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scrivvy's review against another edition
5.0
This is the fourth book by Arturo Perez Reverted that I have read and I have to say he is among one of my favourite authors.This is an absorbing mystery adventure set around the fine art of sword fencing in mid 19th century Madrid.As always the author pulls you into the story and before you know the hours have skipped by.
anyajulchen's review against another edition
3.0
Pese a la expectación tenida para leer este libro, pienso sinceramente que no es el mejor trabajo de Reverte. Tiene mucho brillo, pero también varias fallas en cuanto a personajes e historia que dan sombra al texto.
Sin embargo, es una lectura recomendable y entretenida, si gustas de un relato muchas veces predecible, con un prólogo, primer capítulo y cierre que están entre los mejores que he leído, no así el desarrollo. Otro detalle importante es la personaje femenina, que desea ser interesante e independiente y termina siendo un cliché de mujer que lo hace todo por amor, sin medir las consecuencias de sus actos.
Sin embargo, es una lectura recomendable y entretenida, si gustas de un relato muchas veces predecible, con un prólogo, primer capítulo y cierre que están entre los mejores que he leído, no así el desarrollo. Otro detalle importante es la personaje femenina, que desea ser interesante e independiente y termina siendo un cliché de mujer que lo hace todo por amor, sin medir las consecuencias de sus actos.
fogisbeautiful's review against another edition
2.0
There are a couple of reasons this isn't getting one star. The first is the writing. I will admit that there were moments that the writing in this book was beautiful and I have to give the author credit where credit is due. The other is my understanding that a lot of my dissatisfaction with the story has to do with the fact that I am not a Spanish native. It is my understanding that this book was written by a native of Spain and translated (quite well, I might add) into English. So the references to Spanish historical events and people that I didn't understand and therefore found distracting, are probably common knowledge to many Spanish citizens and added to the story for them rather than detracted.
But then we come to the story itself. I didn't have a problem with the main character, the fencing master. He was, quite frankly, the only interesting, multilayered character in the whole book. I found the other characters (especially the "femme fatale") to be one dimensional and unbelievable, when I could keep the characters straight that is. The plot was flat and predictable. The glimpses into the maestro's past were far more interesting to me than the action happening in "the present" and honestly THAT'S the book I'd like to read :P
Overall, this book was a chore to get through, but I powered through it because it was short and occasionally had glimmers of hope in the pretty prose and the main character, but these were well overshadowed by the many problems with the plot and other characters. Take from that, what you will :)
But then we come to the story itself. I didn't have a problem with the main character, the fencing master. He was, quite frankly, the only interesting, multilayered character in the whole book. I found the other characters (especially the "femme fatale") to be one dimensional and unbelievable, when I could keep the characters straight that is. The plot was flat and predictable.
Spoiler
Honestly, the best part was when the maestro stabbed the woman through the eye at the end. I will gladly admit to punching the air with a triumphant whoop when that happened ;)Overall, this book was a chore to get through, but I powered through it because it was short and occasionally had glimmers of hope in the pretty prose and the main character, but these were well overshadowed by the many problems with the plot and other characters. Take from that, what you will :)
dina_b's review against another edition
2.0
Confesso que me custou a acabar está leitura. A história começa lentamente, não percebo nada de esgrima, logo tinha dificuldade nas partes das aulas e lutas. Só ao meio do livro é que comecei a achar interessante e vê - se que o autor fez a pesquisa da Espanha dessa época. Acho que a primeira parte foi lenta para depois acelerar no meio do livro e acabar um pouco abruptamente. O ponto positivo foi fazer-me ir pesquisar a história de Espanha dessa época com todas as mudanças políticas que aconteceram. Para quem gosta de esgrima, história e política esse livro é para ele mas para mim não agarrou.
zare_i's review against another edition
5.0
Set in 1860's in Spain, in the eve of what is to be known as Glorious Revolution this book tells a story about a man so much out of time he lives in that it almost cost him dearly.
Don Jaime is a man I fully understand and can relate to - professional, working as renowned fencing master (in times when fencing starts to be treated more like a sport than serious skill that can save ones life) he is as far away from everyday political life and events that he might as well live in parallel world. Only contact with the outside world is through his friends in a local bar - mix of characters that so much echo people from world over (and across ages) in time of crisis - they are all experts and they are the only ones that know the ultimate truth.
So when his life routine gets interrupted by visitation from a beautiful and enigmatic girl Don Jaime finds himself in very strange place. On one hand he is attracted to this woman but he is also acutely aware that his age (mid 50's) ensures nothing can happen here. On the other hand girl is more than capable fencer and Don Jaime gets excited because he finally gets a student that he feels he can teach his more advanced techniques. And then one day girl asks him about one of his students, local baron, and as sudden as she entered Don Jaime's life she leaves it.
What happens next is such a good detective/crime/revenge story that it got me glued to the very end. I wont go into details here because I do not want to ruin experience for others.
