Indrajit Garai’s books are indeed eye-openers, in my mind at least, and I really appreciated reading these thought-provoking little contemporaries.
Indrajit Garai’s books are indeed eye-openers, in my mind at least, and I really appreciated reading these thought-provoking little contemporaries.
The Alignment 3.5 stars. I love how he kindly, seriously discusses life issues most of us try to ignore. Not being a businessperson, I didn’t quite get everything that was happening in this book, but I appreciated the talk of morals and ethics in business, on a global AND personal level; and also of contentment + aligning desires & needs… also stress. I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending, with Franck decision to cheat never being addressed even if he doesn’t follow through on it; but I appreciated how open-ended and hopeful it was.
The Changing Turf 4 stars. This one was my favourite of the lot. The portrayal of “normal” North American society was striking from the eyes of a foreigner. Debt and homelessness were particularly discussed (and very well handled); but also domestic violence, suicide, and even abortion (love how it was handled from the father’s POV). I didn’t like Nathan’s wife and her actions (she was such a disappointment); but Nathan himself was pretty admirable, especially in his humility and confidence. Again, the ending was bittersweetly open-ended, but hopeful.
The Eye Opener 3.5 stars. By far the longest story in the book, this was the one I struggled most with, because its the most raw and saddening. Definitely a story to be told—just very heavy. I really appreciated seeing life from the side of a convict, especially from the POV of society’s perspective on him and the difficulty of having a good, clean life. I struggled with the anti-government, anti-LE, anti-societal rules attitude, even if I totally understand where it comes from and it’s not entirely wrong in some aspects.
Overall, this book gave me A LOT to think about, both about myself and about the world. And as always, I love the French setting and the reflective writing style.
Content: TA—divorce threatened or carried out (I forget!); nurse tries to seduce main character and he decides to cheat (nothing happens). TCT: Abortion (non condoned) + mention of MC’s body refusing his wife after she aborted their child; swearing (OM*). TEO: swearing; mention of s*xual matters; mention of police torturing + assaulting a minor; mention that God speaks in the MC’s head; parent-child struggles; drugs (hated by MC). Possibly more? I’ve forgotten. One of the stories mentions calling upon God, following it up with remarks about being ashamed to ask for His help.
A Favourite Quote: There are humans too who hoard far beyond their needs, just in case they end up living a day or two more. Then there are absolute idiots like me who know hoarding increases the pain of death, but we hoard anyway because others are doing the same. Why? We don’t want to fall behind. A Favourite Beautiful Quote: The ocean has done us good. There’s something magical about that space where the water joins the sky. That vast emptiness expands your chest, and the door of the universe opens to you. Your tolerance rises; you become more patient; you see qualities in others you never saw before. The violent waves crush your barriers; the mute roars lull you into sleep; you wake up next morning to the jingling of shells; and you see that the water and the salt and the algae have washed your mind clean. You’re no longer the same. The two weeks by the ocean have changed us profoundly. A Favourite Humorous Quote: “They’ve found your genetic imprint on the spot.” “What!” “A paper tissue with your DNA on it.” “In that home?” “No, in a garbage bin just outside.” “What does that prove?” “You’ve been in the proximity.” “Don’t they already have that on their camera?” “They do. The two add up nicely.” Brilliant math. I wonder what kind of defense he’ll provide for me.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
Merged review:
Indrajit Garai’s books are indeed eye-openers, in my mind at least, and I really appreciated reading these thought-provoking little contemporaries.
The Alignment 3.5 stars. I love how he kindly, seriously discusses life issues most of us try to ignore. Not being a businessperson, I didn’t quite get everything that was happening in this book, but I appreciated the talk of morals and ethics in business, on a global AND personal level; and also of contentment + aligning desires & needs… also stress. I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending, with Franck decision to cheat never being addressed even if he doesn’t follow through on it; but I appreciated how open-ended and hopeful it was.
The Changing Turf 4 stars. This one was my favourite of the lot. The portrayal of “normal” North American society was striking from the eyes of a foreigner. Debt and homelessness were particularly discussed (and very well handled); but also domestic violence, suicide, and even abortion (love how it was handled from the father’s POV). I didn’t like Nathan’s wife and her actions (she was such a disappointment); but Nathan himself was pretty admirable, especially in his humility and confidence. Again, the ending was bittersweetly open-ended, but hopeful.
The Eye Opener 3.5 stars. By far the longest story in the book, this was the one I struggled most with, because its the most raw and saddening. Definitely a story to be told—just very heavy. I really appreciated seeing life from the side of a convict, especially from the POV of society’s perspective on him and the difficulty of having a good, clean life. I struggled with the anti-government, anti-LE, anti-societal rules attitude, even if I totally understand where it comes from and it’s not entirely wrong in some aspects.
Overall, this book gave me A LOT to think about, both about myself and about the world. And as always, I love the French setting and the reflective writing style.
Content: TA—divorce threatened or carried out (I forget!); nurse tries to seduce main character and he decides to cheat (nothing happens). TCT: Abortion (non condoned) + mention of MC’s body refusing his wife after she aborted their child; swearing (OM*). TEO: swearing; mention of s*xual matters; mention of police torturing + assaulting a minor; mention that God speaks in the MC’s head; parent-child struggles; drugs (hated by MC). Possibly more? I’ve forgotten. One of the stories mentions calling upon God, following it up with remarks about being ashamed to ask for His help.
