Wulf C. Krueger

Wow, this was bad, really bad. It starts with the reason for this novel's popularity: It consists of 98% pure violence porn: We get to witness how about 40 15-year-old classmates from junior high school brutally murder each other. Actually, they're more like slaughtering each other and through my reception of the text, I had the very unpleasant feeling of watching a violence-obsessed author act out his most revolting fantasies. Takami almost gleefully presents his sadistical ideas with excessive and gratuitous violence.While I presume the novel is meant to be a commentary on societal pressures and the dehumanising effects of violence, I felt that the graphic descriptions of bloodshed and gore were used purely for shock value and did little to further the plot or develop the characters.Speaking of which: The next percent is the characters displaying the character depth of a paramecium, a single-celled organism... Takami tries to give each of them a backstory but I struggled to keep track of them all and found that they blended together in my mind. The main characters, Shuya and Noriko, were somewhat more developed, but their “romance” felt forced and unconvincing. I never truly became invested in their story or cared about what happened to them. I also found the writing style to be uneven and clunky at times. While some passages were well-written and evocative, most were either very simplistically or even awkwardly phrased. The final 1% is made out of extremely naïve theories, e. g. “A bad person was simply born that way.” And that's the maximum level of “critical thought” this novel reaches...Despite not being the worst book I've ever come across, this revolting, violence-glorifying monstrosity still ranks among the top 5.Zero stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Ich habe mich schwer getan mit diesem Roman Kehlmanns: Über weite Strecken, über knapp 75% des Buches, habe ich mich “durchbeißen” müssen.Kehlmann erzählt episodisch mit Zeitsprüngen über seinen Protagonisten G. W. Pabst sowie dessen Familie und Umfeld. Gleich zu Beginn ließ mich der Auftritt Pabsts fiktiven Regieassistentens, Wilzek, ratlos zurück. Wofür sollte das gut sein? Es klärt sich im letzten Viertel des Romans, aber ich empfand diese Rahmenhandlung, die auch ganz am Ende noch einmal aufgegriffen wird, als wenig hilfreich.“Freudlos” nannte ich den Roman, und das bleibt er durchgängig: Natürlich - das Sujet lässt keinen Raum für Freude, aber das vollständige Fehlen von Lesefreude hat es mir erschwert, dabei zu bleiben.Zumal mich Pabst als historische Figur wenig interessiert: Als Hitler Reichskanzler 1933 wird, ist Pabst in Frankreich. Für die Nazis gilt er als “der rote Pabst” und doch kehrt er aus erster Emigration aus den USA für einen Familienbesuch zurück. Er wird gefügiger Mitläufer, der sich instrumentalisieren lässt und Propagandafilme dreht.»Weder in Frankreich noch in Amerika habe er so ungehindert arbeiten können!An diesem Punkt erschrak er normalerweise und sagte, dass es natürlich ein großes Unglück sei, hier festzusitzen.«Drumherum erzählt Kehlmann Geschichten um die immer fortschreitende Verstrickung Pabsts in das nationalsozialistische Gefüge und die teilweise erfolgreichen Versuche, auch seine Familie zu vereinnahmen.Dabei schreibt Kehlmann, wie gewohnt, sprachlich sehr schön und verwendet - je nach Anlass - mehr oder minder subtile Bilder.»Als er einatmen wollte, war da nur eisiges Wasser, und in der Ferne bewegten sich Monster, das wusste er, obwohl man sie bereits sah: schwarz und vielarmig, heimisch in der Dunkelheit. Und bevor er diese Visionen fortscheuchen, bevor er sich befreien und aufsetzen konnte und seiner Frau ins Gesicht blicken, schwanden ihm die Sinne.«Wirklich interessant wird der Roman, als Pabst gegen Kriegsende mit den Dreharbeiten zu “Der Fall Molander” beginnt. Denn hier wird zumindest der fiktive Pabst vom Mitläufer, der von nichts wissen will, zum aktiven Mittäter: Er lässt Zwangsarbeiter, Kriegsgefangene und/oder KZ-Häftlinge - der Roman gibt hier ambivalente Fingerzeige - als Statisten einsetzen. (Was der reale Pabst getan hat, ist ungewiss; der Film ist verschollen und zu den Umständen der realen Dreharbeiten ist nichts mehr bekannt.)Hier erweist sich - und das versteht Kehlmann meisterhaft aufzuzeigen - dass Pabst in einen fanatischen, geradezu besessenen Zustand verfällt und diesem alles und jeden unterordnet.»«Niemandem», sagte er leise. «Keinem einzigen Menschen. Wird wegen uns etwas angetan. Niemand wurde wegen uns ... Der Film muss fertig werden.»«Der Weg bis zu diesem Wendepunkt des Romans ist jedoch lang und steinig und hätte meiner Überzeugung nach durchaus von Kürzungen profitieren können. Angetan war ich allerdings auf diesen letzten Seiten von dem Rollentausch Pabsts und seiner Ehefrau Trude: Während er den Verlust seines “Meisterwerks” nicht verwinden kann und in “leidende” Passivität verfällt, wird Trude, die immer ihrem Wilhelm gefolgt ist, aktiv und nimmt ihrer beider Leben entschieden in die Hand.»«Ich kann kaum was sehen», sagte Pabst.«Folg mir einfach. Ich bin dir ja auch immer gefolgt.»Wieder gabelte sich der Gang. Ein Pfeil zeigte nach links.«Es tut mir leid», hörte sie Pabst sagen.«Was denn?»«Alles.»«Dieses Ende - nicht etwa das der fiktiven Rahmenhandlung - versöhnte mich ein Stück weit mit der gefühlt ausnehmend langen Beschreibung des Weges Pabsts in den moralischen Untergang. Für mich insofern kein schlechter, aber doch auch kein wirklich empfehlenswerter Roman. Drei von fünf Sternen.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Pixels and Passions: A Journey On The Road to Nowhere-In-Particular Through Three DecadesMaybe I've grown complacent: I love a good, strong plot; a linear story, told in chronological order. Along comes a book, its plot basically consisting of “30 years in the life of Sadie, Sam and Marx”; told calmly, only partly linearly by an omniscient narrator who retroactively fills gaps.And: I am not a gamer and this is a novel about the creation of video games. On the other hand, just like the protagonists (and the author), I'm from generation X. I've played the games Sadie, Sam and Marx would have played. I may never have been a gamer but I've been a lifelong admirer of Richard “Lord British” Garriott (a legend of game design) whose immortal claim to fame is his involvement in the creation of the “Ultima” series of games and who founded “Origin Systems, Inc.”. Their slogan was “We Create Worlds” - and that's what they did.[a:Gabrielle Zevin 40593 Gabrielle Zevin https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1503541462p2/40593.jpg] did, too: In “[b:Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow 58784475 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Gabrielle Zevin https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1636978687l/58784475.SY75.jpg 89167797]” she creates a world that feels vibrant and alive. Zevin knows her characters intimately - their joy, pain, love. She possesses the enviable ability to bring to life the entire emotional “landscape” and the lived reality of her characters. Many passages have deeply moved me, others were light and clever, enjoyable and relatable.»She had, he thought, one of the world's great laughs. The kind of laugh where a person didn't feel that he was being laughed at. The kind of laugh that was an invitation: I cordially invite you to join in this matter that I find amusing.«I couldn't help but fall in love with Sam, Sadie and Marx because in their beautiful imperfection they always felt authentic and true to life. There were points during the story at which I loathed each of them and yet couldn't help but hope for them getting better or redemption or whatever else they needed. The extensive and intensive “world building” that Zevin achieves effortlessly does, however, come at a cost: The narrative style is leisurely and unhurried. At times, passages seemed to drag, but ultimately everything came together to form a magnificent and unique total work of art, which has given me a lot.In her “Notes and Acknowledgments” at the end, Zevin writes that “»Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a novel about work [...] [and] [...] equally about love.« - and, to me, she triumphantly succeeds at that. What she leaves out is, that it's also about storytelling itself: Storytelling should not be rushed, it cannot be forced; it takes time, dedication, work and love. The result is a novel that feels long and epic and accomplishes to narrate the feelings of at least part of a generation - the Zeitgeist - like few novels before. At times I rolled my eyes and was annoyed while at other times I felt almost overwhelmed by emotions.»She had once read in a book about consciousness that over the years, the human brain makes an AI version of your loved ones. The brain collects data, and within your brain, you host a virtual version of that person. Upon the person's death, your brain still believes the virtual person exists, because, in a sense, the person still does. After a while, though, the memory fades, and each year, you are left with an increasingly diminished version of the AI you had made when the person was alive.«After having read many reviews I can imagine that this will remain a divisive novel: Many, like myself, can't help but love it. Others will loathe it or be left irritated. It is the long road to nowhere in particular. I can understand all reactions to it.When I started writing this, I wasn't sure what my conclusion would be but despite some lengths, etc. I cannot ignore how strongly this novel appealed to me personally: Five stars out of five. And now I'm going to play “Donkey Kong” on original era hardware. Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

