christinecc's review
3.0
Does anyone remember that French animated show called Belphegor? It had two detectives tracking down a creepy thief who wore a dramatic cape and golden face mask.
This has almost nothing to do with that show.
Apparently the cape/mask look comes from the 1960s miniseries. France in the 60s REALLY loved Belle Epoque sensationalist murders & mysteries, especially if they involved a mysterious thief. Arsene Lupin with Georges Descrieres? 60s. Fantomas movies? 60s. Mystere de la chambre jaune? 60s. Phantom of the Opera? ... Oddly enough, no. (I absolutely recommend the Lupin series, it's anachronistic but totally GORGEOUS and fun.)
What about Belphegor? Like I said, this book isn't what the adaptations gave us. It's not particularly known. It doesn't have sequels. It doesn't have great characters, and you know why? It's because it is HILARIOUSLY bad.
Bernede clearly tried to write something along the lines of the aforementioned, turn of the century thriller series: Arsene Lupin started in 1908, Phantom of the Opera in 1908, Chambre Jaune in 1907, Fantomas in 1911.
Belphegor? 1927. Solidly after the trend. We're post WWI and the tail-end of the Belle Epoque is long gone. Which isn't to say that Arsene Lupin wasn't still a popular series, it certainly was, and it worked WWI into its books and stories all the time.
About the book: it's a milquetoast knock-off of more exciting books. The main detective is called Chantecoq, because it is a PATRIOTIC name. It's frankly hilarious. His daughter Colette (whom I actually did like) talks about her dad in the third person. Then we have the Obligatory Journalist character, Bellegarde, who already feels superfluous because usually, you have the DETECTIVE, or you have the JOURNALIST who plays detective. You don't have both. Can you try to? Sure. Does Bernede pull it off? Nope. The Journalist only has plot utility (oh, and also he proposes to Colette).
Then we have Bellegarde's fiancee, Simone. Simone is sickly-looking and tall and thin and VERY rich, and she was an independent woman until she met Bellegarde and fell completely in love. It's heavily implied they slept together. Then Simone started talking about marriage and Bellegarde freaked out. Suddenly, Simon is "clingy." "Annoying." Bellegarde's irritation is hilariously described, as if we're supposed to side with him. I get that it's wrong for her to make scenes and threaten to kill herself if he leaves her, that's messed up. But his irritation at the idea of marrying her in the era, and his willingness to sleep with her IN THE ERA when he as zero intention of marrying her because she's "too rich" (??), those details didn't fill me with sympathy. He even starts eyeing Colette while out to lunch with Simone, and Simone notices because he's being HILARIOUSLY obvious, and the author (hilariously) wants us to side with poor Bellegarde. It reads like an unintentional parody of better books.
The mystery? A strange thief keeps entering the Louvre and even kills a guard. No one knows how the thief gets in or out, and at one point disappears when cornered at the staircase by the Victory of Samothrace statue. I couldn't wait to find out how Belphegor pulled it off.
Hahaha.... Ha.
The bad guy's plan? Also bad. It's not really a spoiler to say the bad guy tries to frame Bellegarde for the crimes. Is the framing plan terrible and illogical? Yes, it is. First, the bad guy tries to kill Bellegarde and dumps his body in the river. Bad guy thinks this worked. Bad guy proceeds to... commit more crimes? Won't... won't the dead body suggest that Bellegarde ISN'T the culprit? Hello? Hello??? Never mind. The police is a clown car in this book anyway.
Oddly enough, the book has an unexpected feminist bent, with both Colette and Simone.
Would I recommend it? Only if, like me, you were curious about another famous Belle Epoque-style property with good adaptations. By itself, it's an accidental send-up of the genre, and that can be fun in a different way. It's an easy read, so it can't hurt to try it. Just leave your expectations at the door/ behind the swiveling wall.
This has almost nothing to do with that show.
Apparently the cape/mask look comes from the 1960s miniseries. France in the 60s REALLY loved Belle Epoque sensationalist murders & mysteries, especially if they involved a mysterious thief. Arsene Lupin with Georges Descrieres? 60s. Fantomas movies? 60s. Mystere de la chambre jaune? 60s. Phantom of the Opera? ... Oddly enough, no. (I absolutely recommend the Lupin series, it's anachronistic but totally GORGEOUS and fun.)
What about Belphegor? Like I said, this book isn't what the adaptations gave us. It's not particularly known. It doesn't have sequels. It doesn't have great characters, and you know why? It's because it is HILARIOUSLY bad.
