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A review by simonmee
Greeks Bearing Gifts by Philip Kerr
4.0
I mean, he's good, really good.
"I can smell a cop the way an elephant can smell water."
Greeks Bearing Gifts is a story from one viewpoint. In the first 50 (generously spaced pages) the main character moves from mortician to pallbearer to robber. 4 pages later he's a preemptive double crosser. In between, he solves a crime. The final reveal is that the whole plot was a misdirection. The dialogue parodies every bad mid-20th Century detective movie. All these things could be flaws. They're not.
He's good, really good.
"But here's the thing. Get them to date the check a week ago. And to let you have a photostat"
"What are you planning?"
"To test the age-old theory that there's no honor among thieves and even less among murderers."
Bernie Gunther/Christof Ganz is a "good German." He was a member of Heydrich's SD but he didn't mean it. He served in Minsk during the worst massacres but he was just hanging around. It's a tightrope. You'll have to suspend disbelief. However, Gunther is an interesting vehicle into Germany's postwar guilt and machinations. Here, he's an insurance adjuster investigating a shipwreck in Greece, where earlier crimes in Germany link with the main story. It's a good yarn, told quickly. While there are twists, it’s pretty tame and makes you feel smarter for it. It's heavy on references to Greek mythology and Anglo-American culture (would a Greek and German make an use Shakespeare to make a point?)
The story's really good.
"This is the home of democracy but we can behave in some very undemocratic ways when we put our minds to it."
As mentioned, Gunther provides a fresh feeling perspective. The rest...well... I guess you have to deliver exposition one way or another, whether by Greek detective or Mossad agent. Kerr keeps the number of characters low. Perhaps too low in the case of Max Merton, who's appearances are separated by about 350 pages and two different personalities.
Even so, it's good to watch selfish characters develop the story in ways that suit them, really good even.
It wasn't that she was ugly or even plain, only that she'd reached a time in her life when romantic love was a loved door that didn't need a key.
There is a problem. Kerr can't write female characters. It is actually incredible how poorly done they are. Yes, it would be nice to have a wider representation than old white dudes. No, it doesn't count if broaden it to women who are really really, outstandingly, mindblowingly hot (with a thing for old white guys), or the ugliest crones you can drag out of a dustbin.
I guess in that case Kerr is really good at being really, outstandingly, bad on that point.
You can crush this book in a weekend, if you have the free time, and you wouldn't regret it. Just don't get any ideas about women with perfect breasts that anyone who liked drawing impressive landscapes like the hills of Rome or the Heights of Abraham could have admired for days on end lusting after your grey nosehairs. They're not that good.
"I can smell a cop the way an elephant can smell water."
Greeks Bearing Gifts is a story from one viewpoint. In the first 50 (generously spaced pages) the main character moves from mortician to pallbearer to robber. 4 pages later he's a preemptive double crosser. In between, he solves a crime. The final reveal is that the whole plot was a misdirection. The dialogue parodies every bad mid-20th Century detective movie. All these things could be flaws. They're not.
He's good, really good.
"But here's the thing. Get them to date the check a week ago. And to let you have a photostat"
"What are you planning?"
"To test the age-old theory that there's no honor among thieves and even less among murderers."
Bernie Gunther/Christof Ganz is a "good German." He was a member of Heydrich's SD but he didn't mean it. He served in Minsk during the worst massacres but he was just hanging around. It's a tightrope. You'll have to suspend disbelief. However, Gunther is an interesting vehicle into Germany's postwar guilt and machinations. Here, he's an insurance adjuster investigating a shipwreck in Greece, where earlier crimes in Germany link with the main story. It's a good yarn, told quickly. While there are twists, it’s pretty tame and makes you feel smarter for it. It's heavy on references to Greek mythology and Anglo-American culture (would a Greek and German make an use Shakespeare to make a point?)
The story's really good.
"This is the home of democracy but we can behave in some very undemocratic ways when we put our minds to it."
As mentioned, Gunther provides a fresh feeling perspective. The rest...well... I guess you have to deliver exposition one way or another, whether by Greek detective or Mossad agent. Kerr keeps the number of characters low. Perhaps too low in the case of Max Merton, who's appearances are separated by about 350 pages and two different personalities.
Even so, it's good to watch selfish characters develop the story in ways that suit them, really good even.
It wasn't that she was ugly or even plain, only that she'd reached a time in her life when romantic love was a loved door that didn't need a key.
There is a problem. Kerr can't write female characters. It is actually incredible how poorly done they are. Yes, it would be nice to have a wider representation than old white dudes. No, it doesn't count if broaden it to women who are really really, outstandingly, mindblowingly hot (with a thing for old white guys), or the ugliest crones you can drag out of a dustbin.
I guess in that case Kerr is really good at being really, outstandingly, bad on that point.
You can crush this book in a weekend, if you have the free time, and you wouldn't regret it. Just don't get any ideas about women with perfect breasts that anyone who liked drawing impressive landscapes like the hills of Rome or the Heights of Abraham could have admired for days on end lusting after your grey nosehairs. They're not that good.