese aire de amabilidad, pero deja entrever pequeñas sombras, una tensión que va subiendo poco a poco hasta hacerte incapaz de soltar el libro de lo mucho que quieres llegar al final.
Es curioso, porque sus estilos no se parecen en nada, pero Josephine Tey me ha gustado por la misma razón por la que me gusta Pierre Lemaitre: la mala leche concentrada. No hay ni una gota de sangre en esta historia de Tey, pero se nota que le gusta jugar con el lector. ¿Esa idea tal vez un poco retorcida que se te ocurre (o a mí al menos) hacia el principio del libro? ¿No sería gracioso que tuvieras razón? A Josephine Tey también se lo parece. Hace pasar mal rato y tensión al lector cumpliendo exactamente sus peores expectativas. Nunca llega a niveles de tensión agobiantes, no es un thriller vertiginoso ni una novela de terror psicológico. Es una novela negra disfrazada de (melo)drama familiar, pero muy bien disfrazada.
Porque al final lo que importa son esos personajes con los que te encariñas. Esa familia que ha sufrido tanto y que no quieres que vuelva a sufrir.
Esta novela ha sido una gratísima sorpresa. Me ha enganchado, ha cumplido todas las expectativas sobre ella y me ha dejado con ganas de leer más de esta autora.
Josephine Tey aúna la sofisticación "British" con un toque de maldad y mala idea deliciosas.
Muestra esa ideal campiña inglesa, con personajes entrañables y otros muchos excéntricos, hace gala de un sutil sentido del humor, te rodea de todo ese aire de amabilidad, pero deja entrever pequeñas sombras, una tensión que va subiendo poco a poco hasta hacerte incapaz de soltar el libro de lo mucho que quieres llegar al final.
Es curioso, porque sus estilos no se parecen en nada, pero Josephine Tey me ha gustado por la misma razón por la que me gusta Pierre Lemaitre: la mala leche concentrada. No hay ni una gota de sangre en esta historia de Tey, pero se nota que le gusta jugar con el lector. ¿Esa idea tal vez un poco retorcida que se te ocurre (o a mí al menos) hacia el principio del libro? ¿No sería gracioso que tuvieras razón? A Josephine Tey también se lo parece. Hace pasar mal rato y tensión al lector cumpliendo exactamente sus peores expectativas. Nunca llega a niveles de tensión agobiantes, no es un thriller vertiginoso ni una novela de terror psicológico. Es una novela negra disfrazada de (melo)drama familiar, pero muy bien disfrazada.
Porque al final lo que importa son esos personajes con los que te encariñas. Esa familia que ha sufrido tanto y que no quieres que vuelva a sufrir.
Esta novela ha sido una gratísima sorpresa. Me ha enganchado, ha cumplido todas las expectativas sobre ella y me ha dejado con ganas de leer más de esta autora.
The Daughter of Time is my favorite Tey, for ever and ever. But Brat Farrar is a close second and I love it. [May 2011]