[a:Heather Gudenkauf's 2875124 Heather Gudenkauf https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1694175158p2/2875124.jpg] “[b:The Overnight Guest 60164470 The Overnight Guest Heather Gudenkauf https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1642636788l/60164470.SY75.jpg 90048636]” presented a complex and engaging narrative that captured my interest from the outset. The novel interlaces two timelines and a “separate” point of view with a deft hand, and while at times the shifts between past and present required a bit of effort to stay aligned with the storyline, the overall effect added a rich texture to the reading experience.Wylie Lark, the protagonist, is a true-crime writer who finds herself trapped in a farmhouse, the location of a brutal event she's researching, during a snowstorm. The farmhouse setting in itself is one of the book's strengths: The author does an admirable job of painting a picture of the stark, wintry, partly desolate landscape. The house itself, with its history of horror, is so well depicted that it felt almost like another character – silent yet expressive. The atmosphere was sometimes as chilling as the narrative itself.Incorporating a parallel story of a mysterious young boy, the eponymous “Overnight Guest”, Gudenkauf adds an emotional dimension that intertwines with the main plot in unexpected ways. This element of the story was both compelling and occasionally heart-wrenching.It's important to mention that Gudenkauf handles the transitions between the timelines and points of view with care. As I progressed through the book, what initially seemed a challenging structure began to feel more intuitive, revealing its purpose in the broader tapestry of the narrative. All in all, “The Overnight Guest” was a thrilling, quick (albeit forgettable) read I enjoyed a lot - the farther I got, the less notes and highlights I took because I wanted to read, not prepare for this review!Four stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

2023 has passed and I've read more during that year than usual. Sadly, though, reading-wise 2023 was a very mixed bag - 3.1 was my average rating, Goodreads helpfully informs me in my year in books and it makes sense.There were some very good books, though, and on those I'm going to focus here:The most lasting reading impression of 2023 was made by something totally unexpected: Saga, a comic. It has magnificent, diverse, colourful characters that struggle in a universe that is so fantastically different from ours and yet so eerily familiar in some aspects. Saga's wonderful art and, ultimately, its strong and unwavering support for being oneself and acting responsibly - it actually gives me hope.[a:Gale Zoe Garnett's 588519 Gale Zoe Garnett https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] “[b:Visible Amazement 19554491 Visible Amazement Gale Zoe Garnett https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387657834l/19554491.SY75.jpg 761549]” put me in a difficult spot: May I like a novel that has a 42 year old man have a sexual relationship with a 14 year old girl? Considering it's up here with Saga, the answer I came up with after many discussions is obvious. The longer answer is in my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4882049374The chronologically first book that really captured my interest was [a:Marjane Satrapi's 6238 Marjane Satrapi https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1303646506p2/6238.jpg] graphic novel “[b:Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood 9516 Persepolis The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) Marjane Satrapi https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1425871473l/9516.SX50.jpg 3303888]” about her childhood and youth in Iran. Here followed many attempts to reign-in my intense hatred and disgust for the country's “government”, “laws” and “doctrine” today. I failed so I just deleted it all and I'd just like to invite you to make up your mind based upon reading this brilliant novel and its successors.“[b:The Island of Missing Trees 56587382 The Island of Missing Trees Elif Shafak https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620048257l/56587382.SY75.jpg 88381372]” by [a:Elif Shafak 6542440 Elif Shafak https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1395322919p2/6542440.jpg] was a “surprise success” for me - I have no idea how this book smuggled itself onto my TBR pile. It allowed me a glimpse at the divided island of Cyprus and how this division affects its people.In yet another attempt to improve my understanding of the darkest part of history of my native Germany, I read the first part of a new Hitler biography by German historian [a:Volker Ullrich 482732 Volker Ullrich https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1479928951p2/482732.jpg].It was brilliant, informative, engagingly written - and still left me wondering how people could fall under this man's spell. Maybe the second part that I'm going to read this year will help - even though I doubt it.Of course, I've read a lot more but looking over my year in books, nothing else really needs mentioning.I wish you and yours all the best for 2024 and may there always be great books in your path! Happy new year!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

“Not to be confused with William Goldman.”, Wikipedia helpfully told me when I looked up Golding - and yet I did confuse flashy, flamboyant Goldman with the unpretentious Golding. A grave mistake.“The Princess Bride”, supposedly the “good parts only” version of his alter ego's novel, starts with an introduction by its author whom I immediately disliked after reading it. His often-occurring interruptions of an extremely banal and simple story were further aggravating.I also strongly disliked pretty much every single character: Buttercup, beautiful and an enormously stupid damsel-in-distress; the perfect Westley who is basically super-human from his first appearance onwards; Humperdinkh, the plotting prince of the land; the evil six-fingered count - I was almost bored to death by them all.The story is mind-numbingly daft: Girl rejects boy in favour of a prince, boy finds fame/infamy, girl gets rescued by boy, consequently regrets all her life choices and tries to make amends.Cliché after cliché after cliché as Goldman does could have led to a biting satire but this drivel reads more like an homage to the “cloak & sword” genre that is, thankfully, quite dead.I rarely don't finish a book (in fact, at the time of writing, it's number 11 in 48 years); much more rarely at 74% but this sorry effort of a novel made me want to stop reading entirely.One star out of five. Oh, and happy holidays!Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I have to say [a:Paul Harding's 4371731 Paul Harding https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1328557292p2/4371731.jpg] “[b:Tinkers 4957350 Tinkers Paul Harding https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1364258693l/4957350.SX50.jpg 5023150]” left me feeling unmoved and dissatisfied - like so many other books this year... The novel revolves around an old man named George who is dying from cancer, and the narrative follows his thoughts and memories as he grapples with his mortality. The language used by the author is often ornate and overwrought, which, coupled with the slow pacing of the story, made for a tedious reading experience.The characters lack depth and development, with George being the only character with any discernible personality traits, and even those are underwhelming. The supporting cast feels two-dimensional, failing to contribute anything meaningful to the narrative.The themes of loss, mortality, and the passing of time are not uncommon in literature, but Harding's handling of them is clichéd and trite. Rather than telling a compelling story, the author seems more concerned with showcasing his literary prowess.In conclusion, “Tinkers” is not a book that I would recommend to others. While the themes it explores are important, the execution leaves much to be desired. Two out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

The moment you find out the perfect review, down to the actual notes and highlights, has actually already been written...Go on, read this review, there's nothing I could add: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5141765060I was at three stars originally but I simply didn't see things as clearly as Kristina. Two stars, it is.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Als Kind habe ich nichts mehr geliebt als Detektivgeschichten und als ich auf “Die drei ???” stieß, war es um mich geschehen: Über Jahre habe ich jeden einzelnen Band gelesen, dann das Hörspiel auf Kassette genossen und weitere “Merch” (damals allerdings eher: Devotionalien) gekauft. Auf diese Weise entstand eine beachtliche Drei-Fragezeichen-Sammlung.Schon lange habe ich mich gefragt, ob diese Bücher wirklich so spannend, interessant und nett waren, wie ich sie in Erinnerung hatte. Nachdem ich gestern ein wirklich schlechtes Buch beendet hatte, beschloss ich, mir diese Frage durch eine gründliche Untersuchung zu beantworten - entweder ich würde mir eine weitere Kindheitserinnerung zerstören oder aber einen positiven Abschluss finden.Um es vorwegzunehmen: Ich habe das Gespensterschloss “in einem Rutsch” gelesen. Klar, mit 144 Seiten und ca. 37.000 Worten war das nicht schwer, aber es zeigt doch auch, wie gut mich die “geheime” Zentrale auf dem Schrottplatz, die getarnten Zugänge und Tunnel, unterhalten haben.»Die »Zentrale« war ein fast zehn Meter langer Camping-Anhänger, den Titus Jonas vor einem Jahr gebraucht erstanden hatte.«Natürlich darf man nicht zu viel erwarten: Die Geheimnisse dieses Buches sind für einen Erwachsenen schnell und einfach zu durchschauen. Der Erzählstil ist einfach, dafür aber sehr direkt, freundlich und empathisch. Die “Übersetzung aus dem Amerikanischen” ist zudem sehr bieder und fühlt sich heute leicht angestaubt an...»Titus Andronicus Jonas, was hast du diesmal wieder gekauft? Du bringst uns noch alle an den Bettelstab!««... aber auch das machte für mich einen gewissen Reiz der Lektüre aus: Wer spricht heute noch von “Räuberzivil” und wie viele aus den Generationen nach meiner Generation X kennen überhaupt das Wort noch?Sprache und Stil sind aber durchgängig ebenso stimmig wie stimmungsvoll:»Hoch oben am Hang, am Ende der engen, felsigen Schlucht, lag das Gebäude in düstere Schatten gehüllt.«Erfreulicherweise kommen auch Passagen vor, die auf einfach Art eine perfekt passende, aber kind-gerechte Spannung aufbauen:»Die überwältigende Empfindung panischer Angst, die Peter in der großen runden Halle der Schreckensburg gepackt hatte, war aber bestimmt von keinem Echo verursacht worden. Das wußte er.Nicht für ein Vermögen wäre er jetzt stehengeblieben.«Köstlich amüsiert habe ich mich zudem über all die inzwischen praktisch vergessenen Notwendigkeiten, die ich aber aus den Achtzigern noch gut kenne:»Während Bob den Film transportierte und eine neue Blitzbirne einsteckte, schlenderte Peter zum Fenster hinüber.«Natürlich, und auch das soll nicht ungesagt bleiben, ist ein Buch, dessen Erstveröffentlichung 1964 stattfand, auch immer ein “Kind seiner Zeit”: Die drei jungen Detektive sind ebenso weiß wie alle anderen Personen. Frauen oder Mädchen kommen allenfalls am Rande vor, beispielsweise als nervige Tante. Die Diversität, die wir heute zunehmend erleben; die Einzug hält in Literatur, Film und Fernsehen; diese Diversität ist nicht nur wichtig - wir alle wollen gesehen werden - sondern auch bereichernd und Triebfeder für Kreativität, Akzeptanz und Öffnung und ermöglicht es, auch vielleicht weniger konventionelle Konstellationen darzustellen. Das ist für mich der einzige kleine Kritikpunkt. Ansonsten kann ich allen, die sich auf einen Ausflug in die Kindheit begeben möchten, dieses Buch ans Herz legen.Drei von fünf Sternen.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

