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brenda2's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it!!!! His writing is so beautiful. The descriptions of New Orleans and the surrounding areas are so on point.
borborygmus's review against another edition
3.0
Now I am a James Lee Burke and Dave Robicheaux fan, starting to read the books in the late 80's when they first came out, and periodically ever since. I re-read The Neon Rain and the other three of the first four books in the last couple of years, really enjoying them again. These are books I recommend to anyone heading for New Orleans and its environs for the first time, in preparation for the trip. James Lee Burke is a master in his descriptions of time and place:
He brings us into the mind of Robicheaux - he is somewhat tortured, definitely damaged, remarkably likeable and surprisingly erudite:
I think I'll give it another five years or so and then re-read Black Cherry Blues, or In the Electric Mist With Confederate Dead - or maybe I'll re-read them next time I'm on a plane to New Orleans.
Henderson Swamp is part of the vast network of bayous and bays and rivers that constitute the Atchafalaya Basin, the flooded woods a golden green at sunset and so swollen with silence that you wonder if this piece of primordial creation was saved by a divine hand to remind us of what the earth was like when our ancestors grew feet and crawled out of the sea. The cypress trees were in early leaf, as delicate as green lace, ruffling in the breeze, the water high and black and undisturbed, chained with lily pads, the bream and goggle-eye perch rolling under the pads like pillows of air floating to the surface.A bit florid, but not too florid.
He brings us into the mind of Robicheaux - he is somewhat tortured, definitely damaged, remarkably likeable and surprisingly erudite:
Sleep is a mercurial mistress. She caresses and absolves and gives light and rest to the soul in our darkest hours. Or she fills us with fear and doubt and disjointed images that seem dredged out of the Abyss.So why only three stars? I think, like Dave, like Clete Purcell, I am weary. The plot of Robicheaux number twenty-something seems the same as so many others, which are often a bit thin. The villains are caricatures, maybe caricatures of themselves. The dialogue has a veneer of authenticity, but is actually over-subtle and incohesive. The considerable expressive writing skills which Burke can harness, and with which he can enswathe the story and the characters and the conversations, are just not enough to compensate any more.
I think I'll give it another five years or so and then re-read Black Cherry Blues, or In the Electric Mist With Confederate Dead - or maybe I'll re-read them next time I'm on a plane to New Orleans.
bjerz's review against another edition
3.0
I have been reading the Dave Robicheaux series by James Lee Burke for over 30 years and have noticed that they have become more and more disheartening as the years have gone by. His latest, Robicheaux, is the saddest of all. The main character, a recovering alcoholic detective living in a parish near New Orleans, is thrice widowed, his third wife having died recently in a car crash. But this is not the only thing that the character grieves about. He sees pain and sadness, corruption and violence everywhere he looks.
Burke seems to have had his world turned upside down by hurricane Katrina and the human carnage that occurred afterwards due to ineptitude, institutional racism and the feudal society that reigns in Louisiana. He has Dave Robicheaux describe the aftermath of the hurricane and the hell on earth that was the Superdome: "...the power and water supply failed; toilets and urinals over-flowed and layered the floors with feces. The food in the refrigerators rotted. The heat and humidity and stench caused television reporters to gag on-camera...Black people who tried to leave the area by crossing the Danziger Bridge were shot by police officers. One of those who dies was a mentally disable man."
I love Burke's amazing ability to make you feel that you are in hot, humid Louisiana: "The humidity was eye-watering and as bright as spun glass, as tangible as lines of insects crawling on your torso and thighs." But his characters are all self-destructive, evil or stupid, or any combination of the three, and rarely in Robicheaux did I feel uplifted and comforted. I guess now is not the time for either.
Burke seems to have had his world turned upside down by hurricane Katrina and the human carnage that occurred afterwards due to ineptitude, institutional racism and the feudal society that reigns in Louisiana. He has Dave Robicheaux describe the aftermath of the hurricane and the hell on earth that was the Superdome: "...the power and water supply failed; toilets and urinals over-flowed and layered the floors with feces. The food in the refrigerators rotted. The heat and humidity and stench caused television reporters to gag on-camera...Black people who tried to leave the area by crossing the Danziger Bridge were shot by police officers. One of those who dies was a mentally disable man."