A Favourite Quote: There are humans too who hoard far beyond their needs, just in case they end up living a day or two more. Then there are absolute idiots like me who know hoarding increases the pain of death, but we hoard anyway because others are doing the same. Why? We don’t want to fall behind. A Favourite Beautiful Quote: The ocean has done us good. There’s something magical about that space where the water joins the sky. That vast emptiness expands your chest, and the door of the universe opens to you. Your tolerance rises; you become more patient; you see qualities in others you never saw before. The violent waves crush your barriers; the mute roars lull you into sleep; you wake up next morning to the jingling of shells; and you see that the water and the salt and the algae have washed your mind clean. You’re no longer the same. The two weeks by the ocean have changed us profoundly. A Favourite Humorous Quote: “They’ve found your genetic imprint on the spot.” “What!” “A paper tissue with your DNA on it.” “In that home?” “No, in a garbage bin just outside.” “What does that prove?” “You’ve been in the proximity.” “Don’t they already have that on their camera?” “They do. The two add up nicely.” Brilliant math. I wonder what kind of defense he’ll provide for me.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*...more
3.75 (4/10 hearts). I’ve always loved this book just because that old store is SO cool!! The text isn’t too simplistic, even if everything in the book3.75 (4/10 hearts). I’ve always loved this book just because that old store is SO cool!! The text isn’t too simplistic, even if everything in the book is labelled, which makes it seem like it’s for younger readers; and it’s rather a fun little vintage read. ...more
3.7 stars (4/10 hearts). Okay, so the Encyclopedia Brown books are palpably about nothing but the mysteries. Certainly the writing and characters are 3.7 stars (4/10 hearts). Okay, so the Encyclopedia Brown books are palpably about nothing but the mysteries. Certainly the writing and characters are lacking, though there’s some humorous bits. But the cases are a blast. For the first time, I solved some! 5 or 6, I think? One was super evident and I will forever live in shame that I didn’t get it; and two others I didn’t have specific information needed to solve them. Overall, a super fun book and I bet it would be real cool to read aloud and solve as a group! ...more
3.5 stars (3/10 hearts). Less of a story, and more of a hypothetical situation, but lots to think about here. A very interesting discussion about whet3.5 stars (3/10 hearts). Less of a story, and more of a hypothetical situation, but lots to think about here. A very interesting discussion about whether some science should ethically be off limits, government involvement, and criminal intent vs. characteristics.
Perhaps we should just accept the notion that dreams serve a useful purpose and leave it at that. To accept that there are some things that will and should remain unknowable.
*I received a complimentary copy of After Dinner Conversation - Business Ethics for promotional purposes, in which collection this story is found. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*...more
Overall average rating: 3.7 stars (4/10 hearts). I first heard of this publication through an author I was interested in publishing with them once upoOverall average rating: 3.7 stars (4/10 hearts). I first heard of this publication through an author I was interested in publishing with them once upon a time. I never paid attention to their stuff but I was always interested in their thought-provoking themes, and when I saw them recently offering ARCs of their ethics collections, I jumped at the chance. Somehow I was expecting this to be a religious or somewhat conservative/moralistic publication, so I was startled by the amount of language sprinkled throughout the stories, though some are cleaner than others. That aside, I enjoyed the collection as a whole.
The Pool by Celia Lisset Alvarez 3.5 stars (3/10 hearts). This one was particularly thought-stimulating, since both the apartment complex owner and the tenants had valid points—though the tenants were more often wrong than right. The ending was super abrupt though.
First Gold by Bob Beach 2.7 stars (3/10 hearts). This one had a boatload of language, and annoyed me with its very anti-inlaws attitude. Despite that, I really appreciated the message about the ethics of plagiarizing (even if it’s common) and about a business prioritizing a client over a worker.
Pandora’s Dreams by Peter Beaumont 3.5 stars (3/10 hearts). Less of a story, and more of a hypothetical situation, but lots to think about here. A very interesting discussion about whether some science should ethically be off limits, government involvement, and criminal intent vs. characteristics.
Cicada by Ishan Dylan 2.5 stars (2/10 hearts). I found this a confusing story, and I never fully did get the point/moral, I think. Something about people not being ready for specific technology, or corporations not supposed to have it, and apparently the ethics of journalism? I found this story very hard to follow.
Claim by Fiona Ennis 3 stars. This held a very interesting point about insurance coverage that perhaps shouldn’t exist, plus refusal to check into shady clients. There was also a side focus on anorexia—related to trauma/guilt, I believe. Also, it’s written from the second-person perspective, which is more unique.
Thorn by Erik Fatemi 4 stars. A very cool portrayal of Jesus Christ from the POV of a money-centred, powerful local builder obsessed by his fear of competition/losing clientele. I was quite intrigued by Timothy’s obvious but oblivious skewed perspective… and his questionable business ethics towards subordinates.
Guilt-Edged Security by James A. Hartley 2.5 stars (2/10 hearts). I spent most of my time trying to figure out what the story was about (apparently info-dumps in micro fiction are hard for me to wrap my brain around), but once I finally got an idea of the topic—the ethics of small-quantity resources, I believe?—I appreciated it a little more. Mostly I was intrigued by the idea of the immortality brew and choices surrounding this.
The Money Box by Phillip Scott Mandel 2.7 stars (3/10 hearts). Once again, I was dreadfully confused about what was going on, but then so was the MC, so there’s that. I was pretty disgusted about the whole sleep/demon issue… not sure what was going on there, but I struggled with it all… but I appreciated the striking message about how money is never free.
Lev’s Pawn Shop by Megan Neary 5 stars. I loved this story! It was hands down my favourite. Well written, and fascinating, and with such delightful little cameos of life and characters. I loved seeing how different people reacted to life and the overarching theme about good deeds, especially outweighing bad ones… It was just heart-tugging and right up my alley.
Bugs in the Valley by Saba Waheed 3 stars. Lots of these stories focus on the medical/scientific aspect of things, actually. This one was fairly straightforward, all about the ethics of handing medicinal/scientific benefits to the wealthy instead of the needy. It was sad, but thought-inducing.
Overall, this was a very interesting and stimulating collection, though a lot of it apparently went over my head. Perhaps I read it too fast, or it’s better when discussed with others. My general takeaway is it could be better, but I liked it, I’m glad I read it, and I want to read more collections by this publication.
On the off-chance that anyone reads this review and really enjoys ethics-centred writing: check out Indrajit Garai’s novels and short story collections. This collection really reminded me of his works.
