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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
I was not expecting a repeat of An instance of a fingerpost (you can't repeat a masterpiece) but I was disappointed to lose interest as the book progressed. By the time the story moved to Venice, I really had to force myself to finish it. That entire last part was atrociously boring and the supposedly shocking final revelation was actually quite predictable and annoying. too bad, because there were parts that I found quite enjoyable.
Wow, this book took me on a weird ride. It started off engaging me from the beginning but throughout I had periods of losing interest with it's convoluted schemes and then it would pick up again and just shine. Sort of like being on a roller coaster, up and down, up and down. The writing is very good except for times (many times) when the author writes "very much more" which drove me mad. The characters were hard for me to follow, not sure if it was just me being dense or what, but if I had not been reading this with a buddy, I think I would have given up by the time I got to Part 3 (I actually had a desire to throw this book across the room at one point!). Once she helped clear the persons up for me (thanks, Laura), it took off again and I had a hard time putting it down until I closed the book. The ending wowed me and put this book back up in the 4 star range. If I was to recommend this one I would give this advice: keep close tabs on all the characters from the beginning. Take notes on the characters. Seriously, it frustrated me to no end not realizing who was who until it was cleared up for me. The book ranged from 2 to 4 stars throughout with ultimately it ending up a 4.
I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book, even to the point of slowing down to make my reading of it last longer. Set in 1909, 1890, and 1867, with three different narrators, this is a difficult book to describe. It's a book about the beginnings of the financial industry, a time when corporations have just started to become more powerful than governments. It's hard to know what kind of book this is. It's not a mystery, although there are mysteries within it. It was simply a fascinating read. The characters are complex and well-drawn. As you progress through the book and backwards through time you learn more and more of who the characters are, where they came from, why they act as they do. Iain Pears is one of my absolute favorite writers, and he didn't let me down here.
3.5 stars. Goodreads really needs a half star option as I didn't know if I should be selecting 3 or 4 stars. The book dragged at points and I thought the ending took a turn that was overly and unnecessarily sensational. But, for a mystery/thriller book I thought it was better written than most in that genre and it was definitely an intelligent book (if I can put it that way...).
I read this as an ebook, and it's a good thing I didn't realize how long it was because I might not have started it if I'd known and reading this book gave me pleasure for many days. I read it on the train over a two week period. It's a fascinating and complex story, with many interesting layers. I loved all of the details about journalism, espionage, high finance, government (and the relationship between high finance and government) the invention of the torpedo, Venice...such a crazy lot of ground is covered here. All of the character's stories were interesting to me and I love the way the stories all weave together and make sense in the end.
Iain Pears is a brilliant writer, having read some of his other books. However, Stone's Fall could have used some serious editing because at almost 600 pages, it was unnecessarily long. I liked that the author went backward in time and the story was told from more than one narrator. But certain parts of the story moved very slowly and did not help to develop the plot. A compelling story that, if it had been trimmed down, would have gotten a higher rating from me.
3 stars.
3 stars.
Just when I’d been wondering how global arms dealers justify themselves...I happened to read this book, which attempts to answer this question (as well as a few others). It takes nerve to make a thriller hinge massively on financial machinations, but there’s surprisingly good explanation and dialogue around the intrigue.
Pears presents a very interesting, yet somewhat complex, story that surrounds the mystery of a man who has fallen from his window. Set in the early 20th century, the story revolves around a journalist-go-sleuth, who tries to concoct the truth behind the crime, after being given leads by the distraught wife. However, this is only one of the three sides to the larger story. Pears takes the reader through three stories, all resolving around the same characters, told in different times. These three different stories draw pieces from the other two to give the largest and most complete story of all. I told you it was complex.
Pears seems to be a master of this trade, having used the multiple viewpoints in other novels (and layered it with multiple eras as well). The story develops nicely as we learn things that, had the story been told in chronological order, would be less effective and not as powerful. That said, Pears grips the writer's attention from the get go. If I could offer a critique, it would be that I felt things got bogged down in some areas; in description, narration, and detail.
Kudos, Mr. Pears! An excellent piece of work.
Pears seems to be a master of this trade, having used the multiple viewpoints in other novels (and layered it with multiple eras as well). The story develops nicely as we learn things that, had the story been told in chronological order, would be less effective and not as powerful. That said, Pears grips the writer's attention from the get go. If I could offer a critique, it would be that I felt things got bogged down in some areas; in description, narration, and detail.
Kudos, Mr. Pears! An excellent piece of work.
Pears has quickly become my favorite contemporary author. This work examines the link between human weakness and the role it plays in events that take place on a global scale. I suppose in that vein it's reminiscent of Tolstoy, though the comparisons should probably stop there. Immensely enjoyable, and, as all great books, this will give you a slight glimpse into your own vulnerabilities.
A period piece with a mystery driving the story, told from the viewpoint of three of the major players. Mr Pears did something very similar with 'An Instance of the Fingerpost'. This one had a slow start but was worth finishing. The mystery itself was kind of lost for a while in 1900's social and cultural details, but the threads all come together neatly and surprisingly at the end. I enjoyed this but it's probably not for everyone.