Reviews

City of Wisdom and Blood by Robert Merle

ronanmcd's review against another edition

5.0

Lots of bravura and riding of wenches gets in the way of the book. It's about the nature of a civil / religious conflict and the complicity of both sides. Reading this as a stand alone volume, to much of the hero's valiant storytelling intrudes. But the mistake is mine. I did read it alone, without volume 1 or those that follow.
It does have some interesting thoughts within throwaway lines; that women should be regarded in the same light as men, about accepting others as they are, allowing each have their own beliefs...

quodfelix's review

4.0

It took a while to get really going. The sons were not as appealing as the fathers, and the historical connections were not as frequent as in the previous novel. My interest in early modern medicine was not as great either. But at the end, fathers and sons are reunited, there is looming another sad outbreak of religious turmoil (and therefore promises of action and food for thought), so I am optimistic about the future of the series. It feels good to find a series that will be satisfying!

avid_d's review against another edition

3.0

This book was rather too much of a bawdy romp at times compared to the first.