A Deal With The Devil (Eurocrime) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Martin Suter is my favorite writer of thrillers in the German language. He is a Swiss living abroad (why is it that so many of my favorite writers are expatriates like myself? Nabokov, Sebald, Doeblin, O'Brian, and quite a few more... ). He has a sideline in his publishing career: he writes splendid little satires on business life and the subculture of the 'Schickeria', as we call the yuppies and nouveaux riches in German. His main location is Zurich, which has its fair share of bankers, art dealers, other dealers, confidence men, etc. Actually his best novel is his latest, set in the art market scene in Zurich, but that one is not out in English yet.
The Deal with the Devil is a little burdened by the fact that some of its narrative elements are a little unconventional. Actually I think these parts are very good, but they challenge belief and are not straightforward prose.
The story is about a Zurich divorcee, a young woman struggling to get a foothold. Her husband had tried to kill her and is now in an asylum. She is into the wild life and we get to know her on a bad drug ride. We learn that she has more than a drug problem: she suffers from a peculiar disorder of her senses which makes her confuse smells, sounds and colors. That is a rare problem to have and it takes her and us some getting used to. (It is called synesthesia. Nabokov had it on a smaller scale; you find his comments on it in his autobiography: Speak, Memory.)
She tries to get away from this life and takes a job in a mountain resort hotel in a village. Simple life, right. She finds herself in a difficult web of social relations at her workplace and in the village. Not exactly a haven for troubled souls. Don't think for a moment that you are being led into esoteric experiences, or that this is the umpteenth version of Dr.Faust. This is in the end just plain neurology and criminology.
If you want to keep your ideas of Switzerland intact, as a clean and safe place with nice mountains and clean, reliable people, don't read this.

Click Here to see more reviews about: A Deal With The Devil (Eurocrime)

Sonia Frey fears for her sanity. Her marriage ended in divorce after her husband tried to kill her. On top of this, an acid trip has disordered her senses - she can now 'feel' smells, 'see' sounds.

Get 22% OFF

Click here for more information about A Deal With The Devil (Eurocrime)

The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Penultimate Peril is one of the best in ASoUE. It's the next to last book in the series, and everything is starting to come together.
When we last left Violet, Klaus, and Sunny that had met up with Kit Snicket on Briny Beach, and that's exactly where out story picks up. She takes them to a hotel, where in just a few days, there will be a gathering of volunteers at the last safe place. However, we all know that nothing ends in sunshine & happiness for our favorite unfortunate orphans.
The book is very well paced, and a bit darker than some of the others in the series, but just as silly as well. We see lots of familiar faces, and will have you wanting to reread the entire series over just to see if you missed the slighest bit of a clue. We also meet some new characters, and discover some remarkable secrets. We also run into some new questions, and ponder the true meaning of noble. Right & wrong are not always black & white, especially for the Baudelaires. The Penultimate Peril is a very enjoyable read, and is a must buy for fans of ASoUE.
And make sure you have a mirror when you read.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12)

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12)

The Basque Hotel (The Basque Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is absolutely fantastic. Robert Laxalt does an excellent job of taking the reader back to the years of Prohibition and places them right in the midst of the lives of a Basque family living in Carson City. Pete, the main character, is a boy who experiences several adventures, mishaps, and important life lessons throughout the pages of this book. It is an easy read, with several enjoyable episodes, and one could simply take it on that surface level. It also, however, gives great insight into the conditions that Basques had to deal with living in Nevada. It deals with prejudice, family issues, and more in a bitterly nostaligic manner that leaves the reader not only entertained, but pondering the life depicted by Laxalt. For anyone interested in Nevada or Basque culture, this is a must read!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Basque Hotel (The Basque Series)

Get 22% OFF

Click here for more information about The Basque Hotel (The Basque Series)