The Monkey House

Rating:
Summary: Short on Thrills, Long on Setting
Review: A small but potent subgenre of thrillers might be termed "The Detective in War"--which showcase police detectives attempting to continue to do their job amidst the trials of war. Here, Croatian police superintendent Rosso has to face the disintegration of his police force, and the city of Sarajevo as he attempts to solve the murder of a police informant. There's really no mystery here, Fullertaon instead delivers a series of set pieces and somewhat stock characters (for example, the brash young American journalist, the beautiful tough girl who plays both sides) which pale next to his excellent description of the daily Serbian shelling and its effect on the city. It's decent enough at that, but a better version of this type of book, with the exact same setting, is Dan Fesperman's "Lie in the Dark."

Rating:
Summary: The Monkey House review
Review: I can't believe my teacher made me read this book, it is the stupidest thing ever, it is so badly written, and the story seems to go somewhere, but where? This is the stupidest book, the only real highlight was when they wanted to smoke a join(heh this is a joke people), in the beginning of the book, that alone raises it from a NEGATIVE score, but still, this book blows, and if you disagree, deal with it, thats my opinion, and it should be posted, like the others, so people can see both sides of it.

Rating:
Summary: Good fictionalized account
Review: I had my doubts about a detective story being set in wartime Sarajevo, but Fullerton pulled it off with flying colors. He used his experiences as a correspondent during the war to create the setting for this novel about a detective investigating a brutal murder in a city under siege. The story is also loosely based on the Bosnian government's actual crackdown on Sarajevo's warlord militia leaders in late 1993. Fullerton weaves a fantastic story which brilliantly depicts some of the many aspects of wartime Sarajevo: the multiethnic character of the city and the fraying of interethnic tolerance as the war dragged on, the hardship and gruelling monotony of daily life and survival in Sarajevo, the blurring of lines between good and evil as the leaders of Sarajevo's prewar criminal underworld became its chief wartime defenders, the voyeuristic role played by foreign correspondents in the city, etc. All of this is adeptly merged with the story, so "The Monkey House" never falls into extended preachy tracts or historical discourse. Never dull, and never pretty, this is a dark, brooding and harsh novel - and one of the best literary descriptions of Sarajevo under siege. It's only unfoturnate that the book is not available in mass market paperback format in the U.S.

Rating:
Summary: a review of an excellent book (by charlotte)
Review: I thought it was a pretty good story. The prose is functional not elegant. But the story informs by enertaining. I thought Fullerton's Russo convincing. My thoughts return to Dennis Quaid in Savior and my expereinces in the placid atomosphere of Romania. I'm thinking about giving this book as someone's Christmas present.

Rating:
Summary: War's Hardship Clearly Portrayed
Review: John Fullerton's excellent book "The Monkey House" clearly describes civilian hardship in Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. The author paints his story in shades of grey -- there are no highlights for civilians during wartime. Finding food and shelter while battling constant fear is exhausting. Decency is subordinated to staying alive, and patriotism is a luxury. Wartime permanently mars survivors. The attitudes survivors learn remain with them, and these attitudes affect survivors for the rest of their lives.

This book describes police superintendent Rosso's investigation of a murder. The murder was ordered by a successful gangster, drug smuggler, and profiteer whose gang acts as wartorn Sarajevo's civilian militia. A subplot describes an American reporter's experiences in Sarajevo, and contrasts the reporter's affluent lifestyle with the lives of those around him. The Bosnian settling is relevant today because UN peacekeeping efforts continue in Bosnia today.

John Fullerton has portrayed war's long-lasting hardship within a clearly written and interesting novel, an impressive accomplishment.

Rating:
Summary: War's Hardship Clearly Portrayed
Review: John Fullerton's excellent book "The Monkey House" clearly describes civilian hardship in Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. The author paints his story in shades of grey -- there are no highlights for civilians during wartime. Finding food and shelter while battling constant fear is exhausting. Decency is subordinated to staying alive, and patriotism is a luxury. Wartime permanently mars survivors. The attitudes survivors learn remain with them, and these attitudes affect survivors for the rest of their lives.

This book describes police superintendent Rosso's investigation of a murder. The murder was ordered by a successful gangster, drug smuggler, and profiteer whose gang acts as wartorn Sarajevo's civilian militia. A subplot describes an American reporter's experiences in Sarajevo, and contrasts the reporter's affluent lifestyle with the lives of those around him. The Bosnian settling is relevant today because UN peacekeeping efforts continue in Bosnia today.

John Fullerton has portrayed war's long-lasting hardship within a clearly written and interesting novel, an impressive accomplishment.

Rating:
Summary: the desperation of life in the war zone
Review: Rosso, an honest cop in wartorn Sarajevo, tries to solve the murder of a police informant. Meanwhile, the Serbs are attacking the city, his detectives are mostly corrupt or stoned, his wife is drinking anything she can get her hands on & his sort-of-adopted daughter is cavorting with a Croat strongman.

Fullerton was a foreign correspondent & covered the war in Bosnia. He vividly portrays the desperation of life in the war zone and the near lawlessness of Sarajevo adds additional tension to a fairly straightforward mystery. GRADE: B-

Rating:
Summary: A good war report, but the thriller?
Review: This book is written with great style and capability. Youwill live three days of life of Sarajevo, as if you werethere. Unfortunately, the "thriller" part of it is not intriguating, even if the author had some good ideas. Too much real life (remember that Fullerton is a war-journalist) and not enough excitement.

Rating:
Summary: a review of an excellent book (by charlotte)
Review: Well all i can say is that this book is the by far the best book i have read this year. It is stunningly gripping written with obvious style and talent. It is not a book to be missed.