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maweah's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
billymac1962's review
5.0
This one is set a little ways into the future, about 20 years. A computer hacker in England breaks into a government file and discovers a list of persons inflicted with a rare brain disorder which identifies the individual as a potential serial killer.
Imagine his shock when he discovers his name on the list. He takes it upon himself to track down these potential killers and...well, that's all you'll get out of me. Don't miss this!
Imagine his shock when he discovers his name on the list. He takes it upon himself to track down these potential killers and...well, that's all you'll get out of me. Don't miss this!
mindfulmagpie's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Interesting ideas but fell a bit flat overall. The book was written in 1992, imagining a future semi-dystopian London, and the way that differs from our current reality is occasionally jarring.
The plot point regarding a physical A-Z felt out of place in a time of Googlemaps
rebeccazh's review against another edition
read this for school. jake's world is a really claustrophobic one, with its oppressive gender discrimination, but her relationship with wittgenstein is really interesting. i enjoyed reading about their converging arcs.
it's a really interesting and fascinating book, but i'm not sure if i got what the author is trying to say. there are so many things going on. the unreliability of language/language as a medium, gender (?), truth and whether we can ever access it or if it even exists, life and death... really interesting book.
it's a really interesting and fascinating book, but i'm not sure if i got what the author is trying to say. there are so many things going on. the unreliability of language/language as a medium, gender (?), truth and whether we can ever access it or if it even exists, life and death... really interesting book.
tsenteme's review against another edition
2.0
Το παράτησα στην σελίδα 200. Περίμενα περισσότερα, οπότε είμαι λίγο αυστηρός. Μετά τη φήμη του Μπέρνι Γκούντερ, νομίζω χάνει το χρόνο του. Βέβαια έφηβος είχα διαβάσει το "στην κορφή του κόσμου", ένα θρίλερ στα Ιμαλάια και ήταν πολύ καλό, γραμμένο αμέσως μετά την τριλογία.
gregorspv's review against another edition
5.0
Beautiful prose and on a very high level stylistically. Thematically might not be for everyone, especially those without some philosophical background, so I can see why it went over many people's heads. If one reads attentively, though, there is much to be revelled in and the novel finally elevates the genre of crime to previously seldom seen sophistication.
steveinadelaide's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A Philosophical Investigation by Philip Kerr is a fascinating and disturbing look at a near-future London that is battling an epidemic of serial killings. The city is using the latest technology, which can predict who is likely to commit violent crimes before they do. This technology is being used to try to track down the killer, code-named 'Wittgenstein', but he is always one step ahead. Wittgenstein is not just killing people who have committed crimes, but anyone he believes is likely to commit a crime in the future. His intellectual brilliance is matched only by his homicidal madness.
The narrative is interspersed with journal entries written by Wittgenstein which explore philosophical ideas. These make for fascinating reading, but they also serve to highlight the killer's deranged state of mind.
The detective, Jake Jacowicz, is an engaging and sympathetic protagonist who is trying to catch Wittgenstein before he can claim any more victims. The book is tense and suspenseful, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. It's a chilling vision of a future that may not be so far-fetched.
A Philosophical Investigation may not be for everyone given its complex philosophical ideas. It's a dark and disturbing book that isn't afraid to tackle some difficult topics. But it's also a thought-provoking and fascinating read that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
afterglobe's review against another edition
3.0
I sincerely wish that Kerr's writing had not been peppered with deeply off-putting, ceaseless racism and sexism. I loved the book. The story was fresh and captivating. I enjoyed the characters, liked the backstories, and resonated with the arguments presented. However, Kerr wrote terribly from the female perspective, largely using stereotypes to create the man-hating, emotionless woman who nevertheless is somehow okay with being repeatedly sexually harassed. Very confusing and unsettling, just like all of the creepy descriptions of other women in the book. Then, there is the unbearable racism, especially towards Asian people. I mean, it was cringe-worthy. Maybe it was meant to represent the attitudes of people living in London, and was meant as a critique, but it could have been much more obvious if that was indeed the intent. The most frustrating part is that neither of these two elements were necessary to the progression of the storyline. Without them, the book would have probably been a 4.5 or 5 for me. As is, it barely is a 3, which is too bad considering it is a great story.