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amarezza's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jodar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A gripping but grim, grubby story of a young man in occupied France during World War 2. Growing up fatherless, with a dysfunctional home life, he becomes arrogant, violent, selfish and unfeeling towards others.
Towards the end, though, he senses what he has lost in life and reaches a point of honesty with himself and with those he realises belatedly he truly needs and loves.
Any translation is effectively a paraphrase – this one reads well – but nevertheless, despite being written originally in 1948, the novel does not feel at all dated. Its psychological realism and grittiness of despair ring true today.
Towards the end, though, he senses what he has lost in life and reaches a point of honesty with himself and with those he realises belatedly he truly needs and loves.
Any translation is effectively a paraphrase – this one reads well – but nevertheless, despite being written originally in 1948, the novel does not feel at all dated. Its psychological realism and grittiness of despair ring true today.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Misogyny, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Minor: Alcohol
jimmypat's review against another edition
1.0
Nope. Not going to do it. I won’t finish this one. It’s one of those highly rated books that makes me wonder what others see in it. Psychological novels are fine; psychological novels where the main character has the same thought multiple times over the span of two pages? Not fine. Frank seems like a poor man’s Tom Ripley, without the charm.
theohume's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
Frank, the nineteen year old son of a brothel owner, is a ruffian and a thief who sets out on a path filled with violence and murder. One the positive side, this ‘non-Maigret’ Simenon, or maybe better seen as ‘hard’ Simenon, leaves you in no doubt that we are dealing with a pure psychopath with no redeeming features. That is always an interesting departure point for me. Unfortunately, it fails to really go beyond that and we are just left to witness psychopathic action after psychopathic action. The story fails to engage. It’s my third ‘hard’ Simenon, and the first that has disappointed.
malagajames's review against another edition
4.0
This is a disturbing little book that takes place during WWII. It is about poverty, helplessness and mental illness. I usually enjoy books with at least some likeable characters, but this book doesn't have any.
tennilles's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
andrew61's review against another edition
4.0
I can't remember on what blog or podcast I was made aware of this book as a recommendation and whilst I was well aware of the status of the author on the crime writing wall of fame I had until now never picked up one of his books but this was certainly a great introduction and I'm definitely pleased to have learnt about this story.
The book itself is a tale of a town in occupied France and the main character Frank Friedmaeir felt like a combination of Pinky from Brighton Rock and Tom Ripley as he emerges from life in a brothel owned by his mother Lottie into a world where he wants to make his mark as a criminal via the seedy bar Timo's . In a France under occupation crime , including murder does not seem to carry much scrutiny from the police so his crimes expand until like Raskolnikov he does something of which even he is ashamed. When he comes to the attention of the occupying forces it is for something he doesn't expect and the secon part of the book involves a chess like interrogation which took this book into the realms of a Crime and Punishment reflection on guilt and the individual so like Pinky and Ripley I wondered what Pathology could be pinned on this unlikeable but interesting character.
A really interesting piece of work, with some great characters , and a fascinating picture of occupied France. Certainly every time it snows now and I walk past those piles stained by mud, oil or other waste I will immediately think of this book.
I will definitely now read more including the classic Maigret.
The book itself is a tale of a town in occupied France and the main character Frank Friedmaeir felt like a combination of Pinky from Brighton Rock and Tom Ripley as he emerges from life in a brothel owned by his mother Lottie into a world where he wants to make his mark as a criminal via the seedy bar Timo's . In a France under occupation crime , including murder does not seem to carry much scrutiny from the police so his crimes expand until like Raskolnikov he does something of which even he is ashamed. When he comes to the attention of the occupying forces it is for something he doesn't expect and the secon part of the book involves a chess like interrogation which took this book into the realms of a Crime and Punishment reflection on guilt and the individual so like Pinky and Ripley I wondered what Pathology could be pinned on this unlikeable but interesting character.
A really interesting piece of work, with some great characters , and a fascinating picture of occupied France. Certainly every time it snows now and I walk past those piles stained by mud, oil or other waste I will immediately think of this book.
I will definitely now read more including the classic Maigret.
bundy23's review against another edition
4.0
Nasty, snivelling little collaborator steals, murders & rapes his way through a few months of his life until the Nazis decide to put a stop to his shit. Would’ve been an easy 5 stars if the lead wasn’t so incredibly bland.
disappearer's review against another edition
5.0
(Creo que existe una versión del libro en español -traducido como la Nieve estaba sucia- pero lamentablemente no está en Chile. Sad.)
In a Nazi-occupied city, Frank Friedmaier lives the day-to-day, getting drunk with his not-friends and sleeping with the prostitutes that work at his mother's brothel. But Frank is looking for something that could break with his boring life.
The book starts with a murder, followed with more death, crimes and corruption. Frank's cruelty and apathy surprises you, makes you think of a dostoyevskian character, with a bit of Camus' Meursault, and a tiny bit of Freud.
The second part of the book was my favorite. It is introspective, psychologic. When Frank is in jail, waiting for some kind of trial, he descontructs himself, looking for answers behind his actions. This makes you wonder if this character is even sane.
A good, intriguing and mysterious book, with profound characterization, and a complete understanding of the human psyche.
In a Nazi-occupied city, Frank Friedmaier lives the day-to-day, getting drunk with his not-friends and sleeping with the prostitutes that work at his mother's brothel. But Frank is looking for something that could break with his boring life.
The book starts with a murder, followed with more death, crimes and corruption. Frank's cruelty and apathy surprises you, makes you think of a dostoyevskian character, with a bit of Camus' Meursault, and a tiny bit of Freud.
The second part of the book was my favorite. It is introspective, psychologic. When Frank is in jail, waiting for some kind of trial, he descontructs himself, looking for answers behind his actions. This makes you wonder if this character is even sane.
A good, intriguing and mysterious book, with profound characterization, and a complete understanding of the human psyche.