Content: a mention of animals drowned; language; mention of “spicy” dreams; veiled mention of s*xual a*sault to a minor; a Church calls asking for insurance against claims of a*sault; anorexia; a demon/false god from antiquity connects into one story + commits mild violence; mention of fornication & out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
Everyone liked to imagine that they would side with Galileo.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*...more
4.7 stars (5/10 hearts). Alan Douglas is the minister at Rexton, and he loves the seashore nearby. One day on a solitary ramble he meets beautiful, my4.7 stars (5/10 hearts). Alan Douglas is the minister at Rexton, and he loves the seashore nearby. One day on a solitary ramble he meets beautiful, mysterious, chilly Lynde Oliver. A chance rescue introduces him to her suave scamp of a father, and from then on their friendship grows until out a clear blue sky, various trials reveal their love and the impossibility of a romance…
This is one of Montgomery’s tales that just fascinates you. It’s quite long, but the setting is wonderful and the story itself is just... fascinating. I love Lynde and Alan is such a nice fellow, and the twists don’t stop coming! Some of the story was later used in Leslie’s story in Anne’s House of Dreams, and I believe the rescue scene was repurposed in Emily of New Moon? Anyways, it’s splendid and so much fun.
4,5 étoiles (4/10 cœurs). J'ai toujours été fascinée par les Tsiganes (« gitans ») et leurs manières intrigantes. Ce livre m'a tellement satisfaite. M4,5 étoiles (4/10 cœurs). J'ai toujours été fascinée par les Tsiganes (« gitans ») et leurs manières intrigantes. Ce livre m'a tellement satisfaite. Magali Favre a couvert le bon et le mauvais, le dur et le beau. Elle a suscité tellement de respect et de sympathie pour ce peuple et m'a fait réaliser comment ils ont été traités historiquement. C'était sans conteste ma partie préférée. L'ambiance était agréable.
Ensuite, j'ai adoré le fait que le MC soit québécois ! Et j'ai aimé explorer le sud (occitan) de la France à travers ses expériences. Personnellement, je n'étais pas sa fan numéro 1, surtout après les premiers chapitres - j'ai toujours du mal avec les personnages rebelles, et sa fuite en laissant sa famille terrifiée n'était pas juste. Pourtant, j'ai compris ses raisons, et sa famille était tout aussi injuste dans leur sévérité constante et inexpliquée, ainsi que dans leur tentative de transférer leurs préjugés et de cacher son passé. Aucun des personnages n'était particulièrement attachant, à moins que ce ne soit Fablo, mais ils étaient tous intéressants.
Enfin, j'ai profondément apprécié l'histoire. Rares sont ceux qui évoquent l’internement des Tsiganes pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Cette histoire est un hommage émouvant à ces pauvres âmes oubliées. C’est une histoire bien écrite et importante. J’ai hâte de la relire.
**Liste de contenu à venir quand je relis le livre**
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4.5 stars (4/10 hearts). I’ve always been fascinated by the Romani (“gypsies”) and their intriguing ways. This book satisfied me so well. Magali Favre covered the good and the bad, the hard and the beautiful. She raised so much respect and sympathy for this people and made me realize how they were treated historically. That was hands-down my favourite part. The atmosphere was lovely.
Next, I loved how the MC was québécois! And I enjoyed exploring the south (Occitan) end of France through his experiences. Personally I was not his no. 1 fan, especially after the first few chapters—I always have difficulty with rebellious characters, and his running away to leave his family terrified wasn’t fair. Still, I understood his reasons, and they were just as unfair in their constant unexplained severity, as well as their attempt to transfer their prejudice and hide his past. None of the characters were particularly loveable, unless it was Fablo, but they were all interesting.
Finally, I deeply appreciated the history. Few ever mention the internment of the Romani in WWII; this story is a moving tribute to those poor forgotten souls. It’s a well-written story, and an important one. I look forward to rereading it.
3,5 étoiles. Je n’aurais jamais pensé annoncer mon plaisir dans un roman noir. Je ne sais pas pourquoi je tiens autant à ces personnages. J'avais peur3,5 étoiles. Je n’aurais jamais pensé annoncer mon plaisir dans un roman noir. Je ne sais pas pourquoi je tiens autant à ces personnages. J'avais peur que ce livre soit trop pour moi, étant donné qu'il parle d'un tueur en série ; mais bien qu'il soit plutôt plus violent que le tome 1, avec plus de haine personnelle et d'infliction délib��rée de douleur, je ne l'ai pas trouvé terriblement dérangeant d'une manière ou d'une autre. Je l'ai quand même lu en plein jour. ;) J'avais aussi peur qu'il ne soit pas à la hauteur du tome 1 en ce qui concerne les choses que j'aimais, mais c’était pas le cas !
J’aime vraiment beaucoup regarder Ruben et Gaspard résoudre les affaires. C’est 50 % de ce que j’aime dans cette série. Pour commencer, J’ADORE que ce soit l’affaire évoqué dans le tome 1 ! Une affaire tellement intrigante aussi. C’est un peu complexe et recèle plusieurs mystères différents à la fois, et j’ai pu comprendre/deviner plusieurs éléments, ce qui était amusant. Ruben a encore eu ses moments de menace/contrainte pour trouver des réponses, mais moins que dans le tome 1, à ma satisfaction.
Les personnages, encore une fois, sont ce que j'ai préféré. Gaspard va beaucoup mieux, exprimant enfin son amour pour sa mère, lâchant (quelque peu) J., étant plus gentil avec A. et stabilisant sa vie. J'aime le voir grandir, d'une manière ou d'une autre ; J’ai hâte de voir une annonce complète qu’il aura l’avenir de ses rêves. Ruben aussi, je veux voir plus heureux + épanoui. Sa protection de A. et sa révélation de son histoire en font un personnage encore plus sympathique. J'adore leur relation, moitié père/fils, ou mentor/élève, et moitié juste de bons amis. J’ai fini par me sentir vraiment désolé pour et mieux comprenant la mère de Gaspard, et Althéa aussi – et j’espère que F. trouvera une rédemption pour son erreur.
