eviebookish's review
4.0
I don't think I've ever read a Parisian crime novel, and if I did, well, clearly it wasn't very memorable. That being said, I do love a good murder mystery and even more so if it's set against a fascinating, rich historical background and spiced up with a healthy dose of intelligent, dark humor.
Baudelaire's Revenge makes for an exquisite and addictive read. The setting is fabulous, the lead character anything but dull and boring (he's a real firecracker despite his age!), and the brutality of Franco-Prussian War makes for an interesting backdrop to a blood chilling murder investigation involving a serial killer leaving lines from Charles Baudelaire's anthology Les Fleurs du Mal next to his victims' bodies. And in the recently deceased poet's own handwriting. Well, if this isn't an exciting and thrilling read then I don't know what is.
The man in charge of the investigation is commissioner Lafevre, a sharp and robust 53-year-old man, a lover of poetry with a strong "predilection for ladies of ill repute." When we first meet him, Lafevre is on his way to a brothel (to, um, "feed the reptile", you know), but when he arrives there, instead of a night filled with bodily pleasures, he discovers a a body - first in a series of bodies trailing a diabolical, seemingly unstoppable killer. And, in the words of commissioner Lefevre himself, "his plans for a night snuggled up against mystifying Claire de la Lune (go) up in smoke."
Baudelaire's Revenge explores some of the darkest corners of human soul and psyche, and it does it in an utmost flamboyant fashion. It is an astoundingly substantial and complex novel for its 256 pages, and it really shines a new light on certain (often shocking and yet mesmerizing) events and aspects of life in the 19th century France. Abundant in social metaphors and cleverly narrated, it's a novel fun to read but also one that leaves you craving more, wanting to learn more about the time period and the people. Especially Charles Baudelaire himself, whom I always thought to be completely fascinating.
The novel is a dark one, heavily influenced by Charles Bodelaire's controversial, brilliant persona. Van Laerhoven paints a vivid and disturbing picture of the society in 19th century France, with the enormous gap between the wealthy and the poor. Dangerous working conditions and starvation of the working class is contrasted with the decadent, perfumed and scandalous lives of the rich ones. The air is heavy with rot and despair, people are scared and desperate, and the threat of a vengeful murderer on the loose adds to the already intensely terrifying atmosphere of the time.
This is not a light and easy to read crime novel. It's heavy and suffocating, but it's also curious and illuminating. Thought provoking. I loved the period appropriate language, the gruesomely detailed descriptions and, most of all, the beautifully rendered world, bursting with flavor and intensity. I really hope there is more where this came from, I need this to be a series of books, I can't stand to part with this bold, deeply sensual, deliciously gothic world. I need more.
Baudelaire's Revenge makes for an exquisite and addictive read. The setting is fabulous, the lead character anything but dull and boring (he's a real firecracker despite his age!), and the brutality of Franco-Prussian War makes for an interesting backdrop to a blood chilling murder investigation involving a serial killer leaving lines from Charles Baudelaire's anthology Les Fleurs du Mal next to his victims' bodies. And in the recently deceased poet's own handwriting. Well, if this isn't an exciting and thrilling read then I don't know what is.
The man in charge of the investigation is commissioner Lafevre, a sharp and robust 53-year-old man, a lover of poetry with a strong "predilection for ladies of ill repute." When we first meet him, Lafevre is on his way to a brothel (to, um, "feed the reptile", you know), but when he arrives there, instead of a night filled with bodily pleasures, he discovers a a body - first in a series of bodies trailing a diabolical, seemingly unstoppable killer. And, in the words of commissioner Lefevre himself, "his plans for a night snuggled up against mystifying Claire de la Lune (go) up in smoke."
Baudelaire's Revenge explores some of the darkest corners of human soul and psyche, and it does it in an utmost flamboyant fashion. It is an astoundingly substantial and complex novel for its 256 pages, and it really shines a new light on certain (often shocking and yet mesmerizing) events and aspects of life in the 19th century France. Abundant in social metaphors and cleverly narrated, it's a novel fun to read but also one that leaves you craving more, wanting to learn more about the time period and the people. Especially Charles Baudelaire himself, whom I always thought to be completely fascinating.
The novel is a dark one, heavily influenced by Charles Bodelaire's controversial, brilliant persona. Van Laerhoven paints a vivid and disturbing picture of the society in 19th century France, with the enormous gap between the wealthy and the poor. Dangerous working conditions and starvation of the working class is contrasted with the decadent, perfumed and scandalous lives of the rich ones. The air is heavy with rot and despair, people are scared and desperate, and the threat of a vengeful murderer on the loose adds to the already intensely terrifying atmosphere of the time.
This is not a light and easy to read crime novel. It's heavy and suffocating, but it's also curious and illuminating. Thought provoking. I loved the period appropriate language, the gruesomely detailed descriptions and, most of all, the beautifully rendered world, bursting with flavor and intensity. I really hope there is more where this came from, I need this to be a series of books, I can't stand to part with this bold, deeply sensual, deliciously gothic world. I need more.
abookishaffair's review
4.0
"Baudelaire's Revenge" is the kind of historical mystery that you read on a dark and stormy night where you're looking for something engrossing that might make you a little scared (it's good to get a little scared from our reading now and then, right?). At the center of this twisting tale is Commissioner Lefevre who is tasked with solving the mystery of a dangerous serial killer who leaves clippings of Baudelaire poems written in the poet's handwriting on his victims. This book would be perfect for those looking for a good dark mood read with a healthy dose of intrigue.
Commissioner Lefevre was really interesting to me and I loved reading about him throughout this book. He's a man of many sides. He is serious about his work but also seems to find himself having an awful lot of fun with prostitutes. He also has a great love of poetry, which is a big reason that he is so interested in the mysterious serial killer with a poetic calling card.
Historical mystery is not always an automatic choice for me but I was really intrigued by the thought of a literary serial killer. Van Laerhoven makes figuring out what actually happened with the case very interesting by only giving a little bit of detail at a time!
I loved the setting of the book. Paris always makes for a fantastic setting but van Laerhoven's almost gothic/ horror view of Paris makes for an especially exciting setting. In the 1870s, France is on the brink of war and the city is chaotic and alive with an electric beat that you can really feel through the author's writing. This is a very exciting tale!
Commissioner Lefevre was really interesting to me and I loved reading about him throughout this book. He's a man of many sides. He is serious about his work but also seems to find himself having an awful lot of fun with prostitutes. He also has a great love of poetry, which is a big reason that he is so interested in the mysterious serial killer with a poetic calling card.
Historical mystery is not always an automatic choice for me but I was really intrigued by the thought of a literary serial killer. Van Laerhoven makes figuring out what actually happened with the case very interesting by only giving a little bit of detail at a time!
I loved the setting of the book. Paris always makes for a fantastic setting but van Laerhoven's almost gothic/ horror view of Paris makes for an especially exciting setting. In the 1870s, France is on the brink of war and the city is chaotic and alive with an electric beat that you can really feel through the author's writing. This is a very exciting tale!
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