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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
fjodretta's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ombraluce's review against another edition
5.0
Un Mankell "fuori serie", nel senso di fuori dalla conosciutissima serie del commissario Wallander, ma fuori serie anche per la bellezza e la profondità del romanzo, che intreccia eventi avvenuti durante l'infanzia del protagonista, figlio di un uomo che combatte i suoi demoni (la rinuncia al mare, l'allontanamento della moglie) mediante una scientifica ubriachezza, con il suo essersi, da adulto, arenato in Africa all'inseguimento di un desiderio altrui e del tentativo di calmare un senso di colpa macroscopico.
Gli serviranno 20 anni di lavoro, malaria, di testimonianza di violenze inaudite, e, soprattutto, dover commettere due omicidi, per rendersi conto che nonostante tutto l'Africa non ha fatto di lui un uomo migliore e che deve tornare alla terra a cui appartiene e a desiderare per se stesso qualcosa di suo.
Magnifico.
An 'off-standard' Mankell in the sense of outside the well-known Commissioner Wallander's series, but out of the ordinary also for the beauty and depth of the novel, which interlaces the events that took place during the childhood of the protagonist, son of a man fighting his Demons (the renunciation to the sea, the estrangement of his wife) through a scientific drunkenness, with his being, as grown up, stranded in Africa in pursuit of someone else's desire and the attempt to calm a sense of macroscopic guilt.
He'll need 20 years of work, malaria, to testify to of unprecedented violence, and, above all, having to commit two murders to realize that despite everything Africa has not made him a better man and he has to return to the land to which he belongs and to wish for himself something of his own.
Magnificent.
Gli serviranno 20 anni di lavoro, malaria, di testimonianza di violenze inaudite, e, soprattutto, dover commettere due omicidi, per rendersi conto che nonostante tutto l'Africa non ha fatto di lui un uomo migliore e che deve tornare alla terra a cui appartiene e a desiderare per se stesso qualcosa di suo.
Magnifico.
An 'off-standard' Mankell in the sense of outside the well-known Commissioner Wallander's series, but out of the ordinary also for the beauty and depth of the novel, which interlaces the events that took place during the childhood of the protagonist, son of a man fighting his Demons (the renunciation to the sea, the estrangement of his wife) through a scientific drunkenness, with his being, as grown up, stranded in Africa in pursuit of someone else's desire and the attempt to calm a sense of macroscopic guilt.
He'll need 20 years of work, malaria, to testify to of unprecedented violence, and, above all, having to commit two murders to realize that despite everything Africa has not made him a better man and he has to return to the land to which he belongs and to wish for himself something of his own.
Magnificent.
readsinfrogpjs's review against another edition
Just didn't grab my attention. After reading other review I honestly don't think it's a book for me
taetris's review against another edition
2.0
Hans Olofson grows up in Sweden and then moves to Zambia. The story alternates between scenes in Sweden and those in Zambia. The narrative makes reveals along tge way and seems to be building toward something. However, in the end, it just kind of fizzles out. I was also not a fan of some of the more meandering half-pages.
levishak's review against another edition
5.0
This author came highly recommended to me, so I went to the library. None of his mystery books were on the shelf. No surprise there. Rarely do I find what I want at the public library, though I am still a strong believer in public libraries. Instead of one of Mr. Mankell's mystery stories, I picked up the one lone Mankell book on the shelf, The Eye of the Leopard. I was treated to a very well-written semi-autobiographical, fictional account of a Swedish man's experiences in Zambia in the 1970's and 1980's. Though somewhat outdated by now, I think the message is still relevant. Black Africans and white Africans do not understand each other. They come from different cultures and thereby view the world differently. This is not meant to be rascist just a fact. (There are rascist characters in the book.) Unfortunately, the most common traits that the people from other cultures share are dishonety, violence, rage, and corruptability. The main character, Hans, begins his Africa journey as an idealistic, young liberal and ends it as a realistic, middle aged man, probably still liberal but certainly jaded. It is a common coming of age tale, set in the newly independent nation of Zambia, complete with broken down cars, decrepit old buildings, wild weather, and the rustle of creatures, both large and small, dangerous and benign. Of course, I am sure there are other viewpoints about living in Africa, but based on my experiences in different cultures, this one seems quite true.
olacola's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
leventmolla's review against another edition
3.0
Henning Mankell has written many mystery books using his grumpy old Swedish inspector Wallander, but this book is an exception, since it tells about the story of White Man in Africa, emphasizing the difficulty of the relation with the real Africans, the corruption and the corrupted.
Including multiple narratives, it is somewhat difficult to follow but gets a lucid narrative after about halfway through the book and brings the multiple threads to an exciting completion. Mankell uses a sharp narrative and does not mince his words.
Quite enjoyable novel that was written in early 90's but was only translated and published in English in early 2000's.
Including multiple narratives, it is somewhat difficult to follow but gets a lucid narrative after about halfway through the book and brings the multiple threads to an exciting completion. Mankell uses a sharp narrative and does not mince his words.
Quite enjoyable novel that was written in early 90's but was only translated and published in English in early 2000's.
hasbrez04's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
M’ha costat un rato acabar-lo, més que res perquè m’ha semblat que no arribava enlloc. El personatge en si no evoluciona, i el llibre acaba presentant una vegada i una altra la mateixa idea d’una Àfrica salvatge, misteriosa i supersticiosa que és invencible als desitjos de modernitat i valors dels europeus que l’havien dominat.
Entre tot hi ha un home que entèn aquest poder, i tot i intentar combatre’l i construïr un nou futur, acaba adonant-se de que aquest futur no li correspon a ell, ni als que s’aprofiten del present, sinó a aquells que no tenen res i ho volen tot. La corrupció, els grans desitgos i el racisme vertebren aquesta Àfrica post-colonial que el protagonista viu des de la distància i amb una eterna por, però que acaba veient un bri d’esperança que el fa renunciar.
Entre tot hi ha un home que entèn aquest poder, i tot i intentar combatre’l i construïr un nou futur, acaba adonant-se de que aquest futur no li correspon a ell, ni als que s’aprofiten del present, sinó a aquells que no tenen res i ho volen tot. La corrupció, els grans desitgos i el racisme vertebren aquesta Àfrica post-colonial que el protagonista viu des de la distància i amb una eterna por, però que acaba veient un bri d’esperança que el fa renunciar.