La fin était inattendue et j’étais vraiment désolée pour G., mais elle est (bien que dure) réaliste et j’attends d’autant plus avec impatience le tome 3. J’espère vraiment que l’on répondra enfin aux questions autour de la disparition du père. Honnêtement, j'ai l'impression que c'était une lecture quatre étoiles, certainement en ce qui concerne le plaisir ; mais je me sens aussi mal à l'aise de lui attribuer une note aussi élevée avec le contenu (voir ci-dessous), donc je fais un compromis avec 3,5 étoiles.
Contenu : J'en ai oublié beaucoup, mais voici ce dont je me souviens : des jurons ; une brève scène à peine détaillée où A & G commettent la fornication ; la torture, l’enchainement, et le meurtre ; mentionnez qu'un personnage mineur est pédophile et a abusé de sa belle-fille (qui accouche plus tard) sans que la mère n'intervienne.
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3.5 stars. I never, ever thought I’d be announcing my enjoyment of a roman noir. I don’t know why I care about these characters so much. I worried this book would be too much for me, being about a serial killer; but while it is rather more violent than book 1, with more personal hatred and deliberate infliction of pain, I didn’t find it terribly disturbing somehow. All the same, I read it in broad daylight. ;) I was also worried it would not be up to the level of book 1 as far as the stuff I liked, but it was!
I really, really enjoy watching Ruben & Gaspard go about solving the cases. It’s a solid 50% of what I love about this series. To start off, I LOVE that it’s the case mentioned in book 1! Such an intriguing one, too. It’s somewhat complex and holds several different mysteries at once, and I was able to figure out/guess several elements, which was fun. Ruben still had his moments of threatening/muscling his way through to answers, but less than in book 1, to my satisfaction.
The characters, once again, were my favourite part. Gaspard is doing so much better, finally expressing love for his mother, (somewhat) letting go of J., being kinder to A., and steadying his life. I love watching him grow, somehow; I can’t wait to see a full announcement that he gets to have his dream future. Ruben, too, I want to see happier + more fulfilled. His protection of A., and his revelation of his backstory, make him an even more likeable character. I love their relationship, half father/son, or mentor/student, and half just good friends. I ended up feeling really sorry for and understanding better Gaspard’s mother, and Althéa too—and I hope F. finds some redemption for his mistake.
The ending was unexpected and I was so so sorry for G., but it’s (though harsh) realistic and I look forwards to book 3 so much the more. I really hope that one finally answers the questions surrounding the father’s disappearance. Honestly I feel like this was a four-star read, certainly as far as enjoyment goes; but I also feel uncomfortable rating it so high with the content (see below), so I’m compromising with 3.5 stars.
Content: I forgot a lot of it, but here’s what I remember: swearing; a brief barely-detailed scene where A & G fornicate; torture, shackling, and murder; mention that a minor character’s a pedophile and abused his stepdaughter (who later gives birth) without the mother interfering. ...more
5+ étoiles (6 cœurs). Cette histoire était encore plus excitante que tome 1 ! Je ne l'ai pas aimée tout à fait autant que Une bouteille à la mer à5+ étoiles (6 cœurs). Cette histoire était encore plus excitante que tome 1 ! Je ne l'ai pas aimée tout à fait autant que Une bouteille à la mer à cause de son intensité, mais je pense qu'en la relisant, je l'apprécierai davantage.
J'étais ravie que l'oncle Calvin, Laura et Tariq soient parfaitement eux-mêmes et aient toujours d'excellentes relations. Quant aux nouveaux personnages, personne ne pourrait aimer Rita et Bob, mais Jimmy a plu malgré tout, pauvre enfant ; et j'ai aimé le Canadien (!!!) et l’ancien gars des Opérations spéciales. Et les nouveaux méchants étaient bien pires que les premiers, carrément terrifiants.
L'intrigue, comme je l'ai mentionné, était beaucoup plus rapide que le livre 1. Bien sûr, j'ai beaucoup apprécié la partie croisière (j'ai TOUJOURS voulu une croisière). Je n’ai pas vraiment aimé la partie sur les fugitifs… c’est effrayant et je déteste tous les mensonges et les demi-vérités auxquels les enfants doivent recourir… en plus, ça semble juste un peu irréaliste. Cependant, c’était certainement captivant, les enfants avaient de bonnes raisons pour ce qu’ils ont fait, et ils ont avoué rapidement et honnêtement quand ils le pouvaient. J’ai aussi aimé la façon dont tout s’assemble et comment la préservation marine a été ajoutee, ainsi que les thèmes profonds du courage, de l’amitié et de la confiance en soi.
J’ai dû lire ce livre très vite pour le rendre à la bibliothèque, de plus je l’ai trouvé assez lourd en émotions/épuisant la première fois que je l’ai lu, alors attendez-vous à une meilleure critique lors de la relecture.
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5+ stars (6/10 hearts). This story was even more exiting than book 1! I didn’t love it quite as much as Une bouteille à la mer because of how intense it was, but I think upon reread I’ll enjoy it more.
I was thrilled that Uncle Calvin, Laura, and Tariq were perfectly themselves and still had excellent relationships. As for the new characters—no one could love Rita & Bob but Jimmy grew on you despite everything, poor kid; and I liked the Canadian fellow (!!!) and the former Special Ops. And the new villains were much worse than the first ones—downright terrifying.
The plot, as I mentioned, was a lot more fast-paced than book 1. Of course I enjoyed the cruise part a lot (I have ALWAYS wanted a cruise). I was not quite such a fan of the fugitive portion of the book… it’s scary and I hate all the lies and half-truths the kids have to recourse to… plus it feels a teeny bit unrealistic. However, it was certainly gripping, the kids did have good reasons for what they did, and they did own up quickly and honestly when they could. Also, I liked how everything fit together and the marine preservation was worked in, also the deep themes of courage and friendship and self-confidence.