I love Burke's amazing ability to make you feel that you are in hot, humid Louisiana: "The humidity was eye-watering and as bright as spun glass, as tangible as lines of insects crawling on your torso and thighs." But his characters are all self-destructive, evil or stupid, or any combination of the three, and rarely in Robicheaux did I feel uplifted and comforted. I guess now is not the time for either.
flogigyahoo's review against another edition
5.0
Glorious writing, a good mystery, but Robicheaux is far too old for this stuff. I think this is one of his best mysteries, but I wish he would find a new protagonist more interesting than Hackberry Holland and as interesting as Dave Robicheaux. No one writes such beautiful prose that it lifts the ordinary murder mystery to the level of literature. He's a gem.
smartipants8's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting to watch James Lee Burke's take on a populist white supremacist rising through the political ranks.
3no7's review against another edition
5.0
“Robicheaux” is number twenty-one in James Lee Burke’s “Robicheaux” series, but it can be read as a “stand alone.” I am a new reader, but it took only a little time to become familiar with all the characters; Burke fills in any needed background as the story goes along.
Dave Robicheaux is a Louisiana police detective, devoted and complex, and yet imperfect and troubled. He is tormented by the death of his wife, his time in Vietnam, and his alcohol abuse. The addition of a contract killer and a police detective with his own issues create a potentially toxic situation.
Burke creates multifaceted and complex characters. It is hard to distinguish the good from the bad because they are all tangled in the same unsavory web. Readers must assess if the good qualities are outweighed by flaws.
Louisiana is also a character with its heat and humidity, its past and present, and its people and alligators. Louisiana’s social climate, economic damage, and historic past keep the story moving as much as the individuals do.
James Lee Burke is a natural born storyteller. The book is not a “nail-biting” thriller, but carries readers along as it ebbs and flows effortlessly. It makes readers think rather than recoil. The dialogue is clear and compelling. The characters are provocative and genuine. The story is riveting and vivid.
I received a copy of “Robicheaux” from James Lee Burke, Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley. I had previously only read one of Burke’s books, and it was not from this series. I greatly enjoyed reading “Robicheaux” and no I have twenty more books on my “to read” list.
Dave Robicheaux is a Louisiana police detective, devoted and complex, and yet imperfect and troubled. He is tormented by the death of his wife, his time in Vietnam, and his alcohol abuse. The addition of a contract killer and a police detective with his own issues create a potentially toxic situation.
Burke creates multifaceted and complex characters. It is hard to distinguish the good from the bad because they are all tangled in the same unsavory web. Readers must assess if the good qualities are outweighed by flaws.
Louisiana is also a character with its heat and humidity, its past and present, and its people and alligators. Louisiana’s social climate, economic damage, and historic past keep the story moving as much as the individuals do.
James Lee Burke is a natural born storyteller. The book is not a “nail-biting” thriller, but carries readers along as it ebbs and flows effortlessly. It makes readers think rather than recoil. The dialogue is clear and compelling. The characters are provocative and genuine. The story is riveting and vivid.
I received a copy of “Robicheaux” from James Lee Burke, Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley. I had previously only read one of Burke’s books, and it was not from this series. I greatly enjoyed reading “Robicheaux” and no I have twenty more books on my “to read” list.
gum1311by's review against another edition
3.0
This read annoyingly like a 1950’s film noire screenplay. Choppy dialogue, hokey phrases and names.
Plot line was good. Ending was a surprise.
Plot line was good. Ending was a surprise.
nickertz's review against another edition
3.0
Dave is seeing ghosts and a lot of other problems. Will he ever be able to overcome his alcohol problem? Where did Smiley come from? Will Clete ever grow up? These are some of the questions that are explored in this very richly portrayed novel. The mystery kinda solves itself, the boys just need to stay out of the way - which they have a hard time doing.
bethl28's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Rape, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Suicide attempt, Sexism, Racial slurs, and Homophobia
ruswornom's review
4.0
After reading all the Dave Robicheaux novels, this may not be the best, but it is one of the most primal, and perhaps the truest to the spirit of the character so far. I love the introduction of the supernatural, no matter how subtle, that began a few novels beforehand. This is true Southern Noir.