Rating: Summary: Hiding The Obvious Review: The pairing of The Dante Club with The DaVinci code is a great idea. I have read both and thought they were captivating novels, each in their own way. I loved the way Matthew Pearl kept me guessing right up to the end, even though the answer was right there all the time. His character development was nothing short of genius. The DaVinci Code revealed its secrets in layers which culminated in an idea which I at first thought was outrageous. After examining DaVinci's The Last Supper I again realized that the answer was right there all the time.
Rating: Summary: Wait for the movie. Wait, no wait. It's been done. Review: I liked the movie 7 even if I didn't get to go to Harvard these rich kids here probably liked the movie too even if they were too busy studying or being self-absorbed or obsessing over their pedigrees but my back is sore and I need some rest. If you're like me and like to be dazzeled by history and liteature abstracted into an awkward book via Hollywood concept here is your man, I mean book, because reading about academics can never get old, never. And Longfellow was neither long, nor a fellow. Discuss.
Rating: Summary: A mystery for those who never read mysteries Review: I've noticed that most of these reviews are rather critical, but I say give Mr. Pearl a break. It's his first novel! Sure, sometimes it does have that feel about it, lacking the smoothness of a classic, but The Dante Club makes for fascinating reading. However it is a book for a certain type of reader...the ordinary mystery reader looking for page-turning thrills is likely to lose interest. I, though, usually prefer classics, historical fiction, and, yes, anything and everything associated with Italy and Italians, historical or otherwise. So Pearl's book was a treat. It is very intellectual, literary, clever. I think the idea behind the story was brilliant, and I love the combination of literary history and fictional plot. I recommend the book to those looking for intelligence in their thrillers, fans of Dante or Italian literature and history, readers of historical fiction, or 19th century American poetry or literature(specifically Longfellow or Holmes) and those looking for a different sort of mystery. Contrary to how it may sound,I think you'll find it neither boring nor dry,and like me, enjoy several hours of fascinating diversion. Thanks Matthew, and I'm looking forward to your next novel!
Rating: Summary: Maybe Two and a Half Review: This novel is brilliantly conceived. It has a fascinating murder plot line that follows Dante's work (the murders are staged as re-enactments of portions of Dante's hell), terrific personality profiles of Boston's literary geniuses of the nineteenth century and captures much of the forgotten aspects of the post-Civil War. So why only two stars? The writing. It is uneven throughout and frequently cumbersome. The first third of the book - or canticle as the author calls it - drags interminably. What took 150 pages should have taken thirty to sixty. The author retells so much in different ways in this part of the book that it is near insulting to the reader. The last two canticles are better but still a task to get through. Not only is there repetition but there are many superfluous and meaningless asides in the plot. For instance there were several pages devoted to an instance of sexual harassment in the workplace. Not only was this a bit of marginally believable gratuitous political correctness, but it added absolutely nothing to the story line or character development. The book is a true disappointment. If written well it would have been an intriguing Richard Patterson meets Longfellow and friends. As it was written, it was a long and arduous journey suffered to get a few pearls which mostly surrounded the character portraits of Longfellow, Holmes, et al.
Rating: Summary: A Real "Pearl!" Review: Sometimes when you pick up a new book you just know it's going to be good ... well, I was not in the least bit disappointed with the expections I entertained concerning this new author! Fantastic! From his full and engaging characters to his superb imagery and insight into "an 1865 Boston." Pearl gives us a glimpse into a group of scholars who we otherwise would not know in such a collective excellence. And the mystery, ah, I couldn't sleep at night trying to figure out who did it! I am so impressed over Pearl's ability to harness and organize his intellectual outpouring into such delicious morsels of sapience. I don't want to get too wordy here, this is not about me and my ability to write a review. It's all about The Dante Club ... read it for yourself!!
Rating: Summary: absolutellll grand first novel!! Review: Matthew Pearl creates an edge of your seat murder mystery that combines post Civil War Boston, Harvard, legendary literary scholars and a series of gruesome murders. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes and James Russell Lowell are passionately working on the first American translation of Dante's Inferno much to the disapproval of the Harvard College's leaders. As they pursue this translation a series of murders begins to transpire which they realize mirrors the works of Dante's writings. Longfellow, Holmes and Lowell fear they may be the only ones capable of discovering the murderer. This novel is a masterful blend of fact and fiction and an absolutely grand first novel.