“Be more positive!”, they said, so here we go: “Morbidly Yours” wasn't horrible! Just very bad.30-year-old widow Lark flees her native Texas, her embittered sister-in-law Rachel, who cyber-stalks her, to Ireland to work as an animator for a local studio. She moves into a house next to the undertaker's, our male protagonist, Callum, who is about as interesting as a dead tree in winter.At first, the chemistry and banter between the two was great and I looked forward to lots of fun. What followed, though, was basically this:Lark: Callum is so wonderful but I must not fall in love with him because I practically killed my husband because we had an argument and he drove recklessly around afterwards.Callum: Lark is so wonderful but I must not fall in love with her because I need to marry someone I don't love to keep my business from falling into the hands of a greedy corporation. Lark: Let's be friends with benefits, though! (I cannot emotionally handle that but somehow everything will be ok!)Callum: Yes! (I cannot handle it either but...)Predictably, next came some pretty nice and sensitive intimate scenes (usually I would have written “smut” but that's the only well-written part so the latter term felt too crude).Both Lark and Callum know communication is key and, consequently...»Were we just going to ignore what just happened? The words were right there, resting on my tongue like a piece of hard toffee. I swallowed them down. Better left unsaid.«With that, the vicious circle of “I love (him/her) but must not!” goes on and on and on... Mixed among all this are workplace drama, violence, a token non-binary person, whereas morbidity on the other hand is not really part of all this. Callum is supposed to be demi-sexual and/or demi-romantic (the author herself didn't seem to be sure) but the representation here is just plain bad.Oh, and, of course, there's a third-act breakup so dumb I actually face-palmed.The writing style and use of language is at high school level and the pacing varies between racing and Valium-induced creeping along. One star out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

»Ich bin eine Enttäuschung, ich weiß.«Ich muß schon sagen, ich fühle mich betrogen: Von einem Rechtsanwalt auch noch. Von einem, den ich als Schriftsteller eigentlich überaus schätze, aber was [a:Ferdinand von Schirach 3048443 Ferdinand von Schirach https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1340958280p2/3048443.jpg] hier diesmal abgeliefert hat, dafür sollte er sich schämen. Der Verlag, der für ein 113-Seiten-”Buch” EUR 17,99 (eBook) bzw. EUR 20 (Hardcover) als Preis festsetzt, liefert damit zudem ein weiteres eindrückliches Argument gegen die Buchpreisbindung.Zum “Inhalt”: Schon der Klappentext verrät, daß wir es einmal mehr mit dem “Onkel Ferdinand erzählt”-Modus zu tun bekommen; die Hälfte dieses “Buches” ist ein Monolog, ein Stream of Consciousness, der in extrem verkürzter Form altbekannte Standpunkte von Schirachs lau aufwärmt. Ein Beispiel; hier in “Regen” läßt der Autor sein alter ego folgendes sagen:»Aber das nach Hause , das habe ich sofort verstanden. Zu Hause ist ja kein Ort, es ist unsere Erinnerung.«Im großartigen “[b:Kaffee und Zigaretten 44128391 Kaffee und Zigaretten Ferdinand von Schirach https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1551092142l/44128391.SY75.jpg 68620284]” spendierte er dem Thema ein ganzes Kapitel.Dieser Erzähler, der sich in einer Bar wohl einen antrinkt, um seine eigene Erzählung überhaupt ertragen zu können, ist sich auch keines billigen Stammtischwitzes zu schade:»Vielleicht habe ich das mit dem zu kleinen Penis auch nicht richtig verstanden. Wir werden am zweiten oder am dritten Verhandlungstag dazu eine Sachverständige hören. Nein, nicht zur Größe des Penis – zur Frage des Affektes. Eine Psychiaterin.«“Regen” reicht in keiner Weise an die bisherigen Publikationen von Schirachs heran; vielleicht hat er sich “leer geschrieben”. Vielleicht hat er auch einfach keine Lust und/oder Ideen mehr. Für diese Hypothese spricht auch, daß dieses dünne Bändchen mit einem fast die gesamte zweite Hälfte des Buches ausfüllenden Interview mit dem Autor aus September 2022 abgeschlossen werden muß. Ganz offensichtlich hatte von Schirach so wenig Inhalt geliefert, daß der Verlag in seiner Not Füllmaterial zukaufen mußte.In jeder Hinsicht: “Regen” ist eine schriftstellerische Bankrotterklärung Ferdinand von Schirachs.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

