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2.89 AVERAGE
2.89 AVERAGE
A haunting, cinematic slow burner of a novel that at times left me in dizzying confusion, almost like a dream. I'm not sure I've ever read something quite like it before, and feel it will stay with me for quite some time as I mull it over.
The juxtaposition of the Inspector's hyper-logical methodical approach and Erzsebet's investment in superstitions and intangible knowing in regards to solving the murder was fascinating, along with how the effects of their vast differences created a gulf in their marriage. It was an incredible character study, filled with subtlety, the duality of emotion and intriguing power dynamics, though not one a reader might expect from simply reading the back cover.
While yes, the ending left me with more questions than answers, and it took a hefty amount of pages for this book to really grab hold and lull me into it's universe, overall the beauty of the writing, sharp details of the world in which it is set and distinct relationships portrayed left me both enthralled and, often, horrified at the psychological implications and actions of the characters. Read it for its uniqueness, illusory plot and artistic depth. And I always say if a book is controversial and draws such strong reactions like this one has: it is surely worth a chance.
The juxtaposition of the Inspector's hyper-logical methodical approach and Erzsebet's investment in superstitions and intangible knowing in regards to solving the murder was fascinating, along with how the effects of their vast differences created a gulf in their marriage. It was an incredible character study, filled with subtlety, the duality of emotion and intriguing power dynamics, though not one a reader might expect from simply reading the back cover.
While yes, the ending left me with more questions than answers, and it took a hefty amount of pages for this book to really grab hold and lull me into it's universe, overall the beauty of the writing, sharp details of the world in which it is set and distinct relationships portrayed left me both enthralled and, often, horrified at the psychological implications and actions of the characters. Read it for its uniqueness, illusory plot and artistic depth. And I always say if a book is controversial and draws such strong reactions like this one has: it is surely worth a chance.
The distinctive cover art and title inspired me to pick up this novel at a local library booksale a few months ago. However, the historical crime fiction did not hold my attention.
Murder mysteries usually intrigue me, but in the case of this novel, I was distracted and annoyed by detailed and specific investigation techniques and the ambiguous way the characters were approached. The Inspector never had a name other than The Inspector. His wife's gypsy ways were never quite explained. Wally's feelings and motivation unclear.
The mystery and all the lives surrounding it were so muddy and muddled that even when the murderer was revealed, I felt no true conclusion or resolution had been reached.
I would not recommend this book.
Murder mysteries usually intrigue me, but in the case of this novel, I was distracted and annoyed by detailed and specific investigation techniques and the ambiguous way the characters were approached. The Inspector never had a name other than The Inspector. His wife's gypsy ways were never quite explained. Wally's feelings and motivation unclear.
The mystery and all the lives surrounding it were so muddy and muddled that even when the murderer was revealed, I felt no true conclusion or resolution had been reached.
I would not recommend this book.
Fast-paced and intriguing, this novel provides a peek at 20th century Vienna as the central characters investigate the murder of the 18-year-old daughter of a wealthy family. This book first captured my interest with its cover art. I am one of those readers who allows the beauty of the book spine and cover art influence me when perusing books. This book’s cover is exquisite – I was captivated by the bright color of the lounging woman’s dress and her casual pose. And when I started reading, I found myself devouring chapter after chapter. I enjoyed the imperfect characters and liked seeing how they handle sleuthing and everyday life while a woman’s murder weighs in the back of their minds. The use of folklore and how certain people treat those stories was also interesting. I had very few criticisms of the book.
1. The mystery
I went into this book with the knowledge, based on others’ reviews, that the ending would disappoint me. And it did, in a way. The conclusion did not neatly explain all the clues, nor did the explanation of the murder make much sense. It was admittedly anti-climactic.
2. Overuse of certain details
The exaggerated use of characters’ negative views toward the Roma people and mentions of fiakers (a type of carriage) on nearly every page does get tired. It makes me question whether those details were all the author could think of in order to convey the time period.
Verdict
Highly worth the read if you don’t think of it as a mystery novel. For me, it was a glimpse at life in 20th century Vienna, and I was just fine with that.
So, who would enjoy this book?
Anyone who enjoys dark historical fiction – because this definitely had some darkness.
1. The mystery
I went into this book with the knowledge, based on others’ reviews, that the ending would disappoint me. And it did, in a way. The conclusion did not neatly explain all the clues, nor did the explanation of the murder make much sense. It was admittedly anti-climactic.
2. Overuse of certain details
The exaggerated use of characters’ negative views toward the Roma people and mentions of fiakers (a type of carriage) on nearly every page does get tired. It makes me question whether those details were all the author could think of in order to convey the time period.