I had to read this very fast to return it to the library, plus I found it rather heavy on the emotions/exhausting the first time I read it, so expect a better review upon reread....more
3,5 étoiles (3/10 cœurs). Je ne sais pas trop comment noter ce livre, ni quoi en dire. Au départ, je pensais que c'était un mystère jeunesse, puis j'a3,5 étoiles (3/10 cœurs). Je ne sais pas trop comment noter ce livre, ni quoi en dire. Au départ, je pensais que c'était un mystère jeunesse, puis j'ai découvert que c'était un thriller noir pour les ados plus vieux, ou quelque chose comme ça - de toute façon, bien plus intense et sombre que ce à quoi je m'attendais, avec beaucoup de contenu qui m'aurait normalement dérangé dans d'autres livres + m'aurait fait abandonner. Mais d'une manière ou d'une autre, celui-ci, je n'ai pas pu le lâcher… d'une manière ou d'une autre, je me suis presque senti attaché à celui-ci??
En général, je déteste les personnages comme Gaspard. Le niaiseux était un voleur de voiture, quand même ! Il volait et mentait constamment, sautait les clôtures, enfreignait les règles, manquait de respect et était généralement impoli et méchant. En même temps, je le plaignais - sa mère avait complètement laissé tomber la vie, et un père qui disparaît pour commencer une nouvelle vie ne peut pas être facile à gérer. Ses amis au moins semblaient gentils ; j'aimais bien Althéa, elle était si unique. Ruben, lui aussi, était intrigant. Normalement, je ne l’apprécierais pas avec toutes ses manies de tordre les règles, son cynisme et sa violence ; mais bizarrement, je… l’aimais… je me sentais désolé pour lui. J’ai aimé la façon dont il est devenu une figure paternelle pour Gaspard, et leur amitié est finalement devenue très belle.
Le mystère ne m’a pas autant intéressé que les personnages, étonnamment. Je me suis beaucoup plus soucié de leur évolution que de la résolution de l’affaire. Bizarrement, je n’ai pas été dérangé par le crime, bien que (léger spoiler) un fou qui s’attaque à des femmes au hasard pour voler des parties du corps n’était pas ce que je m’attendais à trouver en tant que méchant. Cependant, j’ai apprécié la façon dont tout s’arrange. J’ai BEAUCOUP aimé le travail de détective, et toutes les discussions sur le travail de police… il avait une saveur différente de la plupart des romans policiers que j’ai lus, peut-être parce qu’il était écrit par un policier. J’ai vraiment aimé voir Gaspard trouver un travail/une atmosphère qui lui convenait, une sorte de famille et un ambition de vie. Oui, je suis très investie dans son histoire et celle de Ruben, ainsi que dans le mystère de la disparition de son père. Et je suis intriguée par l'étrange espoir qui flotte au milieu de tout ce cynisme... tout le monde vit dans un cercle vicieux et pourtant semble avoir une sorte d'espoir qu'un jour, d'une manière ou d'une autre, quelque chose de mieux arrivera...
Donc, non, je ne le recommande pas. Mais pour moi, personnellement, cela signifiait quelque chose, cela me convenait, et j'ai hâte d'essayer le tome 2. Si le livre m’appartenait, cependant, j’utiliserais bin souvent un marqueur.
Contenu: (view spoiler)[mention de se toucher devant "YouP*rn" ; baisers ; mention de s*xe ; courte discussion sur la perte de sa v*rginité ; beaucoup de jurons et de mauvaise attitude. (hide spoiler)]
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3.5 stars (3/10 hearts). I’m just not sure how to rate this book, or what to say about it. Originally I thought it was an MG/YA mystery, then I discovered it was an older YA black thriller or something—anyway, quite more intense and sombre than I expected, with a lot of content that normally would have disturbed me in other books + made me DNF. But somehow this one I couldn’t put down… this one somehow I almost felt attached to??
Generally I hate characters like Gaspard. The kid was a carjacker, for crying out loud! He was constantly stealing and lying and jumping fences and breaking rules and talking back and just generally being rude and mean. At the same time, I pitied him—his mother had completely let go of life, and a father who disappears to start a new life can’t be easy to reckon with. His friends at least seemed nice; I quite liked Althéa, she was so unique. Ruben, too, was intriguing. Normally I’d dislike him with all his bending of the rules, his cynicism, and his violence; but oddly enough I… liked him… I felt sorry for him. I liked how he became a father figure to Gaspard, and their friendship eventually became quite dear.
The mystery was not as interesting to me as the characters, surprisingly. I cared a lot more about their development than the solving of the case. Funnily enough, I wasn’t disturbed by the crime, though (mild spoiler) a madman preying on random women to steal body parts is not what I expected to find as a villain. However, I appreciated how everything fit together. I enjoyed the detective work A LOT though, and all the discussion about the job… it had a different flavour than most mystery novels I’ve read, perhaps due to being written by an officer. I really liked seeing Gaspard finding a job/atmosphere that suited him, a kind of family and a life work. Yes, I’m very invested in his storyline and Ruben’s, and in the mystery of his father’s disappearance. And i'm intruigued by the odd hope that floats in among all the cynicym... everyone lives in a vicious cycle yet seems to have a kind of hope that someday, somehow, something better will come...
So, no, I don’t recommend this. But for me, personally, it meant something, it suited me, and I look forwards to trying the sequel. If the book were mine, though, I’d take a marker to it pretty often.
Content: (view spoiler)[mention of touching oneself in front of "YouP*rn"; kissing; mention of s*x; short discussion on losing one's v*rginity; lots of swearing and bad attitude. (hide spoiler)]...more
3,5 étoiles (3/10 cœurs). Un petit mystère rapide et agréable pour les enfants, couvrant une quantité surprenante de détails sur la vie dans l'Empire 3,5 étoiles (3/10 cœurs). Un petit mystère rapide et agréable pour les enfants, couvrant une quantité surprenante de détails sur la vie dans l'Empire romain sans être du tout fastidieux ni alourdir l'histoire.
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3.5 stars (3/10 hearts). A quick, enjoyable little mystery for kids, covering a surprising amount of details about life in the Roman Empire without being at all tedious or dragging the story down....more
3,7 étoiles (4/10 cœurs). Je ne comprenais pas pourquoi tout le monde semblait aimer autant Petite Taupe (je n’avais pas encore lu Petite Taupe, ou3,7 étoiles (4/10 cœurs). Je ne comprenais pas pourquoi tout le monde semblait aimer autant Petite Taupe (je n’avais pas encore lu Petite Taupe, ouvre-moi ta porte !, qui semble venir en premier) mais j'ai été très touchée par la douce amitié et la gentillesse ! Les illustrations sont mignonnes, l’esprit de Noël est fort et qui n’aime pas les adorables petites maisons et meubles d’animaux ?
