A Small Death in Lisbon, finished?

So I have finished the book earlier than our schedule. I know some of you already have as well because I have seen you these days and you have confessed. I know as well that many of you are reading, but don't write anything in the blog, I hope in 2012 you will become more social with the rest of us and write some of your comments... don't be shy, you're English is just fine, we won't be looking for your mistakes, but for your opinions!

Now after my introductory paragraph, and hoping that I have not lost your attention yet, I get to my comments of the book. First of all, SPOILER ALERT!!!! (that is, if you haven't finished the book yet, don't continue reading).

I know the book is a page turner, but, there has to be more than that in a book. Mistery? Yes, I love mistery! Patricia Highsmith's "The Talented Mr.Ripley" is a great mistery and a great novel as well. What I'm missing in our dear "Small Death in Lisbon" is the part of great novel. When you have a mistery, and you add the components: police, sex, nazis, politics, drugs, exotic country, prostitutes and revenge; you get to something like this novel. But from my point of view, it has the same value as a CSI chapter, once you've seen 2 or 3, it's always the same, entertaining but the same. And at the beginning I was really expecting something more, it had a good setting, but from my point of view, there were too many forced connections like the Zé's tie is the same that the tie one of the bad guys is wearing because it's her daughter Olivia the one that creates them and she is the best friend of... the superbad guy is the guy that owns the bar that Zé loves to go to get his coffee just close to his apartment, the girlfriend has the means to publish the story, ain't that a little too much? For me it is.

And from the writing style, I have to say that although I enjoyed very much in the Oscar Wao novel the use of dominican expressions mixed the English because it felt very natural, in this novel, the use of some portuguese expressions felt "inserted" and you could clearly tell at times that the author was not portuguese when he was writing in first person as if he were Zé. And I remember another clear example, when he was describing Susana Lopes when she meets with Felsen, he says something like "she had what an american would have described as class", who cares about what an american had to do with describing her at that moment?

Conclusion, I have read it, it's entertaining, but there are many greater books to fill my time. I know it's not easy to write a novel, etc, etc... but it's not a book that I will recommend to my friends.

A Small Death in Lisbon: From Chapter XI to Chapter XXII

We are almost in the middle of the book, and so far no evident clue of the relationship of both stories, Felsen's and Ze's. However, there are some hints, a building in Lisbon that appears in the 1940s and in the contemporary investigation, the fact that the killed girl had blue eyes, but none of the parents did (if they are her parents at all!!!), and what else? what do you think points to the connection?

A Small Death in Lisbon - Chapters I to X

The first 10 chapters of this great thriller introduce us to the main characters of the two narratives the novel interchanges: Inspector Zé Coelho and Klaus Fensen. Though we know their stories will eventually be connected, there is no hint of that connection so far... Or is it? 

What do you think about these two characters? What about the Portugal depicted in the stories? How do you like having a first person narrator in one of the narratives and an omnipresent narrator in the other? Do you like one of the stories better than the other?

Looking forward to reading your comments!

Sweet Smiles

Let me jump in between books! Let me suggest a good story here.

One of my best friends works in this charity. They work with kids with intellectual disability and they are carrying out this wonderful campaign (unfortunately, it is only in Spanish).

Tag yourselves in their web and they will receive 5 cents for every person tagged. If you have a few minutes, have a look at the video. It´s really cute and it is worth finding out about these kids everyday life and feelings.

Thank you!

www.sonrisasdulces.com

The Turn of the Screw - Final discussion

Halloween only a few days away, it's the perfect moment to discuss a ghosts story like Henry James'. Have you seen any ghosts lately? So what is your final impression? Fun enough? To difficult to read? Maybe too creepy for you? So treat or trick? No cookies for you if you don't tell us your thoughts!!! hahaha... (read as malignant laughter). 

The Turn of the Screw, part I

Henry James presents us a very short story, but however very intriguing from the very beginning. I have to say that even though the language might be a little outdated, it feels that this could be a current ghost story, as the classic elements are there, fear and isolation.
What do you think is going on with the governess? Could she be overloaded with stress and responsibility for the children? Is there something really dark in this story that shocks you? Can you sleep well after reading it or do you see some ghosts as well?

The new ultimate technology: BOOK

Hey all,

I thought the No Cookies people would enjoy this :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFKHU5-MX5U&feature=player_embedded&noredirect=1

have a great day!
Fenia

Coming Next...

The Turn of The Screw, by Henry James & A Small Death in Lisbon, by Robert C. Wilson

The poll closed with a tie, and since one of the finalist is the short novella - veteran and very much longed by Jorge - “The Turn of the Screw”, let's make an exception and have both finalists become winners.

Suggested reading schedules coming  soon. We can advance you that the plan is to read the The Turn of The Screw first and give it a couple of weeks. Then, will go to A Small Death in Lisbon.

So, whether you want to join us in both readings or just one of them, time to get the book/s!!

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Final Discussion

The brief (wondrous?) life of Oscar Wao gets to its end, and with it, we get to the end of the book. How did you like it? 

How did you feel about the Dominican Republic presented in the book? Were you familiar with it? Does reading historical fiction make you want learn more on the subject, or at least entice you to look up what's fact and what's fiction?

What are your thoughts on the narrator? Why do you think Diaz waited to reveal Yunior? Did you like Yunior as a person? Did you like his voice?

What is, or what does represent, the mongoose with golden eyes? The man without a face? 

Is there hope at the end of the story?

Looking forward to reading about the variety of feelings and emotions that the last pages of the book for sure arose in you.

About The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao & the next book suggestions

I have almost finished the book and I am liking it: the story, the style, the point of view... I will keep my comments for an end-of-the-book post but, considering that the suggestions' period for our next reading is opened, I would like to share that I really feel like reading a more amiable book... I would even say a funny book.

Any candidates on your to-read list?