Characters are given so vividly - starting from the group in the bar, bartender well versed into current state of affairs and bored by once-upon-a-time-priest, now revolutionary journalist, music teacher that struggles from day to day and finally member of lower nobility, loud supporter of monarchy. Very character of Don Jaime is excellent - man who found his calling as a sword master in Paris, man living only in professional sense, without wife and kids, totally devoted to his work and students and total unknown to everyone around him. He is so disgusted by the politics of the moment that he just ignores what happens around him - if it is not work he is not interested in it. Because of this he is considered something of a weirdo and thought of as a little bit .... naive and stupid would be the correct phrase I guess. One could feel bad for Don Jaime, but in the end he chose this monk style of life and came to peace with it.
But what a surprise is there for the people coming for Don Jaime - this is a book that shows what happens when person is underestimated. Always beware the wrath of the quiet man.
Author's style is pure joy. Once I started reading the book I could not stop 'til the end.
Excellent book, highly recommended.
Don Jaime is a man I fully understand and can relate to - professional, working as renowned fencing master (in times when fencing starts to be treated more like a sport than serious skill that can save ones life) he is as far away from everyday political life and events that he might as well live in parallel world. Only contact with the outside world is through his friends in a local bar - mix of characters that so much echo people from world over (and across ages) in time of crisis - they are all experts and they are the only ones that know the ultimate truth.
So when his life routine gets interrupted by visitation from a beautiful and enigmatic girl Don Jaime finds himself in very strange place. On one hand he is attracted to this woman but he is also acutely aware that his age (mid 50's) ensures nothing can happen here. On the other hand girl is more than capable fencer and Don Jaime gets excited because he finally gets a student that he feels he can teach his more advanced techniques. And then one day girl asks him about one of his students, local baron, and as sudden as she entered Don Jaime's life she leaves it.
What happens next is such a good detective/crime/revenge story that it got me glued to the very end. I wont go into details here because I do not want to ruin experience for others.
Characters are given so vividly - starting from the group in the bar, bartender well versed into current state of affairs and bored by once-upon-a-time-priest, now revolutionary journalist, music teacher that struggles from day to day and finally member of lower nobility, loud supporter of monarchy. Very character of Don Jaime is excellent - man who found his calling as a sword master in Paris, man living only in professional sense, without wife and kids, totally devoted to his work and students and total unknown to everyone around him. He is so disgusted by the politics of the moment that he just ignores what happens around him - if it is not work he is not interested in it. Because of this he is considered something of a weirdo and thought of as a little bit .... naive and stupid would be the correct phrase I guess. One could feel bad for Don Jaime, but in the end he chose this monk style of life and came to peace with it.
But what a surprise is there for the people coming for Don Jaime - this is a book that shows what happens when person is underestimated. Always beware the wrath of the quiet man.
Author's style is pure joy. Once I started reading the book I could not stop 'til the end.
Excellent book, highly recommended.
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
The Fencing Master is billed as a period whodunit but I would argue that it's not really a mystery but instead a nice piece of fiction. Yes, there are some dead bodies but it's not a traditional mystery with clues to be followed. The book is set in 1868 and centers around an aging fencing master in Spain who is reluctant to change with the times. Grudgingly he accepts a female client who wants to learn the secret of the unstoppable thrust. There is political unrest that becomes part of the main story as well. For me, the fencing part was fascinating. I knew absolutely nothing about fencing going into this book and while I still don't know much, I have a developed quite an appreciation for it. The fencing portions of the books were the best while the political stuff bogged the story down at times.
"The ghosts of the people we could have been and weren't...Isn't that what it is? The people we dreamed of being, until we were forced to wake from the dream."
"The ghosts of the people we could have been and weren't...Isn't that what it is? The people we dreamed of being, until we were forced to wake from the dream."
cherircohen's review against another edition
3.0
It took a while for this book to get started - seems like nothing happened the first 150 or so pages (and the book is only 240 pages!). It was pretty interesting but it was very heavy on technical fencing descriptions. Not as good as I expected based on how much I loved his Queen of the South.
gjmaupin's review against another edition
3.0
Fun - probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been reading it in the midst of two simultaneous rehearsal processes. It's less than 250 pages long, yet it took me a couple of weeks to find the time. Not the book's fault.
Best read for its inevitability, not its mystery, which feels, well, inevitable from what the Spanish call The Get-Go. Also for the precise fencing scenes. Obviously.
Best read for its inevitability, not its mystery, which feels, well, inevitable from what the Spanish call The Get-Go. Also for the precise fencing scenes. Obviously.
jimenaa_sb's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
lakecake's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as The Flanders Panel. It took a really long time to get to the central mystery and I felt like the villain in this one was just way too obvious. There was a lack of subtlety to the whole story, and the final resolve basically boiled down to a bunch of facts Perez-Reverte never made us care about. The main character, Don Jaime, became almost an afterthought in the final solution.
All that said, I really enjoyed the way the book was written, i.e. the language and phrases used. This is probably more a compliment to the translator, but still great. Makes me want to try to learn enough Spanish to read the originals and try to find out what the difference is in translation.
All that said, I really enjoyed the way the book was written, i.e. the language and phrases used. This is probably more a compliment to the translator, but still great. Makes me want to try to learn enough Spanish to read the originals and try to find out what the difference is in translation.