How do I review the novella of a (Goodreads) friend? “Never again” or “very, very carefully” immediately came to my mind when I pondered reading [a:Berengaria Di Rossi's 22206763 Berengaria Di Rossi https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] “[b:Distantly Falling Stars 60311549 Distantly Falling Stars Berengaria Di Rossi https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png 95082140]”. Especially since Berengaria with a down-to-earth attitude, sensible reviews and interesting reads as well as - obviously - an impeccable taste in (Goodreads) friends, has long earned my respect.So it was with a healthy portion of trepidation that I started reading this - and quickly started breathing freely because, thankfully, there's absolutely nothing wrong with this short novella.Seti, a “puny scribe” from ancient Egypt is forced on an expedition to recover some “distantly falling stars” in a race against (or possibly negotiating with) the Babylonians. There are some supernatural aspects which I usually don't like but these made sense in the setting of the novella and weren't too intrusive. The story itself was short and suspenseful - I wouldn't label it as a thriller, contrary to the blurb's description but it definitely quickly captured my interest and never lost it.This is made even easier by Berengaria's clear, concise, and unadorned writing style and a very clear idea of the intended direction of the story.I was also a bit worried about the “Bronze punk” part of the blurb but that was also completely unfounded: I found amusement in the inclusion of ships with turbines in ancient Egypt but since all of these devices felt like natural parts of the story and not - as they often do elsewhere - like forced extensions in order to make a story appeal more to modern readers, I wasn't bothered at all but rather entertained.Since this can be read for free on Wattpad, there's no reason not to give it a read!Five out of five stars for an unblemished delight of a story.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Let's start with the good: [a:Paul Auster 296961 Paul Auster https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1554662932p2/296961.jpg] still is a great author and his mastery of language is second to none. He is extremely empathetic and feels with his characters. Auster is very near to them and allows us in a masterful way to share in their feelings, ideas, and worries.Especially the ageing Baumgartner who reads a bit like Auster's alter ego is an amazingly life-like character who reminisces about his life - married for decades to his late wife Anna, an intensive relationship with another woman, rejection and recovery: Auster takes us on a journey through Baumgartner's life.And this is where the cookie - for me - crumbles: While Baumgartner is a wonderful character, he has led an unremarkable life. Not only Baumgartner himself but most people around him as well, it seems. Consequently, the story Auster tells us is lacking in sheer substance and is, as such, nothing very special.I can relate to many of the aspects at the heart of this story:»It's just that we need to get our terms straight before we plunge in and start to talk. Yes, she would still be alive if she hadn't gone back into the water, but then we wouldn't have lasted together for more than thirty years if I had done things like trying to stop her from going into the water when she wanted to. Life is dangerous, Marion, and anything can happen to us at any moment. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that—and if they don't, well, they haven't been paying attention, and if you don't pay attention, you're not fully alive.«I made numerous highlights and annotations because I loved many ideas and passages but the story itself lacked depth.Paul Auster remains one of my favourite authors and I've read pretty much everything he ever wrote and intend to keep doing so, but, sadly, this novel only receives two stars from me.»And that is all I will ever ask of you, my newborn son, in the first hours of your long journey toward becoming a man who can think and act and take part in the world—only this and nothing else: to fight the good fight.«Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I was so looking forward to reading this and I really wanted to love it... I didn't, though, since I was dropped right into the middle of the action - of the aftermath of “[b:Network Effect 52381770 Network Effect (The Murderbot Diaries, #5) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1640597293l/52381770.SY75.jpg 63614271]”, an earlier novel in the series, which I don't remember at all.I felt confused for a long time because there were lots of references to the earlier book that I simply didn't get. I finally got somewhat into the flimsy excuse for a story at around the half-way mark - and still felt let down by Murderbot's anti-climatic “redacted” event and a story that felt like an “extension”, an add-on.“[b:System Collapse 65211701 System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries, #7) Martha Wells https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1674575978l/65211701.SY75.jpg 90712113]” should have been published as part of “Network Effect” because as it is, it's just like Wells recovered the “missing chapters”.Yes, I knew part of that before even starting to read this one but I don't re-read and an author should make an effort to get me up to speed.Three out of five stars - and even those feel slightly generous. Meh.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Rarely have I read a novel that has no redeeming qualities to at least alleviate the pain from its issues. “[b:The Inn Crowd 199289833 The Inn Crowd Melody Rush https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1696535472l/199289833.SY75.jpg 203545632]” by [a:Melody Rush 23261624 Melody Rush https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1677183544p2/23261624.jpg] is such a rare exception.It starts with the title which is a painful pun on the inn, run by the heroine and her past as an in-girl (“Janey Dee”) and influencer.It continues right on the cover below the title: Can someone explain why neither Haden nor Sarah Jane have eyes? Did the money for the artist run out before the eyes were done? Did the artist know they had no talent for painting eyes? Did the poor artist maybe actually read the novel and wished they had no eyes afterwards?The story is also... challenged: Former social media influencer Sarah Jane Darby has accidentally live-streamed her then-boyfriend and herself when the former confronted her with her sex toys, accused her of cheating him by using those and dumped her. In their world, Sarah Jane's fans take his side and hate-comment on the video...Ever since, Sarah Jane has been hiding away at her late grandmother's declining inn which Sarah Jane inherited, having developed agoraphobia and never leaving the inn's grounds.Enter Haden, a sleazy “billionaire” working as an employee for some development company, who wants to buy the inn. Insta-love ensues - and that's my first major complaint: They've just met and immediately fall for each other. Just like a switch has been thrown. I never warmed to either Haden or Sarah Jane: He's a shallow flatterer whose foremost concern at any given point is either getting the inn or getting into Sarah Jane's bed.He's prone to deep thinking...»But [the “morning wood problem” is] getting harder each day—pun intended.«... and Haden is a very manly man who's extremely possessive as well...»And yet, my face is just as hot, my body every bit as tense as if someone had come after my property. My home.Most importantly, my woman.Whoever did this won't get away with it—not on my watch.«At that point, I was waiting for him to pound his chest and fetch a club.When a new guest arrives of whom both Sarah Jane and Haden are immediately suspicious, Sarah Jane doesn't do the obvious and turns said guest away; no, she actually welcomes them, lets them perform several acts of sabotage (including setting a fire) and even then lets them stay...Haden is unfazed by such trifles anyway: He points out that it was no accident and then barely hesitates before asking Sarah Jane out on a date...»“An accident doesn't shatter every single jar.” I frown at the wreckage.“True.” Haden hesitates before continuing, “Listen, I wanted to ask if you'd be interested in joining me for a day trip to the city. There's an art exhibit I've been wanting to see and thought it might be a good distraction for you.”«Haden also keeps deciding what's good or bad for Sarah Jane, what she needs to know and keeps important facts from her...»I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves before returning to Sarah Jane. I can't let her know what I just learned from Beatrice; it would only scare her and disrupt her delicate sense of safety at the inn. She doesn't need any more worry in her life.«Sarah Jane is extremely naïve: She basically believes everything Haden tells her and lets herself be led around and basically be cheated out of 50% of her inn by Haden.Worst of all, though, is the author's ineptness in writing: “she really does enjoy pleasing people's palettes with her food“Dear Melody, I think you were actually looking for the term “palates”. (Palettes are notoriously hard to please!)»“Here, here!” her supporters echo, raising their glasses in unison.«If only the author knew that the supporters actually want to stress the point in question and, thus, say “Hear, hear!”...Rush also writes with all the subtlety of a sledge hammer when writing about Sarah Jane's “angelic face” - and at the same time relegates her to second rank by usually writing two chapters in a row from Haden's point of view but only one from Sarah Jane's.The language used by Rush is simplistic: Short sentences with very simple sentence structure and all the linguistic skills and graces of a high school dropout - and that's not even taking “palettes” or “here, here” into account...For all this, there can be only one star out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I read “[b:The Case of the Left-Handed Lady 606926 The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (Enola Holmes, #2) Nancy Springer https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348308364l/606926.SX50.jpg 593458]” to see if [a:Nancy Springer's 22547 Nancy Springer https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1506873907p2/22547.jpg] Enola Holmes series would improve with the second instalment.When I came upon »Chapter the First«, though, I had an inkling about how this review would read because just like the ridiculous chapter titles, this is The Case of Even More of the Same that Didn't Work for Me the First Time Either: Springer's writing style still resembles that of a middle-grade school teacher who wants to provide material for her pupils.She still taints the legacy of Holmes; here in a discussion with Mycroft who states...»The only rational way to reform her into some semblance of decent young womanhood!” interrupts the older brother with asperity. “You, of all people, should see the logic – ”«To which Springer let's Sherlock Holmes answer: “Logic is not everything.” and Mycroft rightly replies: “Certainly this is the first time I have ever heard you say so!”I haven't read Sherlock Holmes state something as untypical as that either.In Springer's universe, though, Mycroft is a slobbering idiot anyway:»“Nonsense!” At once the older brother puts a stop to such balderdash. “Preposterous! She is a female . Her intellect is inferior, she requires protection . . . there can be no comparison.”«The story itself is somewhat similar as well - this time it's the daughter (not son) of an aristocratic family who disappeared and Enola bumbling investigates. Neither the investigation nor its outcome were very interesting to read for me and don't get me started on “mesmerism”...Nevertheless, not all was bad in either novel so, if you liked the first instalment in this series, you're likely to enjoy this one just as much. Or, in my case, not that much.Again, a generous three stars out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Thankfully, this was almost as short as it was disappointing: In “[b:The Case of the Missing Marquess 606928 The Case of the Missing Marquess (Enola Holmes, #1) Nancy Springer https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429150341l/606928.SX50.jpg 3313623]” by [a:Nancy Springer 22547 Nancy Springer https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1506873907p2/22547.jpg] we first witness Enola Holmes' flight from her older brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft. Yes, it's another case of a contemporary author trying to make a few bucks from the legacy of another...This uneventful flight takes up an entire half of the novel and it's just plain boring. The writing is simplistic, the language is old-fashioned but not in the way of Arthur Conan Doyle's historic works but reimagined by Springer, whose primary research material was colouring books... For example, Doyle would never (and indeed never did, I checked!) write about a lady's “unmentionables” (as in undergarments) like Springer does several times. As a matter of fact, authors of the Victorian era, including Conan Doyle, would often employ various techniques to allude to and mask such sensitive subjects rather than explicitly mentioning them. They would use euphemisms, subtext, or veiled references to address these topics indirectly.They generally relied on subtlety and insinuation rather than direct discussion. Not so Springer: She naïvely discusses all these subjects very directly which would have scandalised the society she tries to emulate.»Before he could do so, I hoisted my primitive weapon and brought it down with great decision upon his head.«Even the structure of the novel is disgraced by a miserable attempt at emulating older style: The chapters aren't simply numbered or called, let's say, “Chapter Two” as historical precedent would have it. No, it has to be “Chapter the Second” and so on... At “Chapter the Fifteenth” my patience had run thin. All this feels forced and just plain wrong.Especially in the beginning, Springer also doesn't build naturally upon Doyle's literary legacy but simply info-dumps a lot of well-established facts onto us, e. g. “[Sherlock] suffered from melancholia” - show us, don't just tell us! - in order to make this feel less like the tired knock-off it actually is.»Let my brother Sherlock be The World's Only Private Consulting Detective all he liked; I would be The World's Only Private Consulting Perditorian.«The story about the eponymous marquess itself was so simple, I felt like I was reading a children's book. The entire travesty around Cutter gave me a strong feeling of second-hand embarrassment... Last and least, I'm having a hard time when people infringe upon the legacy of the great detective: »I knew things Sherlock Holmes failed even to imagine.«No, dear Enola, you simply suffer from the same delusion as your creator: That you manage to know enough to create something that doesn't pale in comparison to the original.I cannot believe these novels remain as bland as the first one so I'm going to give the second one a try...A very generous three stars out of five. Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

