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ksparks's review against another edition
2.0
This was a slow, quirky, and enjoyable police procedural, although not very believable. My international fiction book club chose it. Mostly, I was relieved that it was a quick painless read, I finished it in a weekend. I don't feel like it's going to give us much to discuss though, so...not an inspired book club choice.
pinknantucket's review against another edition
3.0
I do like Vargas. This is the second of hers I've read and it is nice to have a series of crime novels I know I will enjoy "in my pocket", so to speak, for when one really needs a crime novel. Detective Adamsberg is back, this time investigating a possible deliberate outbreak of the Black Death. His wonderful offsider Danglard is also there, with his own brand of intellect to complement and offset Adamsberg's. One complaint would be that Adamsberg's true love, Camille, is a bit flat - especially in a book when everyone else is so well drawn. It might be because I'm reading them out of order and am missing some rounding out that was present in a previous book.
I thought I might just mention once how I've come to treat the "star rating" system here - three stars means it was a good book, worthy of your time (in my opinion). Four stars means I might have felt somewhat mentally "breathless" while reading it. Five stars means it was pretty close to a religious experience. Of course I'm not always consistent...
My copy: paperback, purchased new this year - which bookshop? I forget.
I thought I might just mention once how I've come to treat the "star rating" system here - three stars means it was a good book, worthy of your time (in my opinion). Four stars means I might have felt somewhat mentally "breathless" while reading it. Five stars means it was pretty close to a religious experience. Of course I'm not always consistent...
My copy: paperback, purchased new this year - which bookshop? I forget.
howjessicareads's review against another edition
5.0
Seriously, Fred Vargas is my hero. Her books are well-written and intriguing--plus they have a superb main detective, whose eccentricities are completely engrossing. In addition to all that, they satisfy my Francophilie, and have a good chunk of history involved in most of them--which makes you feel vaguely productive while reading it. I can't wait till the next one comes out...
montagueegg's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
How to can you not like a detective who supervises 26 other homicide flics and needs to use mnemonics such as acne, prognathous, solicitude, Marcel to associate names with faces, and who indulges in self-examination along the lines of "You think you're a million miles away from the likes of Favre, and when occasion arises, there you are puddling about in the same pigsty." I won't provide any hints as to the nature of Favre because you should read the book. It's that good.
Chief Inspector Adamsberg and his assistant Danglard are a study in contrast. Adamsberg uses intuition while Danglard never trusts it and relies on facts and evidence. The two make a marvelous pair.
A modern town crier who collects little notes anonymously and then reads them from his soapbox in return for small change has been getting what appear to be nonsensical sentences. A woman comes to the police station to complain that someone has painted black backwards 4's with a fat foot and two little notches at the end 24 of the doors on her street. These are the beginnings of a nightmare for the inspector as the possibility of someone deliberately sprwading the plague begins to haunt him.
This is a very crafty police procedural that intertwines fear, revenge, tragedy, panic and faith in a complex story. Fred Vargas, a woman, writes in French and their are moments when one wonders a little about the translation (I have enormous respect for translators.) My French is so rusty I hesitate to quibble.
Chief Inspector Adamsberg and his assistant Danglard are a study in contrast. Adamsberg uses intuition while Danglard never trusts it and relies on facts and evidence. The two make a marvelous pair.
A modern town crier who collects little notes anonymously and then reads them from his soapbox in return for small change has been getting what appear to be nonsensical sentences. A woman comes to the police station to complain that someone has painted black backwards 4's with a fat foot and two little notches at the end 24 of the doors on her street. These are the beginnings of a nightmare for the inspector as the possibility of someone deliberately sprwading the plague begins to haunt him.
This is a very crafty police procedural that intertwines fear, revenge, tragedy, panic and faith in a complex story. Fred Vargas, a woman, writes in French and their are moments when one wonders a little about the translation (I have enormous respect for translators.) My French is so rusty I hesitate to quibble.
jordibal's review against another edition
3.0
¿A santo de qué me leo yo esto, os preguntaréis? Club de lectura. El libro va in crescendo y el último tercio engancha, pero de normal lo habría abandonado porque al principio no es que no pase nada, que también, sino que el planteamiento y la caracterización son absurdas.
tunatanga's review
5.0
This book was really good. It was interesting and exciting. I love the style of writinig of this author and I'm defenitly going to read more.
emmalynn's review against another edition
5.0
Coup de coeur absolu !
À mon avis, le chef d'oeuvre de Fred Vargas ! Tout y est : des personnages loufoques sans tomber dans l'excès comme ce fut le cas dans certains de ses derniers romans, des trouvailles de génie (le crieur, la peste, les galettes à la peau de lait), de solides bases historiques, un Adamsberg rêveur et perdu juste ce qu'il faut mais aux intuitions toujours aussi fiables et un Paris qui donne envie de sauter dans le 1er Thalys.
Si vous ne devez lire qu'un Fred Vargas, lisez "Pars vite et reviens tard" !
À mon avis, le chef d'oeuvre de Fred Vargas ! Tout y est : des personnages loufoques sans tomber dans l'excès comme ce fut le cas dans certains de ses derniers romans, des trouvailles de génie (le crieur, la peste, les galettes à la peau de lait), de solides bases historiques, un Adamsberg rêveur et perdu juste ce qu'il faut mais aux intuitions toujours aussi fiables et un Paris qui donne envie de sauter dans le 1er Thalys.
Si vous ne devez lire qu'un Fred Vargas, lisez "Pars vite et reviens tard" !
sarah42783's review against another edition
5.0
Le premier Vargas que j'ai lu et, à ce jour, encore un de mes favoris. Comme toujours chez Vargas, l'atmosphère est irrésistible et les personnages originaux et très attachants.
• Un: L’homme aux cercles bleus ★★★
• Deux: L’homme à l’envers ★★★★
• Trois (bande dessinée): Les quatre fleuves - à lire.
• Cinq: Coule la Seine ★★★
• Six: Sous les vents de Neptune ★★★★
• Sept: Dans les bois éternels ★★★★★
• Huit: Un lieu incertain ★★★★
• Neuf: L’armée furieuse ★★★★
• Dix: Temps glaciaires - en cours de lecture.
• Onze: Quand sors la recluse - à lire.
• Un: L’homme aux cercles bleus ★★★
• Deux: L’homme à l’envers ★★★★
• Trois (bande dessinée): Les quatre fleuves - à lire.
• Cinq: Coule la Seine ★★★
• Six: Sous les vents de Neptune ★★★★
• Sept: Dans les bois éternels ★★★★★
• Huit: Un lieu incertain ★★★★
• Neuf: L’armée furieuse ★★★★
• Dix: Temps glaciaires - en cours de lecture.
• Onze: Quand sors la recluse - à lire.