Bernede clearly tried to write something along the lines of the aforementioned, turn of the century thriller series: Arsene Lupin started in 1908, Phantom of the Opera in 1908, Chambre Jaune in 1907, Fantomas in 1911.
Belphegor? 1927. Solidly after the trend. We're post WWI and the tail-end of the Belle Epoque is long gone. Which isn't to say that Arsene Lupin wasn't still a popular series, it certainly was, and it worked WWI into its books and stories all the time.
About the book: it's a milquetoast knock-off of more exciting books. The main detective is called Chantecoq, because it is a PATRIOTIC name. It's frankly hilarious. His daughter Colette (whom I actually did like) talks about her dad in the third person.
Spoiler
She's actually portrayed as a capable partner for her dad, a rarity in the other series I mentioned, and she doesn't faint once, AND she doesn't fall for a kidnapping attempt and then participates in cornering the bad guys, so not too shabby! Can we get her a better book, please?Then we have Bellegarde's fiancee, Simone. Simone is sickly-looking and tall and thin and VERY rich, and she was an independent woman until she met Bellegarde and fell completely in love. It's heavily implied they slept together. Then Simone started talking about marriage and Bellegarde freaked out. Suddenly, Simon is "clingy." "Annoying." Bellegarde's irritation is hilariously described, as if we're supposed to side with him. I get that it's wrong for her to make scenes and threaten to kill herself if he leaves her, that's messed up. But his irritation at the idea of marrying her in the era, and his willingness to sleep with her IN THE ERA when he as zero intention of marrying her because she's "too rich" (??), those details didn't fill me with sympathy. He even starts eyeing Colette while out to lunch with Simone, and Simone notices because he's being HILARIOUSLY obvious, and the author (hilariously) wants us to side with poor Bellegarde. It reads like an unintentional parody of better books.
The mystery? A strange thief keeps entering the Louvre and even kills a guard. No one knows how the thief gets in or out, and at one point disappears when cornered at the staircase by the Victory of Samothrace statue. I couldn't wait to find out how Belphegor pulled it off.
Hahaha.... Ha.
Spoiler
The wall. It swivels. When you push a brick. .... What???? In the Louvre??? And no one mere FEET from Belphegor noticed a frigging WALL swiveling?? Parodic levels of funny.The bad guy's plan? Also bad. It's not really a spoiler to say the bad guy tries to frame Bellegarde for the crimes. Is the framing plan terrible and illogical? Yes, it is. First, the bad guy tries to kill Bellegarde and dumps his body in the river. Bad guy thinks this worked. Bad guy proceeds to... commit more crimes? Won't... won't the dead body suggest that Bellegarde ISN'T the culprit? Hello? Hello??? Never mind. The police is a clown car in this book anyway.
Spoiler
When Bellegarde goes into hiding and disguises himself as an Italian (?), the police arrests him and says they received a note from Belphegor denouncing him... WAIT. But. But aren't you arresting Bellegarde FOR BEING BELPHEGOR?? HE OUTED HIMSELF?? Why. Why? Why would he--?? Bernede, did you re-read this before publishing??Oddly enough, the book has an unexpected feminist bent, with both Colette and Simone.
Spoiler
Simone turns out to be Belphegor, which I didn't see coming until veeeery late in the game. Was it weird that no one noticed Simone's body was a wax figure? Sure, given Madame Tussaud's statues are terrifying and not very realistic. But sure, let's roll with it. It was a fun reveal! And more importantly, it wasn't motivated by Bellegarde leaving her. She's just broke because she blew her money on art shows and drugs and Bellegarde wasn't the partner-in-crime she was hoping to date. She kills herself at the end like a WWII-era spy and that's the end. Oh, and Colette gets to marry Bellegarde despite their interactions being hilariously devoid of chemistry: she's busy drawing, and he compliments her talent when there are three pencil strokes on the paper. She points this out. He feels stupid and caught. And then she says, Great, nice to meet you, bye now. I love Colette. She decides when the interview is over. I'd love to read more stories about her! (and ok fine, her detective dad as well.)Would I recommend it? Only if, like me, you were curious about another famous Belle Epoque-style property with good adaptations. By itself, it's an accidental send-up of the genre, and that can be fun in a different way. It's an easy read, so it can't hurt to try it. Just leave your expectations at the door/ behind the swiveling wall.
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