I finished reading this novel about five minutes ago. I'm sitting at my desk to write this review but I don't know how. I want to sing its praises because the latest instalment of the Cormoran Strike novels is by far the best one in the series.This time, Strike and Robin deal with a religious cult, its charismatic leader and everything surrounding these. I will not mention any more plot details because it's probably best to go into this novel without too much knowledge or ideas...I will say, though, “[b:The Running Grave 139399948 The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike, #7) Robert Galbraith https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1689796008l/139399948.SY75.jpg 115965274]” is without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most suspenseful novels I've ever read. Not in a cheap, flashy, and/or sensationalist way, but subtly and almost elegantly. The feeling of a permanent latent danger is omnipresent and mercilessly tugs at the nerves of the reader.I felt like biting my nails (which I don't do) and it triggered the worst of my nervous habits and yet I felt like devouring this novel. I was reluctant to put it down and there were times I actually considered calling in sick (which I didn't) to be able to keep reading. I read it feverishly and while I usually highlight passages and take notes, I quickly found myself unable and unwilling to do so because it would have broken my immersion.This novel is so readable and the subject matter so horrifyingly believable (cf. Scientology and similarly despicable cults) that reading “Grave” felt like entering the world of Strike and Robin. This was enhanced by the level of empathy especially Robin shows during crucial situations in the investigation.I just wish we had gotten to know more about a certain confrontation between Robin and two principal members of the cult...Strike, too, grows as a person during the course of the investigation. Especially when dealing with a major change and its aftermath.Despite its length (more than 1200 pages on my Kindle), “Grave” never felt long but found a near-perfect balance between the usual personal issues between Robin and Strike, secondary cases and the main mystery. And that ending...Rowling created a masterpiece of a detective novel and a marvellous piece of literary art.Rowling is also still very much openly transphobic and, thus, I encourage you not to buy her books but rather get them in a library so that at the very least she won't profit anymore than she already has.If you're one of those people who don't believe who and what she is, here's an excellent article (permanently updated) that collects Rowling's disgusting statements and actions:https://www.glamour.com/story/a-complete-breakdown-of-the-jk-rowling-transgender-comments-controversyRoman Polanski, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Joanne K. Rowling - they are different kinds of monsters and yet monsters they all are. I recoil whenever I'm confronted with their depravity. And, yet, I cannot break from their art. I can keep calling them out, though.And yet, despite this, “The Running Grave” easily garners five stars out of five and a place among my favourite books.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

»“I didn't know, Sylvia,” he said. “I hoped.”«I didn't know either but had hoped for a good Bosch novel and got even more than I expected.In [a:Michael Connelly 12470 Michael Connelly https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1539114448p2/12470.jpg]'s “[b:The Concrete Blonde 49350 The Concrete Blonde (Harry Bosch, #3; Harry Bosch Universe, #3) Michael Connelly https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388241215l/49350.SY75.jpg 449511]” we're revisiting Harry's “white whale” case, which is, of course, “The Dollmaker”'s. Harry shot that guy in self-defence four years ago but it left an ugly stain on his already rather grey vest. Harry was de facto demoted and at the time of the “Concrete Blonde” he's being sued over that shooting when another body is found that has all the marks of a Dollmaker victim...What ensues from this point on is part courtroom drama but, to a much larger extent, a very suspenseful, exciting and smart police procedural which managed to fool me at every turn. As always, Harry investigates this at high stakes and takes great risk and, thus, we sometimes cross over into the realm of thrillers which is a very welcome aspect here.As implied by the opening quote (which is the final sentence of the novel), we get to know Bosch a lot better yet: His budding relationship with Sylvia from the last novel goes to full bloom here - and keeps evolving. It's unusual to read this much personal information in a non-”cosy” police procedural but it's just one more way in which this novel works brilliantly: By not only showing Harry's professional rough cop side but also his convictions and ethical values, he becomes much more of a believable, sensitive person.»The anchor christened the killer the Dollmaker. After that, the killer was called that by everybody, even the cops.But Bosch always hated that name. It said something about the victims as well as the killer. It depersonalized them, made it easier for the Dollmaker stories that were broadcast to be entertaining instead of horrifying.«Harry even knows his Nietzsche and sees and recognises the danger he's in of becoming as bad - or worse - than the people he's hunting. »‘Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And when you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you....'«That Harry is aware of this danger, though, as well as his “moral compass” prevent him from becoming a monster.»Bosch drove over to Central Division and found an open parking space at the front curb. For a while, he sat in his car looking at two trustees from the lockup washing the painted enamel mural that stretched along the front wall of the bunkerlike station. It was a depiction of a nirvana where black and white and brown children played together and smiled at friendly police officers. It was a depiction of a place where the children still had hope. In angry black spray paint along the bottom of the mural someone had written, “This is a damnable lie!”Bosch wondered whether someone from the neighborhood or a cop had done it.«Everyone keeps growing in this one - even Irving, now promoted, comes around and grows a personality beyond just gnashing his teeth to cow his detectives. He even starts respecting Bosch both as a cop and a human being. Shockingly, Irving even has a sense of humour...»“Somebody put a cigarette butt in my pot,” he said. “That yours, Harry?”«Some fresh blood, Hans “Hans Off” Rollenberger, is also around and Honey “Money” Chandler makes an appearance as one of Bosch's adversary's (albeit cut short by an event I wasn't prepared for after seeing the TV show...).Ultimately, I very much enjoyed this novel and will undoubtedly read on in this series.Five out of five stars.»Bosch drove over to Central Division and found an open parking space at the front curb. For a while, he sat in his car looking at two trustees from the lockup washing the painted enamel mural that stretched along the front wall of the bunkerlike station. It was a depiction of a nirvana where black and white and brown children played together and smiled at friendly police officers. It was a depiction of a place where the children still had hope. In angry black spray paint along the bottom of the mural someone had written, “This is a damnable lie!”Bosch wondered whether someone from the neighborhood or a cop had done it.«Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