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3.7 stars (4/10 hearts). I didn’t understand why everyone seemed to love Petite Taupe so much (I hadn’t yet read Petite Taupe, ouvre-moi ta porte !, which seems to come first) but I was very touched by the sweet friendship and kindness! The illustrations are cute, the Christmas spirit is strong, and what’s not to love about adorable little animal homes and furnishings?...more
4 étoiles. J'ai commencé cette série avec tome 3, ne sachant que C'ÉTAIT une série. (Pourquoi les livres français ne notent-ils pas souvent la série s4 étoiles. J'ai commencé cette série avec tome 3, ne sachant que C'ÉTAIT une série. (Pourquoi les livres français ne notent-ils pas souvent la série sur le dos/la couverture ??) C'était amusant de découvrir enfin le début de l’Escouade 06 !
Alex et Caroline sont des enfants sympas et la famille d'Alex est… intéressante. Ce ne sont certes pas des modèles mais ils ne sont pas affreux non plus… ? J'espère cependant que F. changera un peu après tout ceci et que M. B apprendra à se prendre moins au sérieux… et que Mme B écoutera un peu plus ses enfants ! Le sergent Raymond Q. est également un gars sympa, et même si j'ai soupçonné l'un des méchants dès le début, ils n'étaient pas ce à quoi je m'attendais – et le héros final non plus !
L'intrigue était simple mais intéressante. Il n’y a pas eu autant de recherches que dans Sous le Pont Jacques-Cartier mais c’est compréhensible. Le point culminant est étonnamment rapide mais pas trop précipité. Dans l’ensemble, c’est un bon roman québécois pour ados et j’attends avec impatience le tome 2.
Contenu : Quelques mentions de baisers sur les joues ; le méchant attache Caroline au-dessus d'Alex et fait une blague grossière.
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4 stars. I started this series with book 3, not being aware that it WAS a series. (Why don’t French books often note the series on the spine/cover??) It was fun to finally discover the beginning of Escouade 06!
Alex & Caroline are nice kids, and Alex’s family is… interesting. They’re certainly not role-models but they’re not awful either…? I hope F. changes a little after this, though, and Mr. B. should learn to take himself less seriously… and Mrs. B. to listen a little more to her kids! Sgt. Raymond Q. is a nice fellow, too, and while I suspected one of the villains early on, they weren’t what I expected—and neither was the final hero!
The plot was simple but interesting. There wasn’t so much sleuthing as in Sous le Pont Jacques-Cartier but that’s understandable. The climax is surprisingly quick but not too rushed. Overall it’s a solid quebecois novel for teens and I look forwards to book 2.
Content: A few mentions of cheek kisses; the villain ties Caroline on top of Alex and makes a rude joke....more
3 étoiles. Je n’étais pas autant fan de ce livre que les tome 1 et tome 3. C’est peut-être parce que c’est un tout nouveau décor que je n’ai pas autan3 étoiles. Je n’étais pas autant fan de ce livre que les tome 1 et tome 3. C’est peut-être parce que c’est un tout nouveau décor que je n’ai pas autant apprécié l’histoire. Le Québec me manque! J'ai également trouvé le mystère très déroutant et mal expliqué, et la révélation finale était largement insatisfaisante. J’ai aimé Édouard + Alice, mais les autres personnages ne m’étaient pas extrêmement intéressants ou sympathiques et j'ai trouvé la romance naissante d'A&C quelque peu ridicule … dans l’ensemble, je n’ai tout simplement pas été très impressionné. Je me suis senti même un peu déçu.
Contenu : quelques jurons, A & C se font des mamours.
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3 stars. I wasn’t as much a fan of this book as I was of book 1 & book 3. Perhaps it’s because it’s a whole new setting, I didn’t enjoy the story as much. I miss the Québec! I also found the mystery super confusing and poorly explained, and the final revealing was largely unsatisfactory. I liked Édouard + Alice, but the other characters weren’t hugely interesting or likeable to me, and I found A&C’s budding romance somewhat ridiculous… overall I was just not super impressed. I was even left feeling kinda meh about it all.
Content: a few instances of swearing, some canoodling between A & C. ...more
5 étoiles. D'accord, c'était la façon parfaite de terminer la série ! J'ai beaucoup apprécié la narration de M. Gaston, et voir mes principaux personn5 étoiles. D'accord, c'était la façon parfaite de terminer la série ! J'ai beaucoup apprécié la narration de M. Gaston, et voir mes principaux personnages préférés des 3 tomes précédents (Manouche, J.-P. et Raymond) réunis. C’était tellement agréable de faire la connaissance des parents de Caroline – qui sont tout simplement géniaux – même si j’aurais aimé que les parents d’Alex soient un peu plus présents.
Le mystère était super complexe, mais tellement amusant et excitant et pour une fois bien tracé et expliqué ! Le petit détective, E-chose, a apporté tellement d'humour et les méchants étaient super intéressants et dans certains cas inattendus. Je suis vraiment désolé pour M., mais lui + E. ont tellement ajouté à l'histoire…. J'ai même apprécié une partie de l'écriture – il y avait des passages vraiment humoristiques et j'ai adoré l'article sur le cheval de calèche. Certainement 5/5 de ma part, un plaisir pur et total. :)
Contenu : Violence légère (quelqu'un est battu à mort hors écran); A & C se font des mamours.
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5 stars. Okay, this was a perfect way to finish the series! I really enjoyed the narration of M. Gaston, and seeing my favourite principle characters from the 3 previous books (Manouche, J.-P., and Raymond) brought all together. It was so nice getting to know Caroline’s parents—who are just awesome—though I wish Alex’s parents had featured just a bit more.