Rating: Summary: Pearl's novel uneven and often contrived Review: This may be worth a read if you are a Dante fan; however, it is heavy going. The plot has many stops and starts, and some of the characters serve no useful purpose. In addition to being uneven, it is often rather shallow and contrived. If you like a mystery story that zips along, this is certainly not for you.
Rating: Summary: wait for the paperback Review: If you are looking for a Cliff notes summary of Dante's Inferno, the Dante Club may be a good choice. Though called "A Novel" it reads more like a play with a small ensemble of ready made characters and with all the action centered at the Craigie house. The Nicholas Rey character seemed out of place and while it may have helped set create the atmosphere in Boston during that time, he doesn't contribute anything critical to the story. Like Rey, the rest of the cast fit the formula for mass-market mystery novels. The story lacks its own Virgil. It needed a Beatrice or Francesca to create tension. Figuring out who was behind the murders is obvious from the time of this character's introduction. In summary, it's an okay book for a quick read but wait until it comes out in paperback or they make the movie.
Rating: Summary: Brilliantly researched, well-written, but not well-paced Review: "The Dante Club" is a meticulously researched historical novel. It is based on the true dante club, a group of scholars in Boston in the mid 1860's who met to translate Dante amidst much resistance from the academic and religious communities. These individuals-who included Oliver Wendell Holmes, Henry Longfellow, James Russell Lowell-come alive in these pages. Pearl has done a magnificent job in blending a number of facts about these individuals-for example, Longfellow's mourning over the death of his wife Fanny, his correspondence with a young woman he had met on a summer sojourn-into this book. You will learn a lot about these individuals. However, you will also learn a lot about Dante, about Boston and Cambridge and its rigid social structure, about the politics of Harvard University at this time. And it's all fascinating. The plot concerns the efforts of this group to track down a killer who has modeled his murders on Dante's Inferno. These murders are gruesome and grotesque. The "Club" realizes that they, and perhaps only they through their intimate knowledge of Dante, possess the power to solve them. And so they do with the help of the first African American policeman in Boston. My problem with this book lay in the pacing and the awkwardness of the dialogue at points. Now I realize that he was trying to achieve a 19th century voice in this book; however, at times, it seemed as if he was trying to cram his research into the mouths of his characters. His narrative voice-as has been noted by other reviewers-also was uneven. I sometimes winced at the awkwardness of phrases even though all were well written. I would recommend this book to lovers of Dante, of the Italian culture, of Boston history, of mid 19th century Harvard. I also would recommend this book to individuals who appreciate historical fiction-this book is a tougher read than The Alienist-but you should be able to appreciate his research. I look forward to Pearl's future work and to his maturation as a writer.
Rating: Summary: Cambridge Based Author Has Great Debut Novel Review: In late winter, the name Matthew Pearl started to become somewhat well known in the Boston area. He was a Harvard graduate and studied law at Yale, impressive credentials to say the least. He was also fascinated with the writings of the Italian poet Dante. His enthusiasm for Dante was almost contagious, and before long, his first book The Dante Club was a bestseller in Boston and around the country. Since the author studied law, it can be assumed that he at least planned on practicing law. This book demonstrates both why he should and should not practice law. Pearl's ability to get into the criminal mind of his murderer would make him a either a successful defense attorney or a feared prosecutor. The murders in the book are rather gruesome, and are based on people damned to Hell in Dante's poem The Inferno. Pearl is able to make the murders logical in the mind of the murderer, but baffling to the unlikely investigators on the case'a biracial police officer whose ability to investigate is severely hampered by prejudice, and members of Boston's literary elite (and you thought Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was only a writer?). Pearl should not practice law because he should be at work researching and writing his next novel. Pearl's writing style is complex, but very rich in detail. It is almost as if he labored over every sentence. The historical details alone make the book a interesting. Native Bostonians and those familiar with the city will enjoy the references to actual people and places and appreciate the way in which old Boston, with its strengths and flaws, comes to life. Those looking for a quick and easy murder mystery to read at the beach this summer will probably be disappointed with this book. It is not a book that is read in one sitting or in a casual manner. It is a book to be savored. When the reader finishes the book, he/she does feel as if something has been accomplished, and may actually feel like a sleuth. Readers will no doubt be impressed with the efforts of a gifted young writer who is certain to be a part of the literary scene for years to come.
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