»Der eigentliche Held, der alle anderen in den Schatten stellt, ist ganz sicher das Schloss Mysłocz, um das sich die authentischen Zaubereien ranken. Ein Monument der Unbeweglichkeit und des Schweigens, so taucht es aus der Nacht auf, aus dem Morast, erhebt sich aus dem Nebel, aus dem Wald, um Elegie zu verströmen oder Skandale zu entfesseln. Ganz zwanglos erhält der Raum des Romans eine Ordnung: verborgene Gemächer und unterirdische Gänge im feudalen Mysłocz, gemütlicher Speisesaal im verbürgerlichten Połyka, Gedränge und anrüchiges Durcheinander in den Etablissements von Warschau. Die Zeit drängt, dehnt sich aus oder verkürzt sich, wenn es darum geht, die zweifache Version eines Mordes vorzuführen.«Man soll seinen Helden nicht begegnen, denn man wird enttäuscht. Ebenso wenig sollte man wohl seinen glorifizierten Lieblingsbüchern wiederbegegnen...“[b:Die Besessenen 22079080 Die Besessenen Witold Gombrowicz https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422979161l/22079080.SY75.jpg 143611]” von [a:Witold Gombrowicz 9632 Witold Gombrowicz https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1655576009p2/9632.jpg] haben mich vor gut 30 Jahren geradezu überfallen und in ihren Bann gezogen - mein Bruder schenkte mir das Buch und mit meinen rund 17 Jahren war es mir unwiderstehlich: Ein düsteres, verfallendes Schloss umgeben von Wald und Moor, ein wahnsinniger Fürst, der letzte seines Geschlechts, ein merkwürdiges Handtuch, das bebt, würgt und zittert - zwei junge Liebende (in meinem damaligen Alter auch noch!), die sich so sehr ähneln, dass sie einander verabscheuen und doch nicht voneinander lassen können? Hinzu kam: “Die Besessenen” erschien im Original vom 4. Juni bis zum 31. August 1939 als Fortsetzungsroman gleichzeitig in zwei Tageszeitungen. Hitlers Überfall auf Polen am 1. September 1939 verhinderte die Vollendung. 1973 wurde es vom Autor wiederentdeckt. Das Ende jedoch blieb bis 1986 verschollen.Ja, es fühlt sich an, als wäre ich damals ein anderer gewesen - und vielleicht liegt es daran, dass “Die Besessenen” nach glühender Verehrung damals für mich heute nur noch interessant sind. Seit damals habe ich - wie besessen - alle deutschen Ausgaben des Romans gekauft und gern auch verschenkt.Es gibt nur eine Ausgabe, die ich nie gefunden habe: das eBook, das ich heute als einzige Buchform lese. Auch die noch lebenden Nachfahren Gombrowicz' bestätigten mir nur mit Bedauern, dass es schlicht keine deutsche eBook-Ausgabe gibt.Das wollte ich schon seit Jahren für mich selbst ändern und so kaufte ich kurzentschlossen antiquarisch die mir liebste Ausgabe (Übersetzung von Klaus Staemmler, dtv-Taschenbuch mit Kerze auf dem Cover), säbelte den Einband weg, jagte es durch einen guten Scanner und schuf mit erheblichem Aufwand mein eigenes eBook, das ich selbstverständlich auch gleich lesen mußte!Schnell nahm mich die etwas altmodische (kein Wunder, spielt doch die Handlung in 1938; dem Jahr, in dem Gombrowicz auch die Arbeit am Roman aufgenommen haben dürfte), aber doch großartige Sprache gefangen:»Aber der Mond schien bereits über der endlosen Ebene, aus der hier und da phantastische Baumsilhouetten ragten. In seinem blassen Schein zeigte sich weißliches Wasser, der Muchawiec schob träge seine Strömung durch die Ebene, kam kaum von der Stelle und bildete riesengroße Ausuferungen.«Majas und Leszczuks ungestüme, schwierige Hass-/Liebesgeschichte war immer noch schön zu lesen, auch wenn ich manche Grausamkeit (armes Eichhörnchen!) und Gewalt nicht mehr in Erinnerung hatte. Beider Erkenntnis, einander zu ähneln; geradezu zwei Teile, die zu einem großen Ganzen gehören, zu sein, ist interessant. Gleichzeitig davon angezogen und abgestoßen zu sein, macht einen Teil des Reizes aus und spielt eine entscheidende Rolle im Kern des Romans: Die Suche nach Identität.Maja fühlt sich noch der gehobenen Klasse der Gutsbesitzer angehörig - aber das elterliche Gut, verwaltet von ihrer Mutter, ist eine kleine, schlecht gehende Pension für Stadtmenschen, die Maja und ihre Mutter gleichzeitig als niederrangig verachten, auf die sie aber für ihren Lebensunterhalt angewiesen sind.»Warum hatte ich, dachte sie, die ich schließlich unter anderen Bedingungen und in weniger demokratischen Zeiten erzogen wurde, nie dieses absolute Überlegenheitsgefühl?«(Damals wie heute war es allerdings mit der polnischen Demokratie nicht allzu weit her...)Gleichzeitig aber will Maja bewußt mit diesen überkommenen Vorstellungen brechen und scheut doch davor zurück:»Sie fürchtete sich vor dem Schloss, vor ihrem Verlobten, am meisten aber vor sich selbst, vor den Gefahren, die in der Tiefe ihrer eigenen, allzu kühnen, allzu unruhigen, allzu glücksbegierigen Natur auf sie lauerten. Die altertümlichen, düsteren, der Vergangenheit zugehörigen Mauern schienen zu flüstern: Wehe dem, der leichtherzig dem flüchtigen Glück nachjagt!«Der alternde (vermeintlich?) abgeklärte Professor, dem die sich verändernde Welt fremd wird...»Der Professor empfand ein instinktives Misstrauen gegenüber Frauen wie Maja, die ihn durch Unabhängigkeit, vorzeitige Reife und eine Ungezwungenheit, die keine Hemmnisse kannte, entsetzten.«... der aber nicht an jedwede Besessenheit glauben mag und doch im Laufe der Handlung sozusagen vom Paulus zum Saulus wird; auch er sucht: Erst nach Schätzen, dann mehr und mehr nach Erkenntnis über die Natur der Besessenheit und den sehr irdischen Ursprüngen des Wahnsinns des Fürsten.Leszczuk sucht generell seinen Platz und taumelt von Ort zu Ort, bis er auf Maja trifft und dieser verfällt. (Wahrscheinlich trug auch das zu meiner Begeisterung bei: Ich selbst suchte meinen Platz, hatte meine erste große Liebe gefunden, glaubte manches und wusste nichts.)Der wahnsinnige alte Fürst sucht sich selbst und seinen Franio, seinen illegitimen Sohn, der unter mysteriösen Umständen aus einer verfluchten Kemenate des Schlosses verschwand...Cholawicki, des Fürsten boshafter und verschlagener Sekretär, dient als brutaler und widerwärtiger Gegenspieler, der aber gleichzeitig Majas Verlobter ist und auch diese zwei sind aneinander gefesselt.Gleichzeitig - und das habe ich erst jetzt verstanden - sind letztlich alle Handelnden “besessen”: Von sich, von der Gier nach Macht, Geld und Geltung, von einander, vom Schloss, vom Übersinnlichen und selbst das Schloss ist buchstäblich besessen - oder nicht?Vollständig wird diese Frage nicht geklärt - und das ist auch gut so, denn zumindest das spricht sowohl den Wulf von damals (“Es gibt mehr Ding' im Himmel und auf Erden, als Eure Schulweisheit sich träumt, Horatio.”) als auch den von heute (“Alles Existierende ist prinzipiell wissenschaftlich erklärbar, wobei unsere Fähigkeiten und Werkzeuge zur vollständigen Erklärung sich noch entwickeln; was sich dieser Erklärung entzieht, existiert folglich nicht.”) an und läßt allen Rezeptionen Raum.Letztlich, so spitzt es Gombrowicz im letzten Satz des Romans trefflich zu:»In dieser Welt voll Unklarheit und Rätsel, Dämmerung und Trübheit, Seltsamkeit und Irrtum gibt es nur eine untrügliche Wahrheit — die Wahrheit des Charakters!«Bei aller fehlenden Begeisterung kann ich nicht umhin, auch mich selbst zu den “Besessenen” zu zählen - vier von fünf Sternen für einen einzigartigen Roman.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

