Definitely one of the strangest books I’ve ever read. A boy is born in medieval France with superhuman powers of ‘smell’, where he can detect and distDefinitely one of the strangest books I’ve ever read. A boy is born in medieval France with superhuman powers of ‘smell’, where he can detect and distinguish thousands of scent. Instead of using this power to become a master perfumer he is rather enticed by flesh and murder.
It does have a very interesting social and religious commentary. The detailed description of ingredients and the processes were a little tiresome. I’d imagined this could be adapted as an anime but apparently it’s already been made into a movie starring Alan Rickman....more
I would have given it four stars if the book was two hundred or so pages shorter, there was a lot of information dump, which I don't think was that reI would have given it four stars if the book was two hundred or so pages shorter, there was a lot of information dump, which I don't think was that relevant and could be done without, making the book less boring. The book was 50 percent mystery and action, the rest of it was an information dump. Not that the entire book was boring, the parts with the action and the murder were interesting enough, but I think this is one of those books where I would prefer the movie. Mikael was an okay protagonist, not very interesting or charming, and the girl with the dragon tattoo was given a lot less screen time than I expected. Just making things gory doesn't mean they become more interesting, all it shows is the author's stretch of imagination over humanity's most disgusting acts....more
3.5 stars (3 stars for story, 4 for narration). I'd begin by saying all of the characters in the story were awful people. I don't know if they were writ3.5 stars (3 stars for story, 4 for narration). I'd begin by saying all of the characters in the story were awful people. I don't know if they were written this way deliberately for the story, or they just turned out to be selfish, jealous, vindictive and shallow. In any case, they were written well and were life like. The story was not the usual detective snooping around but was from the point of view of what the writer herself called as an "unreliable witness", that is what much of the story was based on, but it was interesting enough to maintain my interest. The mystery itself was nothing too out of the world, and you could predict it in the beginning when you start pointing your needle of suspicion at different characters. The book, not long already, was slow and could probably better off be just a script, as this is one of the instances where the movie is as good as the book, if not better....more
Reading Agatha Christie feels like watching a movie; developing, executing and concluding not only the story, but also the characters, in a three-hundReading Agatha Christie feels like watching a movie; developing, executing and concluding not only the story, but also the characters, in a three-hundred page novel can be done only by her, something that people can fail to do in three volumes.
The story takes place on a shipping boat in the river Nile, much like the journey of The Orient Express but a notch less confusing than that. A peculiar feature of this book is that a lot of important events occur first and then the actual murder is committed, almost after half of the book. This does affect the pacing a little but the ensemble of characters maintained my interest in the story. Also, I felt glad that the person I was suspecting all along was the one responsible for the events that transpire. Here is one of my favourite quotes from the book-
“How true is the saying that man was forced to invent work in order to escape the strain of having to think.”...more
I always imagine if Perry Mason was to be played by someone in Hollywood, it would be Matthew McConaughey. The second Perry Mason story begins again wI always imagine if Perry Mason was to be played by someone in Hollywood, it would be Matthew McConaughey. The second Perry Mason story begins again with a female client coming to him and lying, but I like the way he handles her and the different characters in the story. The rough and confident lawyer seems eager to enter my list of favourite sleuths. The story was undoubtedly good, with a touch of drama and suspense, it was a complete package. ...more
Most of the crime/mystery books that I've read usually have a background of England. This book was an interesting tour of many countries, including TuMost of the crime/mystery books that I've read usually have a background of England. This book was an interesting tour of many countries, including Turkey and Greece and France. Eric Ambler very skilfully painted the pictures for the different countries, all the places and people are vividly clear and distinguishable in my mind.
Many detective authors try and make their stories sound realistic by saying things in their book like "If this was a book it would have been easy, but this is real life and it's much complicated". But ultimately their stories are similar in a basic pattern, that is, there's a crime and a plot (maybe convoluted or not), and justice or a revelation at the end. Though Eric Ambler says similar things in this book, he did make his story different from that basic pattern. (I would like to say what's the difference but I don't want to give away the plot).
Apart from the two points above, another plus point was the good writing. I mean I'm not one to be much interested in too detailed technicalities, which were in abundance here, but I did not get bored for a single page because of the way they were written. And large bits of the stories, as they are recited by different people, are very nicely fit together. The story was, undoubtedly, engaging. I'm definitely going to read more of this author....more
I would have given this book four stars if only the end wasn't so rushed. I've always commended Agatha Christie's ability to create unique and innovatI would have given this book four stars if only the end wasn't so rushed. I've always commended Agatha Christie's ability to create unique and innovative cases, and admire her approach via psychology. This was even better in this book, because physical clues were almost next to nothing.
Also, I liked how the official person involved, Superintendent Battle, was not a dim-wit or a lousy person, but actually contributed to the case. I loved Mrs. Oliver and she was written like what I imagine Agatha Christie herself was. ...more
This is my second Peter Wimsey book, and though this is considered the best by Dorothy L. Sayers, after reading the book I realised that I should haveThis is my second Peter Wimsey book, and though this is considered the best by Dorothy L. Sayers, after reading the book I realised that I should have read a few preceding books as to get a clearer understanding of what's happening in his life. Fortunately enough, the book had very less of him and the protagonist was Harriet Vane, in the setting of Oxford.
I loved Harriet Vane. After a point in the book, I wanted the mystery to be solved by her and was quite ready to forsake the protagonist of the series. She had the brains to do it, also she was interesting enough to not require anyone else's contribution to make the book good.
For a change, this wasn't a murder mystery and it was a refreshing change. Let's leave it at that.
