Rate this book

Corpse Reader, The (2011)

by Antonio Garrido(Favorite Author)

3.79 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1612184367 (ISBN13: 9781612184364)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

AmazonCrossing

review 1: On ressort très partagé de la lecture de ce long roman historique particulièrement bien documenté. Il faut malheureusement surmonter les 300 premières pages pour qu'une "enquête" proprement dite commence. Avant de parvenir à cette enquête passionnante, il faut surmonter un enchainement de catastrophes plus terribles les unes que les autres qui s'abat sur le héros. Celui-ci apparait dès lors comme une sorte de monstre maudit. Il s'autoflagelle en permanence, se méprise lui-même, s'accuse de tous les torts, et se traine avec une culpabilité qui le plombe — et qui finit aussi par devenir plombante pour le lecteur ! Le point faible du roman est là : jamais le héros n'attire la sympathie, son âme en permanence torturée entraîne le lecteur dans une spirale n... moreoire et cafardeuse. Il faut attendre les dernières pages du roman pour enfin en sortir.
review 2: I'm new to this site and very pleased to find a community of like minded bibliophiles.Let's have a bit more conversation about The Corpse Reader. I've read through the collection of criticisms and feel obliged to put forth my thoughts about Antonio Garrido's work. Many criticize what they feel is an overly long and slow beginning. I feel this is essential to the full experience and enjoyment of this work. For those who confuse their sex life with literature, think of this as a prolonged and very edgy foreplay. One, that without which you can't experience the sublime climax that comes as your reward for playing the tantalizing seduction game.What Garridp is doing in the first part of this work is conditioning us to what life was like in a Confucian world. Loyalty to the nuclear family is at the heart of this philosophy, and spreads out like ripples in a pond to the outermost ring which is the Imperial rule of law. Everything is very carefully constructed on a foundation of personal achievement and permeates every facet of your life. Even the underworld is influenced by this way of life. Is it sounding familiar yet?Ci can then be both naive socially when it comes to issues of love and loyalty, and very precocious when it comes to learning and science, which is a very disciplined branch of knowledge.I must admit that Sr Garriido is not well served by his translators. Clumsy and sometimes distracting language takes away from the flow. it's just a challenge to overcome along the way. I found the same to be true in his other work, The Scribe. This is another good read that along with the flawed translation also includes passages in Latin. Fortunately, my high school Latin came to my aid. These bits are easily understood and move the plot along quite easily. I think this work is his homage to Umberto Eco, though much less esoteric. It also opens up the subject of women and their hitherto unrecognized role in what we glibly call the Dark Ages. Women were working along, oftentimes without recognition and preparing the way for greats like Hildegard Von Bingen in the ninth century.With all it's flaws aside, I really encourage you read The Corpse Reader; go ahead, dip your toe into the stream, and let yourself be carried back to 13th century China. It's not that unfamiliar and is really worthy of your consideration. less

Download links for: Corpse Reader, The

Advertising