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doritobabe's review
3.0
3.5
A few weeks ago, I decided to stop writing reviews and only log star listings for books because of some internal screaming and frustrations I had regarding the popularity contest that is the goodreads review system. However, I realize now I need to make a few notes to keep track of what I read because my memory is failing me... I am getting older.
~~
I started off loving this book - it was basically nouveau-literature. The main protagonist waxed poetical about jazz, women, and the sea. It was a perfect mood for me when I started it; however, when I realized that it wasn't going to rise to the climactic sea-faring voyage that I was hoping for, I quickly became distracted by something else: [b:Darkfever|112750|Darkfever (Fever, #1)|Karen Marie Moning|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1392579949l/112750._SY75_.jpg|108558].
I was in the mood for an honest-ship wreck adventure story that started off as a slow burn. What I was getting instead was a quiet mystery (possibly a lite thriller?) that one may argue is in the vein of Patricia Highsmith (think: cat and mouse). I won't ever know if my guess is correct, though.
A few weeks ago, I decided to stop writing reviews and only log star listings for books because of some internal screaming and frustrations I had regarding the popularity contest that is the goodreads review system. However, I realize now I need to make a few notes to keep track of what I read because my memory is failing me... I am getting older.
~~
I started off loving this book - it was basically nouveau-literature. The main protagonist waxed poetical about jazz, women, and the sea. It was a perfect mood for me when I started it; however, when I realized that it wasn't going to rise to the climactic sea-faring voyage that I was hoping for, I quickly became distracted by something else: [b:Darkfever|112750|Darkfever (Fever, #1)|Karen Marie Moning|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1392579949l/112750._SY75_.jpg|108558].
I was in the mood for an honest-ship wreck adventure story that started off as a slow burn. What I was getting instead was a quiet mystery (possibly a lite thriller?) that one may argue is in the vein of Patricia Highsmith (think: cat and mouse). I won't ever know if my guess is correct, though.
branch_c's review
3.0
A fairly standard treasure hunt story, including a tight group of somewhat obsessed characters, except the protagonist, of course, who is pulled in against his better judgement. The characters deceive each other, but are open to forming alliances; they collaborate, but never truly trust each other; and of course there is the expected romantic tension, eventually resolved.
The writing in the English version is just okay; much of it strikes me as a bit tendentious and overly dramatic, in an attempt to be deeply philosophical. For example, "...no one would ever be able to draw the nautical chart that would allow a man to navigate a woman." (p. 401). I'm afraid it reads like a translation, which of course it is, but ideally it wouldn't be obvious. Only a couple of places seemed to be actual errors; for example, we have "...a hundred-yard line tied to a bowline..." (p. 328) instead of "with a bowline" or "in a bowline". Beyond that, much of the wording seems awkward, especially the dialog, though it's not clear whether that's entirely the fault of the translator. By chance I came across the Spanish version while halfway through this edition, so I picked it up, dusted off my college Spanish and read a couple of chapters that way, but it's clearly been too long since I read anything more complex than a menu or a street sign in Spanish, since I kept having to refer back to the English version for unfamiliar words and phrases. Anyway the elegance of the wording may indeed be a bit better in the original, but it still seemed a bit below average for me.
The nautical aspects are not bad - there are plenty of stories involving sailing in which it's all too apparent that the writer has never set foot on a boat - that's not the case here. However, there were a few too many references to "halyards" where the more generic "lines" would have been better. The historical story leading up to the sought-after shipwreck was the best part of the book for me.
All in all, not terrible, but I was less than impressed.
The writing in the English version is just okay; much of it strikes me as a bit tendentious and overly dramatic, in an attempt to be deeply philosophical. For example, "...no one would ever be able to draw the nautical chart that would allow a man to navigate a woman." (p. 401). I'm afraid it reads like a translation, which of course it is, but ideally it wouldn't be obvious. Only a couple of places seemed to be actual errors; for example, we have "...a hundred-yard line tied to a bowline..." (p. 328) instead of "with a bowline" or "in a bowline". Beyond that, much of the wording seems awkward, especially the dialog, though it's not clear whether that's entirely the fault of the translator. By chance I came across the Spanish version while halfway through this edition, so I picked it up, dusted off my college Spanish and read a couple of chapters that way, but it's clearly been too long since I read anything more complex than a menu or a street sign in Spanish, since I kept having to refer back to the English version for unfamiliar words and phrases. Anyway the elegance of the wording may indeed be a bit better in the original, but it still seemed a bit below average for me.
The nautical aspects are not bad - there are plenty of stories involving sailing in which it's all too apparent that the writer has never set foot on a boat - that's not the case here. However, there were a few too many references to "halyards" where the more generic "lines" would have been better. The historical story leading up to the sought-after shipwreck was the best part of the book for me.
All in all, not terrible, but I was less than impressed.
modernviking's review
5.0
It's been 20 years since I read this and had forgotten just how good it is. So well written and with the perfect conclusion.
bibliophile_04's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
gjmaupin's review
3.0
Not bad - I think I was just in the wrong mood for this one, so it ended up taking my almost 2 weeks to read. Always solid writing from Perez-Reverte (though I admit to a preference for his period work).
alice_horoshev's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
danibanani's review
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
jandi's review against another edition
4.0
Tanger Soto does not fall behind as one of Pérez-Reverte best heroines.