Verdict
Highly worth the read if you don’t think of it as a mystery novel. For me, it was a glimpse at life in 20th century Vienna, and I was just fine with that.
So, who would enjoy this book?
Anyone who enjoys dark historical fiction – because this definitely had some darkness.
I kept being intrigued by the characters - they were always shrouded in mystery and their motivations were never completely revealed - but I never quite cared about any of them, and the mystery side of the story wasn't tense or suspenseful. Interesting enough to finish, but not enough to recommend. The descriptions of Viennese pastries were the best part.
dark
slow-paced
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
Frustratingly opaque and hypnotic, mental whiplash inducing period murder mystery. Deeply unsatisfying ending.
Loved the beginning...really good writing...but it turned dark and I could not stay with it.
DNF'd at 100 pages or 27%.
Honestly, I just didn't care. I liked the first couple of pages, but while there were little bits of the writing that I liked, the writing as a whole wasn't to my taste. It's a very slow-paced book, and it's not simply about a murder. There's some statement that the author is trying to make with the characters, but I don't think I read for long enough to get a full picture. The problem is that it wasn't engaging enough for me to want to piece it together. If I'm going to put the extra effort in to read between the lines, the story needs to draw me in properly. This just didn't, probably because a lot of it has to do with the body found at the beginning of the book. There's a grotesque fascination with the murder victim. They talk about the corpse A LOT, and I'm not sure if the author was trying to comment on the sexualization of women, or perhaps people's fascination with death, or maybe that more people care about the victim now than when she was alive, a sick fascination over tragedy. There are multiple scenes talking about the body, and they even have to exhume her body after finding out that it's been dug up and tampered with. I stopped reading at that scene because the book wasn't compelling enough for me to hear about how bad the body smelled or how bloated it was. If you do decide to read this, just know that there is a decent amount of that, at least in the first hundred pages.
TLDR: Less a murder mystery and more of a character study. The short synopsis on the back cover should have been a warning to me, because not even the people trying to sell the book knew how to market it. I guess try this out if you want something slow-paced and psychological.
Honestly, I just didn't care. I liked the first couple of pages, but while there were little bits of the writing that I liked, the writing as a whole wasn't to my taste. It's a very slow-paced book, and it's not simply about a murder. There's some statement that the author is trying to make with the characters, but I don't think I read for long enough to get a full picture. The problem is that it wasn't engaging enough for me to want to piece it together. If I'm going to put the extra effort in to read between the lines, the story needs to draw me in properly. This just didn't, probably because a lot of it has to do with the body found at the beginning of the book. There's a grotesque fascination with the murder victim. They talk about the corpse A LOT, and I'm not sure if the author was trying to comment on the sexualization of women, or perhaps people's fascination with death, or maybe that more people care about the victim now than when she was alive, a sick fascination over tragedy. There are multiple scenes talking about the body, and they even have to exhume her body after finding out that it's been dug up and tampered with. I stopped reading at that scene because the book wasn't compelling enough for me to hear about how bad the body smelled or how bloated it was. If you do decide to read this, just know that there is a decent amount of that, at least in the first hundred pages.
TLDR: Less a murder mystery and more of a character study. The short synopsis on the back cover should have been a warning to me, because not even the people trying to sell the book knew how to market it. I guess try this out if you want something slow-paced and psychological.
Oh boy...where to start with this one. First off, the teaser on the back flap clearly portrays this book as a thrilling murder mystery, "a page turning tale of murder, sleuthing, and sexual secrets". In actuality, it is a character study, focusing mostly on the inner workings of the Inspector and his wife, their backgrounds, their suspicions and superstitions. In fact, a massive portion of the book details how these two characters interact with each other, and this has no bearing that I can see on the murder that has been committed, or figuring out whodunit.
The reason I gave this book two stars instead of one is because as far as character studies go, this was fairly insightful and descriptive. However, as a murder mystery, it is one of the worst I have ever read, with entire chapters seeming to have nothing to do with the hunt for the killer or figuring out how, or why the crime was committed.
In another review of this book here on Goodreads, someone said something like 'It will leave you scratching your head, but also saying aha!". Well, ya got half of that right.
The reason I gave this book two stars instead of one is because as far as character studies go, this was fairly insightful and descriptive. However, as a murder mystery, it is one of the worst I have ever read, with entire chapters seeming to have nothing to do with the hunt for the killer or figuring out how, or why the crime was committed.
In another review of this book here on Goodreads, someone said something like 'It will leave you scratching your head, but also saying aha!". Well, ya got half of that right.