“[b:My Child is Missing 177529528 My Child is Missing (Detective Josie Quinn, #18) Lisa Regan https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1686850860l/177529528.SY75.jpg 183605300]” is [a:Lisa Regan's 6443334 Lisa Regan https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1589563239p2/6443334.jpg] 18th novel about her Detective Josie Quinn and I've almost universally enjoyed reading every single one of them. Sadly, not so with this latest instalment which steadily ran its course without any highlights nor any major letdowns...Sure, these novels have always been somewhat formulaic: Josie used to drink too much because of her gruesome past (which gets mentioned in this novel every five pages...), fell in love with her colleague Noah (whom she shot at one point), adored her grandmother (who was shot at another point), found her long-lost identical twin sister (who is a famous TV journalist - but nobody ever noticed...), her best friend Misty, ex-stripper and final girlfriend of Josie's ex-husband who died as part of the afore-mentioned gruesome past, and Misty's son from said ex-husband, the entire murder of cops (seems like the most fitting collective noun for US cops these days) are a happy family - it's complicated and yet these novels are usually thrilling and suspenseful to read.Another nice touch to almost every other novel in this series used to be that someone from the extended team (be it a cop, a coroner, whomever) has a special role which lends the story authenticity and makes people much more relatable. Not so in this novel; unless - unlike me - you count the countless mentions of a certain deceased team member...Be warned - spoilers ahead!In this novel, though, everyone is still reeling from the death of their colleague Mettner, whose desk they've kept like it was the day he left - like a shrine to him. As if that wasn't enough, they bemoan his absence on every second page. They keep reminding each other about the pearls of wisdom he used to utter...»“Or he could break the case wide open,” Gretchen said.It was exactly something Mett would have said.«.... because, surely, no other cop would ever say a sentence like that!A suspect is found in the first hours of the investigation (and, thus, very early in the book) and since Josie and friends almost exclusively concentrate on him, it becomes very clear, said suspect is at least a very important part of the cases of missing children that's being investigated.Knowing that, it was just a matter of reading along while our heroes interrogate people (like a nutcase pair of parents or teenager's who blatantly lie despite knowing full well that they could help to solve multiple murders and to find a missing girl...), find proof and, ultimately, convict the perpetrator.The almost-obligatory twist at the end was unconvincingly written towards, crudely done and I was so thoroughly disinterested at that point, I simply shrugged and read on.And imagine my surprise when the book just ended at 85% - the remaining 15% were just advertising for and excerpts from Regan's other novels. While that was no real loss in this case, it borders on cheating the customer.Barely three out of five stars.P. S.: »Did the hunt for [the Woodsman] have you desperately turning the pages and did you gasp out loud at the incredible twist?«No, I just gasped due to disappointment. And I hate it when an author breaks the fourth wall.P. P. S.: »A TOTALLY UNPUTDOWNABLE CRIME AND MYSTERY THRILLER PACKED WITH NAIL-BITING SUSPENSE«To whomever writes such crap: I sincerely and honestly despise you.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Well, this much is clear: I wouldn't bother to save this novel in a fire. This book is a whole new kind of bad. It actually made me annoyed and, at times, angry.Sexualised violence, PTSD, cancer, sexism, general violence, stalking, abandonment, arson, insta-love, and forgiveness (for all of the afore-mentioned) - all in this one novel and badly done to boot.Before anything else - even being human - Cassie Hanwell is an extremely successful firefighter. No doubt in large part due to the fact that this profession in the USA is dominated by men. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 2020 only 9% of the firefighters were female.I couldn't easily find my native Germany's statistics but in the UK, the percentage of female firefighters is about 7%. So, I'm going to assume it's the same problem in the USA and in Europe.Thus, Cassie - like many women - has always had (and still has) to work harder and longer than her male colleagues. She has also experienced sexualised violence at the age of 16.Shockingly and shamefully, according to the US National Sexual Violence Resource Center, she has that in common with approximately one in five women in the United States has experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime. Additionally, 81% of women reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime. According to a report by the United Nations, globally, approximately one in three women experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner.Ten years later at an award ceremony in her honour, to everyone's surprise, when confronted with her attacker, 26-year-old Cassie thoroughly beats him up on stage. She's given the choice to apologise or be fired (let's not go into the question of whether any of that is realistic...) but comes up with a way out: Since her mother needs help with an eye issue, she's going to move to her into another state and take a job there - at an all-male fire station the male captain of which loudly complains about women in his profession...Prepared by her current female captain (“Don't ever be a girl! Be a robot instead!”), she moves and is confronted by a world I naïvely had hoped went extinct with the ‘90s. »l looked the sheet over. “So, to succeed in my new job, I basically need to be an asexual, androgynous, human robot that's dead to all physical and emotional sensation.”She sat back in her chair and nodded, like, Yep. Simple.I nodded.“Just be a machine,” she said. “A machine that eats fire.”«I will now go into spoilerish detail, so on platforms that support it, I'm going to use spoiler tags. On all others; beyond here be dragons!Cassie first moves in with her estranged mother, Diana, who walked out on her and Cassie's father on Cassie's 16th birthday, which also happened to be the date when she was raped...»I looked up to see Josie smiling at me. Then she reached out and tucked a wisp of hair behind my ear. “She believed you'd be okay,” she said again. “And she was right.”«Diana, it turns out, is an emotional manipulator who knows no boundaries and has no clue what happened to her daughter. Her “eye issue” also turns out to be a malignant, aggressive brain tumour which Diana neglects to mention till she cannot hide it any longer.Pretty much like her father, who never even tried to get Cassie help but resorted to teaching her basketball... In the present, he's a full-blown asshole when he “asks” her to help her mother:»“How could you say no to her?” he demanded. “She needs you.”“Can we talk about this later?” I asked.“It doesn't matter when we talk about it,” my dad said, rolling out his most authoritative voice. “You're going.”“I already said no.”“Change your mind.”“I'm not going to change my mind,” I said, like he was completely nuts.“She's your mother, and she needs you, and you're going.”“You're telling me to leave my job, my apartment, my life—everything?”“You're young. You'll make it work.”«But since mommy is going to teach Cassie forgiveness, daddy will be immediately forgiven for this and everything else.Let's stay with forgiveness, a central topic of this novel, for a moment: Yes, forgiveness can make sense. Most of all when we forgive ourselves. Or minor infractions by others. Mommy Diana, though, is trying to teach her adult daughter to forgive her rapist, a physically and emotionally violent criminal, and everyone else - all in the name of forgiveness and for forgiveness' sake. Even if you feel this is valid and fine: Said violent criminal who even confesses, gets away with a slap on the wrist. The same guy who stalked, threatened and even became physically violent against Cassie in fact gets back into her good graces:»In acknowledgment of his personal growth, I got him a T-shirt that says THIS IS WHAT A FEMINIST LOOKS LIKE.«Yea, right.Nothing is going to deter him or anyone else around to just do more of the same. While one's first duty is, undisputedly, to oneself, one has to keep the consequences of one's actions in mind. If one still stands by said action afterwards, that's fine. But in this novel there's no consideration for what might happen later.Let's move on: Having just arrived on duty, Cassie and a rookie, her love interest Owen, are being “initialised” by a ritual of duct-taping both of them half-naked to a post at night:»“Are you guys here to haze me?” I asked, lowering my arms.Tiny gave a little shrug. “We're supposed to duct-tape you to the basketball pole.”I nodded and relaxed out of my crouch. Fair enough. “Okay, then.”Tiny didn't step forward, so I waved him toward me.“Let's get it over with,” I said.[...]Next thing I knew, they had pressed us together, standing back to back against the basketball pole, running a roll of duct tape around us to keep us there. It was late summer and starting to get chilly.«Now, some of you might feel that this isn't so bad. Let's see, though: The way this plays out makes it pretty clear they suffer through it but at no point consent to this intentionally degrading and humiliating procedure. In fact, they're physically restrained.While it does not involve direct, immediate physical harm, it does involve subjecting individuals to discomfort and potential embarrassment. It's just plain disgusting and unworthy behaviour for any human being.But, hey, at least - and here we come to the issue of instant love which is about as attractive as instant coffee - both Cassie and Owen immediately fall in love with each other. Within a year, they will be engaged and about a year later married. The epilogue kindly informs us of the further adventures; two kids, lots of forgiveness and a happily-ever-after.This is, of course, helped by the fact that Cassie considers every single firefighter a hero and expects them always to be “the good ones”: Hyperbolising every firefighter into a hero is doing them a disservice as it creates unrealistic expectations and puts undue pressure on them. While firefighters are undoubtedly brave and selfless individuals who put their lives on the line to save others, they are also human beings who experience fear, stress, and trauma like everyone else. By portraying them as infallible heroes, we risk overlooking the mental and emotional toll that their job can take on them. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and shame when they are unable to live up to these unrealistic expectations.»Somebody who's supposed to be a hero.”«By acknowledging their humanity and vulnerability, we can create a more supportive environment that encourages them to seek help when they need it instead of trying to compartmentalise or other forms of self-abuse. This very novel shows us an example of that.»“Firefighters are supposed to be the good guys.”«This novel is not a romance but a misguided attempt at hero worship.Meanwhile, Owen asks Cassie to join him at a family celebration during which he magically “heals” all her issues with a kiss. Yes, I kid you not. PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder)? Just kiss it well!Of course, Owen has lots of issues himself: As a child he played a part in causing a huge fire which cost his paternal uncle's life. Plagued by guilt, Owen has never told anybody and became a fireman himself because daddy is “Big Robby”, a hotshot firefighter himself. Even though he, Owen, always wanted to become a cook! (Which, of course, in a reverse-Grisu move, he's going to become!)Due to their severe cases of mutual instant love, they don't have to talk or interact much either. There's no banter in this novel. There's no chance for chemistry to develop. They fall in love, jump into bed together (fade to black) and even before Owen gets discharged from the hospital after a life-threatening injury (Cassie of course saved his life!), he proposes to Cassie... (Using a “ring” made from the still-sticky foil of a yoghurt.)Worst of all, though: None of the above is reflected upon in the novel - the extreme sexism, bizarre initiation rituals, toxic masculinity - it's all just accepted as preordained. It's just like people saying “boys will be boys” after witnessing a boy harassing a girl. No, it's not that simple: We're not born as assholes but we become assholes. And whoever spouts irresponsible crap like the above is an immediate part of the problem.At least, though, it all magically works out for Cassie...»I even read a whole book on the psychology of post-traumatic growth, and how, in the wake of the terrible, traumatic, unfair, cruel, gaping wounds that life inflicts on us, we can become wiser and stronger than we were before.Am I wiser and stronger now?Without question. Even in the wake of it all.«... and she has even read a whole psychology book (gasp!) and is now a lifelong expert!One annoyed and angry star out of five.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

»Bosch leaned back against the tree and watched the driver open the door for her. Then he lit a cigarette and watched as the sleek black machine carried her out through the gate and left him alone with the dead.«This is the second Harry Bosch novel I read and it surpasses its already strong predecessor in many aspects.The story begins on Christmas night, when Harry discovers that a fellow officer, Calexico Moore, has apparently committed suicide in a seedy motel. Harry is suspicious of the circumstances and decides to investigate on his own, despite the orders from his superiors to stay away. He soon uncovers a web of corruption, drug trafficking, and murder that involves not only Moore, but also a mysterious drug lord, who is behind a new and deadly drug called Black Ice.The writing is much improved compared to the first Bosch novel: Connelly has refined his style and skill, and has created a more polished and engaging narrative. The writing is more rounded and even and also more vivid and descriptive. Connelly uses a variety of techniques, such as dialogue, action, flashback, and foreshadowing, to create a dynamic and suspenseful story. He also uses rich and realistic details to bring the setting and the characters to life.The pacing has also greatly improved: Gone are any unnecessary or boring parts; instead, there's a consistent and smooth flow of the story. The pacing is fast enough to keep the reader interested and excited, but not too fast to lose the coherence, cohesion, and logic of the plot. The pacing also balances well between the two levels of the story: the private and the professional. Connelly gives enough relevant context and background information to explain Harry's thoughts and actions, and to show how his personal life affects his work, and vice versa. The private and the professional levels are nicely intertwined and work brilliantly together, creating a more complex and realistic character for Harry, and a more satisfying and rewarding reading experience for the reader.I still love Bosch's integrity and loyalty: When his investigation makes him visit Mexico, he's warned of the local corruption and told not to trust any cop. And yet, Harry is cautious but trusts his instincts which, ultimately, lets him overcome his institution's inherent racism and xenophobia.»“Right,” Bosch said. “I get it. No matter what goes wrong, it's my ass. I got it. I also have a vest in my trunk. He can use yours. I like my own.”«One might criticise some of Harry's decisions, of course. Most importantly a certain a bold and brave choice at the very end of the novel but thinking about it, that decision was not only fully within Harry's character (which, in itself, would be insufficient to justify it) but it ultimately serves everyone involved and sees true justice done. It was a realistic and fitting conclusion to the story, as it reflected the complexity and ambiguity of the situation. Harry did not take the easy or conventional way out, but he followed his instincts and his conscience, even if it meant losing his reputation and his friends. I think that this decision made Harry a more interesting and admirable character, and also a more human one. Harry is not a perfect hero, but he is a true one.»Irving finally turned around to face him again.“You are right, Bosch. I really don't understand you. Why risk everything for nothing? You see? It raises my concerns about you all over again. You don't play for the team. You play for yourself.”Bosch looked steadily at Irving and didn't smile, though he wanted to. Irving had paid him a fine compliment, though the assistant chief would never realize it.«“The Black Ice” is a very clever and complex story which is told elegantly by Connelly. Once again, a small drawback is the age of this novel: Written in the 90s, there still are no mobile phones, typewriters are still in use, etc..Due to the dense and extremely coherent atmosphere, the wonderfully designed tension arc, and the balanced pacing, I was able to simply overlook it.Five out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