The mystery was super complex, but to was so fun and exciting and for once well plotted and explained! The little detective, E-whatshisface, brought in SO much humour and the villains were super interesting and in some cases unexpected. I feel so sorry for M., but he + E. added so much to the story…. I even enjoyed some of the writing—there were some really humorous bits and I loved the piece about the carriage horse. Definitely 5/5 from me, a pure and total enjoyment. :)
Content: Mild violence (someone gets beaten to death off-screen); canoodling between A&C....more
3,7 étoiles (4/10 cœurs). Ayant grandi dans une église pleine d’Africains – Camerounais, Togolais, Congolais, Béninois, etc. – cette histoire m’a semb3,7 étoiles (4/10 cœurs). Ayant grandi dans une église pleine d’Africains – Camerounais, Togolais, Congolais, Béninois, etc. – cette histoire m’a semblé réconfortante et familière. Je connais les histoires de guerre civile et de camps de réfugiés, mais je n’ai pas encore lu beaucoup de romans, voire aucun, sur ces sujets, j’ai donc apprécié ce roman court et simple.
Mamadi était un garçon très aimable, et sa « petite sœur » était adorable ! Ses parents étaient fantastiques aussi. J’adore le parcours de Papillon et la représentation canadienne… car, admettons-le, les histoires de l’ONU concernent généralement nos voisins du sud, pas nous. ;) Toute l'intrigue a tiré sur le cœur mais a également donné de l'inspiration et du courage. L'hommage de l'auteur à son collègue qui a enduré tant de souffrances mais « qu’ils n'ont jamais réussi à l'empêcher de sourire », sa simple célébration de l'espoir et de la ténacité humaine, et son retour constant à la beauté au milieu de l'horreur… c'était tellement humiliant et édifiant. Et ayant été montréalaise, la fin m'a fait plaisir. :)
Contenu : quelques mentions des horreurs que perpétue la guerre.
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3.7 stars (4/10 hearts). Having been raised in a church full of Africans—Cameroonians, Togolese, Congolese, Beninese, etc—this story felt comforting and familiar. I am familiar with stories of civil war and refugee camps, but I haven’t read many, if any, novels about them yet, so I appreciated this short, simple novel.
Mamadi was a sweet boy, and his “little sister” was adorable! His parents were fantastic too. I love Papillon’s journey, and the Canadian representation… because let’s admit it, usually U.N. stories are about our neighbours to the south, not us. ;) The whole plotline tugged at the heart but also gave inspiration and courage. The author’s tribute to his coworker who went through so much suffering but “they never managed to keep him from smiling,” his simple celebration of human hope and tenacity, and his constant return to beauty in midst of the horror… it was so humbling and uplifting. And having been a Montrealer, the ending made me happy. :)
Content: a few mentions of the horrors that war perpetuates....more
5+ stars (6/10 cœurs). J'ai adoré cette histoire. J'ai adoré l’écriture : c'est tellement descriptif et spirituel ! J'adore le décor : le New York des5+ stars (6/10 cœurs). J'ai adoré cette histoire. J'ai adoré l’écriture : c'est tellement descriptif et spirituel ! J'adore le décor : le New York des années 1920, vu du point de vue d'une préadolescente anglaise. J'adore les personnages : la petite Vita, intelligente, déterminée et courageuse ; Silk, forte, combattante et affectueuse; Arkady, optimiste, compréhensif et intéressant ; Samuel, gentil, courageux, et surmontant. Leur amitié était précieuse. Les parents et les autres adultes étaient tous gentils (sauf les méchants terrifiants) et j'adore les bonnes relations que Vita entretenait avec sa mère et son grand-père.
J'ai aussi adoré l'intrigue. Voir Vita rassembler les informations, essayer de négocier, créer son groupe, puis réaliser son plan était TELLEMENT amusant, surtout avec toutes les aventures qui se sont produites. J'ai vraiment adoré le fait que ce vol n'était en réalité pas un vol, étant donné qu'ils reprenaient simplement ce qui leur avait été volé. C’était tellement amusant de suivre un braquage moralement juste! (Si quelqu'un a des recommandations, faites-le-moi savoir, car j'ai découvert un nouveau genre préféré.) La fin climatique m'a cloué à mon siège. C'était INTENSE, et ne s'est jamais déroulé comme je l'espérais, mais la fin était tellement parfaite, même si c'était une surprise.
Et enfin, j'ai adoré les thèmes : l'amitié et le courage, bien sûr, mais aussi s'occuper de la famille ; le chagrin; prendre conscience de ses limites tout en ne les laissant pas contrôler sa vie… De plus, j’ai adoré les représentations subtiles du racisme, des préjugés et de la corruption monétaire/politique, toutes montrées mais jamais manifestes, ce qui est beaucoup plus efficace.
Est-ce réaliste ? Peut-être pas, mais parfois la vraie vie non plus. Comme l’a dit Mark Twain : « Cela est peut-être arrivé, cela n’est peut-être pas arrivé : mais cela AURAIT PU arriver. » Quoi qu’il en soit, c’est excitant, délicieux et charmant.
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5+ stars (6/10 hearts). I LOVED this story. I loved the writing—it’s so descriptive and clever! I love the setting—1920s New York, seen from the POV of an English preteen girl. I love the characters—clever, determined, brave little Vita; strong, struggling, affectionate Silk; optimistic, understanding, interesting Arkady; and kind, courageous, overcoming Samuel. Their friendship was precious. The parents and other adults were all nice (except for the terrifying villains) and I love the good relationship Vita had with her mother and grandfather.
I also loved the plot. Seeing Vita gather the information, try to negotiate, build her band, and then carry out her plan was SO much fun, especially with all the adventures that befell. I absolutely LOVED how this theft was actually no theft, given that they were just taking back what had been stolen from them. It was so, so much fun to follow a morally right/legit heist! (If anyone has any recommendations, let me know, because I have discovered a new favourite genre.) The climatic ending had me nailed to my seat. It was INTENSE, and never went as I expected, but the ending was so perfect, even if it was a surprise.
And finally, I loved the themes: friendship and courage, of course, but also caring for family; grief; realizing one’s limitations while simultaneously not letting them control one’s life… Also, I loved the subtle portrayals of racism and prejudice and monetary/political corruption, all shown but never overt, which is much more effective.