As compared to the previous Wimsey book which I read (Whose Body?), I loved the writing in this one. I had many of the dialogues copied, because of the brilliance with which they were written. Though the philosophical parts became a tad too much. ...more
I loved what this book did to me. After reading it for the first time, I was baffled at the end, but not completely satisfied. Yet, I rated it 4 starsI loved what this book did to me. After reading it for the first time, I was baffled at the end, but not completely satisfied. Yet, I rated it 4 stars because whatever my dissatisfaction may be due to, the book certainly did not lack in complexity and an eerily mysterious aura, and had me on my edge throughout its course. I discussed several points of the book with my friends who had read the book, but it did not my feeling of incomplete-ness. So to sate myself, I read the whole book over again, and I'm so glad to say that I was immensely satisfied. It was as if there were certain holes in my memories of the story, which were filled in by the re-read. I picked out the subtle clues and cleverly hidden dialogues along the way with an increasing awe for Agatha Christie.
So I say it again, I loved what this book did to me. I want a book to leave me with an urge for questions and contemplation (and this book did it not only in concern with the mystery, but also with the very delicate topic of human nature handing out judgments to everyone around him), and what's more, the answers were in the book itself. ...more
Perry Mason is a gruff, unafraid, confident and cunning man, with a few principles of his own. I was able to decipher this because he was the protagonPerry Mason is a gruff, unafraid, confident and cunning man, with a few principles of his own. I was able to decipher this because he was the protagonist of the book. But for all the other characters (except for maybe Della Street, the assistant), I couldn't figure out what kind of people they were, because the focus was on the story, and minimal character development. In a way this was good too, because we want to enjoy the mystery and who gives two figs about how the characters were. But in the long run, when you look at the characters and they look more 'people' than 'characters', it helps attaching to the story. (I think this is the difference between other crime writers and Agatha Christie.)
On the other hand, the plot was too good, the writing was good enough, and finally the protagonist was not a detective (professional or amateur), but a lawyer, which was a change for the good. ...more
There's no doubt about how good J. K. Rowling can write. So much so that she was able to make this dull plot an interesting read, and take a 3 star.
YeThere's no doubt about how good J. K. Rowling can write. So much so that she was able to make this dull plot an interesting read, and take a 3 star.
Yes, it was dull. Practically nothing happens in the entire book, nothing different from what is written on the back of the cover. If you haven't yet read the book, but if you have read the description you already know by now what Strike is investigating in this book, and that is all that goes on. Interviews in restaurants, and bars, and pubs, interrupted by a few gory scenes, when in the end Strike has a sudden revelation during a too trivial incident. Last 100 or so pages were good.
Though a lot does happen in the personal lives and relationships of Strike and Robin. Where mostly, I don't much care about this stuff, there wasn't much else to follow, and again, since JKR is a good writer she makes you hold on to even boring stuff.
If you're looking for a good detective fiction, I'd suggest you look somewhere else....more
I love stories set in a nineteenth or twentieth century England. This was a typical whodunit story, with all the good ingredients- distractions, alibiI love stories set in a nineteenth or twentieth century England. This was a typical whodunit story, with all the good ingredients- distractions, alibi, inquests, detailed looking at clues, and whatnot. I can imagine this would have been a popular story at the time of its publication.
Though Lord Peter Wimsey wasn't a character I could appreciate much. Nor was the writing very alluring. Some of the dialogues were too long, and the way Wimsey kept on quoting poems was awkward. There was some philosophical stuff which went for a bit too long.
Though not soon, I do intend to read the next part....more
As good as ever, Agatha Christie. Though I couldn't relate to the psychology of the murder. As good as ever, Agatha Christie. Though I couldn't relate to the psychology of the murder. ...more
Agatha Christie is a WITCH! I don't know how but she manages to confound me EVERY TIME I read one of her books. Specially, with this one. You're goingAgatha Christie is a WITCH! I don't know how but she manages to confound me EVERY TIME I read one of her books. Specially, with this one. You're going with the story, reading with a flow, building up to the climax, and then suddenly whatever you were thinking is snatched away from you, and you begin to look at the things in a way that you never thought of until now.
And to do her justice, not only was this story (and any of her others) thrilling, but it had an element of reality better than most of her counterparts (no comparisons). And here's an example, in the words of Poirot-
"And it is very true—when a young girl is dead, that is the kind of thing that is said. She was bright. She was happy. She was sweet-tempered. She had not a care in the world. She had no undesirable acquaintances. There is a great charity always to the dead. Do you know what I should like this minute? I should like to find someone who knew Elizabeth Barnard and who does not know she is dead! Then, perhaps, I should hear what is useful to me—the truth.”
(Skip this paragraph to avoid spoilers.) At one point of time in the book, I felt I was going to be disappointed, because up to the last the crimes were attributed to mental illness, and what fun is in that? I had my doubts deep within, but they were too deep to have any effect on what I was reading.
But when we came to the typical Christie climax scene, a room full of people, and Poirot giving his dramatic explanation, that is when the cloud from in front of my eyes cleared and I praised one of the best writers of detective stories ever! ...more
I commend Charles Osborne for his work on the play The Unexpected Guest, because I can imagine it must be a daunting task to turn the play which entirI commend Charles Osborne for his work on the play The Unexpected Guest, because I can imagine it must be a daunting task to turn the play which entirely occurs in one setting - a study room- into an Agatha Christie novel, who is a master of her work. The book, though understandably rushed, manages to capture all the mystery and surprise which, I’m guessing, the Dame wanted the attendees of the play to experience. Her craftiness was clearly shown in the clever setting and as always she managed to thwart my thought-process quite elaborately....more
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