<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Pleasant read though not completely compelling
Review: I found this book to be a very pleasant read. As another
reviewer pointed out, the characters are very well drawn
and Duncker's style is an absorbing eloquent one. She is
able to use all kinds of literary references without the
book becoming to self-indulgent. Above all the story is
unfolds at high-speed. But that is where the catch is. Although the story moves
along quite swiftly and develops a claustrophobic breath
it kind of unveiled all too quickly in the last portion. Everything I'd read up to page 210 made me yearn for a
more developed explanation or at least a more dramatic
finale. As it is, the book unfolds very rapidly and the
conclusion [although it's still unnerving] left a lot to
be desired and a lot of questions unanswered. Open endings and unanswered questions are something you
expect from a novel like this. But still, I felt that a
lot of information we had been given, like for example,
Roehm's work in the laboratory were simply not mentioned anymore. It felt as if Duncker had tried to reach a kind
of surprise finale and just left out a lot of stuff that
would take to much time to tie into the plot again.
Having said that, perhaps other, more observant readers
might have a better understanding of the plot and seen
some things I have missed. But still, it was a good read and a nice book. If you like
suspense stories this is certainly for you. Although, be
warned that some of the sexual scenes can be very explicit
to a lot of readers. I've read a lot of stuff but I still
found the sexual scenes a bit unsettling.
Rating: 
Summary: Creepy, unsettling, eerie, engaging ghost story
Review: Nothing is quite what it seems in this memorable novel by Patricia Duncker. To read the Editorial Reviews above (especially the "Publishers Weekly" one) is to learn too much about the novel before reading it. One of the merits of this novel is the surprises as the story unfolds. Another is the atmosphere, an unsettling creepy quality. This is not a book that made me comfortable -- especially the sexual issues -- but that's the point, and it's a book that becomes more compelling the more one reads -- especially as the mystery surrounding Roehm unfolds. A great strength of the book is the characters, who are very well drawn. There is some awfully good fiction coming out of Britain at present (see also Pat Barker's excellent "Border Crossing," for example) and this is another example.
<< 1 >>
| 