Is it realistic? Perhaps not, but then neither is real life sometimes. As Mark Twain said, “It may have happened, it may not have happened: but it could have happened.” Anyways, it’s exciting, delightful, and lovely....more
3.5 étoiles (3/10 cœurs). Au début, j'aimais beaucoup ce livre et j'aurais aimé lui donner une note plus élevée, mais j'ai trouvé la fin quelque peu d3.5 étoiles (3/10 cœurs). Au début, j'aimais beaucoup ce livre et j'aurais aimé lui donner une note plus élevée, mais j'ai trouvé la fin quelque peu décevante. J'ai bien aimé les personnages. Alex et Caroline étaient tous deux des jeunes sympas et avaient de bonnes personnalités. J'aimais beaucoup Martine aussi, et Manouche était tout simplement pathétiquement mignon ; les parents étaient gentils. Presque tout les autres je n’ai pas trop aimé. Je ne détestais pas Elisabeth mais elle était attristante ; les méchants étaient, eh bien, méchants ; et je n’ai pas aimé non plus le détective (qui a littéralement tabassé le professeur d’art ?? pourquoi, je n’en ai aucune idée ???). Mais j’aimais bien le pauvre vieil oncle…
Et cela nous amène au décor. J’ai choisi ce livre délibérément parce qu’il se déroule à Montréal mais PAS en Nouvelle-France (comme c’est unique !). J'aime aussi le pont J.C. et, bien sûr, ayant grandi à Montréal pendant un certain temps, j'étais curieux d'en savoir plus sur la ville d'un point de vue contemporain et non historique. J'ai découvert plus tard que les personnages principaux étaient originaires de St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, près de chez moi maintenant, donc un lien supplémentaire intéressant pour moi !
J'ai aussi choisi ce livre car il promettait du mystère et du suspense, qui a été bien livré. J'étais assez perplexe et extrêmement intrigué tout au long de l’histoire. Le style d’écriture était plus simple et clair que celui auquel je suis habitué dans les livres français, ce que j’ai apprécié, mais j’ai trouvé qu’il manquait parfois de clarté. Il y avait beaucoup de va-et-vient sur la chronologie, ce qui était acceptable si les choses étaient claires, mais déroutant sinon ; certaines choses étaient très mal et brièvement expliquées tandis que d'autres étaient récapitulées à maintes reprises ; les conclusions des personnages sur le mystère étaient parfois assez soudaines (comme Caroline insistant sur le fait que le frère était l'homme qui avait tenté de l'écraser, alors qu'elle le voyait à peine) ; et finalement, toute l'aventure s'est soudainement arrêtée à la fin et tout s'est terminé avec le détective expliquant tout le dénouement que nous n'avons pas eu l'occasion de voir ! Il a également expliqué les différents aspects du mystère et j'ai trouvé cela très insatisfaisant ; peu de mes questions ont reçu une réponse et celles qui l’étaient n’ont pas été expliquées suffisamment clairement ou suffisamment profondément.
Il s'avère qu'il s'agit du tome 3 d'une série (pourquoi cela n'est pas noté sur la couverture, je ne sais pas) et certains éléments ont été référencés dans les tomes 1 et 2, mais seulement quelques-uns, donc cela peut certainement être lu comme un livre autonome. Et malgré ma déception à la fin, j’ai suffisamment apprécié l’histoire pour aller chercher les tomes précédents. Aussi, j’ai apprécié la façon positive dont la police était présentée.
Dans l’ensemble, c’est un mystère approprié, passionnant et entièrement québécois.
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3.5 stars (3/10 hearts). I started out quite liking this book, and would have liked to give it a higher rating, but I found the ending somewhat disappointing. I quite liked the characters. Alex & Caroline were both nice kids and had good personalities. I really liked Martine, too, and Manouche was just pathetically cute somehow, the parents were nice. Pretty much everyone else was not my favourite. I didn’t hate Elisabeth but she was saddening; the bad guys were, well, bad; I didn’t like either the detective (who literally beat up the art professor?? why, I have no idea???). I did really like the poor old uncle, though…
And that leads us to the setting. I picked up this book purposefully because it’s set in Montréal but NOT during New France (how unique!). I also love the J.C. bridge, and of course being raised in Montréal for a time, I was curious to read about the city from a contemporary and not historical perspective. I later discovered the main characters are from St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, near where I now live, so an additional interesting link for me!
I also picked up this book because it promised mystery and suspense, which was well delivered. I was quite puzzled and hugely intrigued the whole book through. The writing style was more simple and clear than I’m used to in French books, which I appreciated, but I did find that it was lacking sometimes in clarity. There was a lot of hopping back and forth on the timeline, which was okay if things were clear, but confusing otherwise; some things were very poorly and briefly explained while others were recapped over and over; characters’ conclusions about the mystery were sometimes rather sudden (like Caroline insisting the clergyman was the guy who tried to run her over, when she barely saw him); and finally, the whole adventure was suddenly drooped at the end and it all wound up with the detective explaining the whole dénouement that we didn’t get to see! He also explained the various aspects of the mystery and I found it very unsatisfying; few of my questions were answered and those that were, weren’t explained clearly or deeply enough.
It turns out that this is book 3 in a series (why that isn’t noted on the cover, I don’t know) and some stuff was referenced from books 1-2, but only a handful, so this can definitely be read as a standalone. And despite my disappointment at the end, I enjoyed the story enough that I’m checking out the previous books. Also, I appreciated the positive way in which the police was presented.
Overall, it’s a clean, exciting mystery, and fully Québécois....more
3 stars. I didn’t find this one quite as amusing, or hugely interesting, because it was a little more serious than the first story. But it was funny, 3 stars. I didn’t find this one quite as amusing, or hugely interesting, because it was a little more serious than the first story. But it was funny, and I wish it had been finished after all! ...more
![Joyeux Noël, Petite Taupe ! [ Merry Christmas Little Mole ! ] (French Edition)](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1514384915l/37749790._SX50_.jpg)
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