readingwithhippos's review
4.0
In one of my favorite episodes of Parks & Rec (who am I kidding, they're all my favorite, it's the best show on television and I'll fistfight anyone who says otherwise), Ann is telling Ron and April a disgusting medical story from her recent nursing shift at the hospital, involving a man who tried to cut his hand out of a Pringles can.
At the end of the long and gruesome tale, she says, “And when I finally cleaned up the vomit, I found the toe.”
April, aghast, responds, “I forgot about the toe.”
Ann: “So did we!”
And this, my friends, is what Donato Carrisi's latest thriller is like.
It's so multi-layered, so complex, with so many characters involved and crimes committed, there's no way to keep track of everything Carrisi has put in motion. I got to the end and realized I had totally forgotten about the (metaphorical) toe.
Carrisi starts with two overlapping storylines and alternates between them, jumping back and forth through time. One narrative follows Sandra, a forensic photographer and recent widow, who is trying to grieve her husband and uncover the murky details of his death, officially ruled a suicide. However, Sandra has come across evidence her husband left behind that leads her to believe he was murdered.
Another storyline follows a man referred to as “the corpse,” whose origins and present purpose aren't clear. He doesn't seem to know who he is or where he came from, and his confusion complicates the mystery as a whole. The various threads of the story weave tighter and tighter, until coming together with a final, pleasing twist.
Carrisi is an Italian writer living in Rome, where the novel is set. He has clearly taken the time to get to know the city well and incorporates unique architectural and historical features seamlessly into the action. Not only does a character almost get shot in the head, but that character can use an ancient tomb as cover in a chapel built in the 13th century. For my money, nothing takes a murder mystery up a notch like a historic locale full of frescoes.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
At the end of the long and gruesome tale, she says, “And when I finally cleaned up the vomit, I found the toe.”
April, aghast, responds, “I forgot about the toe.”
Ann: “So did we!”
And this, my friends, is what Donato Carrisi's latest thriller is like.
It's so multi-layered, so complex, with so many characters involved and crimes committed, there's no way to keep track of everything Carrisi has put in motion. I got to the end and realized I had totally forgotten about the (metaphorical) toe.
Carrisi starts with two overlapping storylines and alternates between them, jumping back and forth through time. One narrative follows Sandra, a forensic photographer and recent widow, who is trying to grieve her husband and uncover the murky details of his death, officially ruled a suicide. However, Sandra has come across evidence her husband left behind that leads her to believe he was murdered.
Another storyline follows a man referred to as “the corpse,” whose origins and present purpose aren't clear. He doesn't seem to know who he is or where he came from, and his confusion complicates the mystery as a whole. The various threads of the story weave tighter and tighter, until coming together with a final, pleasing twist.
Carrisi is an Italian writer living in Rome, where the novel is set. He has clearly taken the time to get to know the city well and incorporates unique architectural and historical features seamlessly into the action. Not only does a character almost get shot in the head, but that character can use an ancient tomb as cover in a chapel built in the 13th century. For my money, nothing takes a murder mystery up a notch like a historic locale full of frescoes.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
anonuser__564's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
bellatrix's review
4.0
That ending. Wow. Just wow.
The translation was rather bad so I didn't quite enjoy the writing.
The timeline of the storylines was confusing at times, and I think some characters were underdeveloped, but overall, a great mystery novel, unpredictable and fun to read.
The translation was rather bad so I didn't quite enjoy the writing.
The timeline of the storylines was confusing at times, and I think some characters were underdeveloped, but overall, a great mystery novel, unpredictable and fun to read.
tashatan's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
michael_k's review against another edition
3.0
It's an interesting read although at points the plot slows down considerably. At first the plot seems a bit too fragmented but as it progresses more and more things fall into place and the story lines finally become clear and meet towards the end. Despite this book being the first in a series there are not unanswered questions concerning the book's plots. All that remains is the characters that carry on and noone will feel obliged to proceed in the series in order to tie up loose ends. So it's safe to try! Personally I think I'll continue with the next book.
matmatlepirate's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ahh_alisa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
fabrychenko's review against another edition
4.0
В первые 100 страниц на тебя вываливают 8 смертей, которые вот вообще непонятно, как связать. И ты такой: ну окей, давайте разбираться. Но разбираться не так и просто, ведь вообще нет вариантов разгадок, тебе не вываливают 100500 кандидатов убийц, приходится узнавать все с героями постепенно.
Понравилось: нет четкого распределения на добро и зло, все герои достаточно неоднозначны; Рим; какие-то интуитивные отсылки к «Пиле»; финальный твист прям очень неплох; истории на реальных событиях, маньяков прям можно погуглить:)
Не понравилось: таки немного перебор смертей и кровушки; было несколько сюжетных линий и они путались на фоне того, что ещё и в каждой главе перескакивали с одного главного героя на второго; моменты притянутости за уши некоторых улик и подсказок, ну сомнительно, что так может быть.
Но вообще хороший детективчик, продолжу серию.
Понравилось: нет четкого распределения на добро и зло, все герои достаточно неоднозначны; Рим; какие-то интуитивные отсылки к «Пиле»; финальный твист прям очень неплох; истории на реальных событиях, маньяков прям можно погуглить:)
Не понравилось: таки немного перебор смертей и кровушки; было несколько сюжетных линий и они путались на фоне того, что ещё и в каждой главе перескакивали с одного главного героя на второго; моменты притянутости за уши некоторых улик и подсказок, ну сомнительно, что так может быть.
Но вообще хороший детективчик, продолжу серию.
tamerendil's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0