Despite the premise and the very positive review that put this novel on my reading list, sadly, large parts were a chore to read.The story starts with 40-year-old Daisy in an early-onset midlife crisis: Divorced and a single parent to her daughter Jess, she is unhappy with her life. So she starts doing teenager-style “challenges”, e. g. asking for a Pizza at Thorntons (which non-UK readers might not know is a confectionary store...).During her self-discovery mission, Daisy first meets and dates Ryan. When they break things off, Daisy is disillusioned and looks for solace with her friends - especially her new friend Kate... The plot is paper-thin and there's nothing original in it.Sadly, the writing is graceless, grating and annoying - the language is wooden, stiff, and lifeless. Full of “X said”, “Y replied”, “Z looked” and so on. Repetitive sentence constructions, dialogues repeated in indirect speech, excessive use of passive constructions - there's a lot wrong with the writing:»Daisy danced with Kate and Eve, and a couple of Kate's friends. They all seemed like a friendly bunch. Before this evening, Eve had explained to Kate why she wanted to get Daisy out of the house, and said that she wasn't looking to meet someone, just relax a bit. ‘Daisy's just lacking a bit of confidence. Her fifteen year marriage ended two years ago, and she hasn't dated at all. She doesn't think she's attractive, and she's worried about being rejected. She's also worried about giving men the wrong idea if she asks them out. I just want to get her mixing with people and having a good time, so she can relax a bit.'Kate said that she may be able to help. She had been there herself, and knew how it felt.«Pond also loves to use the same expressions over and over: “to let one's hair down”, “what are you like”, “Only if you're having one.” - everyone speaks similarly in this novel and everyone drinks. Especially Daisy—before a date, during the date, after the date. Wine plays such a prominent role in Daisy's life, I was worried she might meet the love of her life at an AA meeting.The dialogues themselves seem contrived, artificial and very, very old-fashioned:»Daisy grimaced. ‘Oh, I don't know. Maybe I could think about dipping my toe in the water.'‘It's more than your toe that needs dipping!'‘Eve! What are you like? Anyway, it's so many years since I went on a date, I wouldn't know what to do. When I was dating, it was a case of waiting for the guy to ask out the girl.'«Remember, this book was published in 2018 and most likely takes place in the present. Daisy is 40 and thus pretty much exactly my age. At that time, it was by no means unusual for everyone to ask everyone out.Throughout the entire narration, Daisy seems a lot older than she is supposed to be:»Daisy wondered whether the pang she felt was one of jealousy. She told herself it was a touch of indigestion.«We're also constantly told (in addition to being shown) how everyone feels:»As hungry as Kate was, she was trying to eat slowly to savour the wonderful flavours of the lasagne. ‘It has such a rich, full flavour.'«Yes, we get it. This could have been formulated so much nicer and more concisely, like this:»“This lasagne is delicious, so full of rich, full flavour,” Kate said, taking small bites to enjoy every mouthful.«At times, Pond just writes weirdly:»Ryan was watching Daisy. He said, ‘Thank you for coming out tonight. I'm really pleased you changed your mind.'«I've read and heard “Thank you for coming over”, “Thank you for joining me”, “going out with me”, etc. - you get the gist. But “coming out”? Also: He was “watching her”? How about this instead?»As Ryan gazed into Daisy's eyes, he whispered, “I'm ever so grateful that you agreed to join me this evening. You've made me the happiest man alive by changing your mind.”«Also, Pond cannot decide how to tell her story: An omniscient narrator? First-person narrative? She goes with the worst possible mix: Whenever a character is in dialogue, we also get thrown into their head and get their verbatim thoughts:»Hi, I just...' Cheryl came bursting through the door, and her face flushed crimson as she realised how bad her timing was. Daisy and Ryan. Wow.«And every single character does that... So annoying.The story is also way too long: The flashbacks to Daisy's ex-husband, Stephen, are completely useless in terms of the story. Just like her short-term love-interest, Ryan - this entire story part, the office stuff - it's just so trite, boring and meaningless, it should have been entirely cut out.Despite all this criticism, a decent love story about how Daisy met Kate lurks beneath it, desperately struggling to get told. That garners this novel a well-meaning two out of five stars.P.S.: From the author's notes at the end: »Thank you for reading my book. I really hope you enjoyed it. If you did, I would appreciate you leaving me a review. If you didn't, please can you never mention it again. Thanks.«No, just because you don't want to hear anything negative, I won't spare you a review, Sarah Pond.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam

After having watched the TV shows “Bosch” and “The Lincoln Lawyer”, both based on novels by [a:Michael Connelly 12470 Michael Connelly https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1539114448p2/12470.jpg], I decided it was high-time to read a Bosch novel. Titus Welliver's stellar performance as Bosch raised my expectations sky high...In the novels, Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch is a homicide detective in Los Angeles, who was named after a painter and whose mother was killed when he was young. He has a daughter with his ex-wife, and follows his own code of ethics. He is a loner and a maverick, who often faces conflicts with his bosses and peers. He is also a Vietnam War veteran where he served as a “tunnel rat”, a soldier who explored and cleared the underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong.He is flawed, damaged, and sometimes reckless, but he is also loyal, brave, and compassionate. He has a strong sense of duty and honour, and he never gives up on a case. He is also very human, and he struggles with his personal relationships and his emotions. He is not perfect, but he is real.In this first novel, “[b:The Black Echo 32508 The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Universe, #1) Michael Connelly https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344265342l/32508.SY75.jpg 48262]”, this is a prominent feature right from the start because a murder victim is found in a drainage pipe which quickly leads to Bosch investigating a bank heist which was carried out through the sewers...“Echo” is an intelligent, well-written police procedural with a Bosch who could have jumped from the TV show back onto the pages of the novel: He's disillusioned, tired, annoyed and angry most of the time and despite all that cannot help but do what's right. He may stretch or break some rules along the way, but he always follows his conscience. I felt myself rooting for him all the way.At least in the beginning of the novel, the writing shows that this was Connelly's debut: It's somewhat wooden and feels slightly clumsy. »He became restless. He looked down into the green glass ashtray and saw that all the butts were unfiltered Camels. Was that Meadow's brand or his killer's? He got up and walked around the room. The faint smell of urine hit him again. He walked back into the bedroom. He opened the drawers of the bureau and stared at their contents once more. Nothing turned in his mind.«After about the first third, though, the writing consistently improves; livelier, more engaging, and more elegant. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning but picked up once Bosch had established rapport with the FBI. The more the story developed, the more fitting and even the pacing felt. From sedate pondering during observations to a wild chase through dark sewage tunnels, overall, Connelly did a great job.“Echo” also seemed a bit dated - when Harry claims dibs on using a typewriter or asks people to look things up for him on the only computer in the department, it is obvious that this novel was first published in 1992. Also, people using public payphones all the time reminded me of those bad old times. I'm glad the TV show pushed things forward in time. I also appreciated the supporting characters: Wish was a highly interesting partner and love interest. Lewis and Clarke, fittingly exploring what Bosch is doing, and trying to find something against him deliver comic relief and, ultimately, get their due... Last and least, Irvin Irving ist an interesting bureaucrat compared to Bosch's relentless pragmatism.The twists during the investigation were quite predictable but that didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the story. Especially since the excellent ending precisely demonstrated what kind of person Bosch is...Four out of five stars.Blog Facebook Twitter Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Medium Matrix TumblrCeterum censeo Putin esse delendam