Rate this book

Zapatos Italianos (2006)

by Henning Mankell(Favorite Author)

3.69 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

8483830256 (ISBN13: 9788483830253)

languge

English

genre

Mystery & Thriller

publisher

Tusquets

review 1: I was recommended this book by a friend, only because I didn't know anything about Henning Mankell and, of course, the story itself. Now I want to read more from him.It was surprising to find myself trapped in the story, crawling through my own fears and possible similarities between the character's life and projections of mine. Interesting at first, depressing at times and overall odd. The kind of odd that may force to introspect and feel embarrassment or pity on every turn.
review 2: I didn’t get on with this at all. It read as though the author had taken delivery of a flat-packed plot, and assembled it without reference to the instructions. Opening with the central character Frederick - former surgeon and eavesdropper - living a reclusive life, it turns ... moreout to be a fairly standard Recluse-Forced-To-Reintegrate storyline. Pretty much the same story as A.M.Homes’ “This Book will Save your Life” but not as good or remotely as funny. As events unfold, one of Frederick’s old flames (now pretty old) turns up and drags him off to look for some mysterious lake in the middle of nowhere. Then she suggests where they should go next and who they should visit and I groaned inwardly and thought...no no....not that old chestnut again. Unfortunately it was that old chestnut again (and I’m trying to avoid spoilers here, but there’s really not much to spoil).It’s always a bad sign when supporting characters have back-stories considerably more interesting than the story you’re reading. Agnes, for example – victim of a particularly harrowing surgical howler – was a far more interesting character as far as I was concerned. We didn’t see enough of her. What we did get was a load of random nonsense about shoes, painters, caravans, and anthills in bedrooms. Not to mention dogs and cats. One of the pets goes missing partway through – presumably in search of a more compelling plot.I’ll admit to liking the note written for the postman. That was a welcome moment of light relief. But ultimately I’m puzzled. This author is massively respected and very popular. His other stuff is better than this, right? less

Download links for: Zapatos italianos

Advertising