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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
It's an odd thing but when you tell someone the true facts of a mythical tale they are indignant not with the teller but with you. They don't *want* to have their ideas upset. It rouses some vague uneasiness in them... and they resent it."
Quite brilliant in its telling, Tey's "mystery" is a history book with the framing device of a Scotland Yard inspector researching a 'cold case' when he is laid up in the hospital. Bored and staring at the ceiling, his friend tries to spark his interest as he convalesces. A portrait of Richard III is just the spark Inspector Grant needs, and he is on the case - reading everything he can get his hands on about the 15th century monarchy and the infamous murders of his nephews, the "Princes in the Tower".
I don't know much about this interlude of royal history, so I liked learning more. What I really liked is the subversive undertone of a book written in the UK in the 1950s that really questions the establishment of what we are told (fed) throughout history. Contrarian thought isn't new, but this idea of questioning the sources is becoming more accepted at this time.
"I'll never again believe anything I read in a history book, as long as I live, so help me."
Other observations:
-- Tey has an easy and relaxed writing style.
-- The phrase "woolly lamb" to describe a young 'green' person is simultaneously endearing and hilarious. It is used a lot in this book for children and young people.
-- Picked this paperback up on a free shelf at the beach earlier this summer on a whim, and it was a nice find. Fun diversion!
Another lifetime later I'm pleased to find that this is a very entertainingly different mystery. It reminded me a little of the Lury.Gibson book Dangerous Data that I read recently though Tey writes a much better story. Nothing happens in the book, we just have Inspector Grant laid up in hospital with a gammy leg bored out of his mind. He gets interested in a portrait of Richard III that one of his visitors brings him. Not realising at first who the picture portrays he can't see it as the face of a murderer. So he goes on to rake through historical records with the aid of a young American researcher to find out if Richard really did murder the princes in the tower.
I've no idea if the history in this book is realistic or not and I find that I don't really care. The point is that there's always more to any situation than you see on the surface and that often the facts that are found in the details are more revealing than the "facts" found in reported accounts. I found this story fascinating and I'm sorry that it took me so long to get around to reading it.
It is not for the faint-hearted, I would say if you have a real thirst for history and the research process, then try this book. If not, I would recommend as it can be quite tedious.
I found the concept interesting and there were quite a few places that really grasped my attention. It's a very sympathetic take on Richard and it's made me curious to know how true these findings are in this book.
Overall I know it will be a book that sticks with me and it's made me more aware of fabrications in history and how they're made for political gain. Basically, to begin questioning everything!