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tanekaberi's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent stuff. Yeah, the main character is an oddball and some of his leaps do stretch my "c'mon you kidding" line. Warning does get dark, very dark but in a frank manner.
gab56's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
sashacarpenter's review against another edition
3.0
Commissaire Adamsberg is convinced that three deaths, the result of venom from the recluse spider, are connected, but support for his theory is lacking. Can he win over his colleagues and solve the case?
I had a hard time getting through this book; the format made it difficult to follow the dialogue and become immersed in the story because there wasn’t a paragraph break between speakers. This Poison Will Remain is the 11th book in a series, so I’m sure I was missing a lot as I read as well. The story didn’t really grab me, plus it kind of sucks when your favorite character turns out to be the killer. I’m not saying this was a bad novel, it just wasn’t for me.
I had a hard time getting through this book; the format made it difficult to follow the dialogue and become immersed in the story because there wasn’t a paragraph break between speakers. This Poison Will Remain is the 11th book in a series, so I’m sure I was missing a lot as I read as well. The story didn’t really grab me, plus it kind of sucks when your favorite character turns out to be the killer. I’m not saying this was a bad novel, it just wasn’t for me.
vipersephone's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
epictetsocrate's review against another edition
3.0
Aşezat pe o stâncă, la o aruncătură de băţ de port, Adamsberg se uita la marinarii din Grimsey care se întorceau de la pescuit, ca de obicei, aruncând ancora şi ridicând plasele de peşte. Aici, pe insula islandeză i se spunea „Berg”. Vânt din larg, unsprezece grade Celsius, un soare răzleţit printre nori şi duhoarea rămăşiţelor de peşte. Uitase că într-o vreme fusese comisar, în fruntea a douăzeci şi şapte de poliţişti ai Brigăzii de Investigaţii Criminale din Paris, arondismentul al 13-lea. Mobilul îi
căzuse printre căcărezele unei oi iar animalul îl înfundase în pământul moale cu copita, precis, fără violenţă. Era o manieră inedită de a-ţi pierde mobilul, pe care Adamsberg o apreciase la justa ei valoare.
Gunnlaugur, proprietarul micului han, sosise şi el, gata să aleagă cei mai buni peşti pentru masa de seară. Adamsberg i-a făcut, zâmbind, un semn cu mâna. Dar Gunnlaugur era cătrănit. A venit drept la el, fără să ţină seama că tocmai începuse vânzarea de peşte, cu sprâncenele blonde apropiate şi i-a întins un mesaj.
— Fyrir þig [Pentru tine], a spus el îndreptând degetul spre Adamsberg.
— Ég [Eu]?
Adamsberg, care era incapabil să ţină minte rudimentele cele mai simple ale unei limbi străine, dobândise aici, în mod inexplicabil, un bagaj lingvistic de vreo şaptezeci de cuvinte, totul în şaptesprezece zile. I se adresau în cuvinte cât mai simple şi foloseau şi mâinile.
Hârtia venea de la Paris, cu siguranţă. Era chemat acolo, cu siguranţă. A simţit cum urcă în el o furie tristă şi a clătinat capul în semn de refuz, întorcându-şi faţa spre mare. Gunnlaugur a insistat despăturind hârtia şi strecurându-i-o între degete.
căzuse printre căcărezele unei oi iar animalul îl înfundase în pământul moale cu copita, precis, fără violenţă. Era o manieră inedită de a-ţi pierde mobilul, pe care Adamsberg o apreciase la justa ei valoare.
Gunnlaugur, proprietarul micului han, sosise şi el, gata să aleagă cei mai buni peşti pentru masa de seară. Adamsberg i-a făcut, zâmbind, un semn cu mâna. Dar Gunnlaugur era cătrănit. A venit drept la el, fără să ţină seama că tocmai începuse vânzarea de peşte, cu sprâncenele blonde apropiate şi i-a întins un mesaj.
— Fyrir þig [Pentru tine], a spus el îndreptând degetul spre Adamsberg.
— Ég [Eu]?
Adamsberg, care era incapabil să ţină minte rudimentele cele mai simple ale unei limbi străine, dobândise aici, în mod inexplicabil, un bagaj lingvistic de vreo şaptezeci de cuvinte, totul în şaptesprezece zile. I se adresau în cuvinte cât mai simple şi foloseau şi mâinile.
Hârtia venea de la Paris, cu siguranţă. Era chemat acolo, cu siguranţă. A simţit cum urcă în el o furie tristă şi a clătinat capul în semn de refuz, întorcându-şi faţa spre mare. Gunnlaugur a insistat despăturind hârtia şi strecurându-i-o între degete.
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
Fred Vargas' mysteries are always fascinating and well written, this one was no exception.
The character and plot development are fascinating and entertaining as usual.
A very good mystery, full of twists and turns, that kept me hooked.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The character and plot development are fascinating and entertaining as usual.
A very good mystery, full of twists and turns, that kept me hooked.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
aditurbo's review against another edition
5.0
Marvelous! All of the best features of Vargas are there and more - human and humane characters that keep evolving and behave like real people - sometimes, like idiots, other times - brilliant and kind. Talking of kindness, there is always a lot of it in Vargas' novels, which I always love in books, and this one is no different. The novel offers deep psychological insights, great sensitivity and acceptance of human nature and all of the forms in which people express their anguish and distress. But not for one minute does the author forget that this is a suspense novel, and masterfully and so intelligently manages to keep the suspense up on every page. The plot is quite original and surprising, too.
And there's a fun bonus - Matthias from Vargas' other series, The Three Evangelists, makes a cameo appearance. Thanks for a wonderful read, Ms. Vargas, I'll continue to read anything you write, you're one of my favorite authors!
And there's a fun bonus - Matthias from Vargas' other series, The Three Evangelists, makes a cameo appearance. Thanks for a wonderful read, Ms. Vargas, I'll continue to read anything you write, you're one of my favorite authors!
gailo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Rape, and Stalking
Minor: Suicide
lissan's review against another edition
4.0
Fred Vargas is the pseudonym of Frédérique Audoin-Rouzeau. She is a historian, archaeologist and novelist. As the two first professions, she is best known for a book about the Black Death. Her main writing these days are those of the police thrillers; three books about The Three Evangelists, and the books about Chief Inspector Adamsberg. This is a book about the latter.
Quand sort la recluse by Fred VargasVargas combines her interests in history and archaeology and her stories, and crimes, are often based on academic themes. Often history, but in this book, she ventures into science. Namely, into the life and deeds of a spider; Loxosceles reclusa. When a number of older people are dying from a bite from this spider, Adamsberg and his team are getting suspicious.
Usually, the bite of the spider does not lead to death. As he and his team are looking into the deaths, a gruesome past is opening up. It leads to an orphanage where things were not what they were supposed to be. Children, both boys, and girls suffered great anguish. Are they, after all these years, coming back for revenge on the group of boys who were harassing them? And, if so, why wait all these years?
Adamsberg and his colleagues are facing tough questions, drawbacks, and terrifying evidence before they manage to find the culprit. In the usual style of Vargas the story develops slowly, but in a way which is quite realistic. It is all based on true detective work. Adamsberg is an unconventional Inspector; he prefers to walk around the room while he is thinking of the case; he disappears into his foggy thoughts from time to time and his IT knowledge is limited. His colleagues all show different skills and characters; maybe not always professional, but with their own kind of ambition. The diversity of the knowledge of his colleagues helps Adamsberg in his search for the truth.
Unfortunately, the English title is not very good. In French, it is called Quand sort la recluse, meaning when the recluse/hermit comes out, and in Swedish Den instängdas blick, meaning the gaze of the one who is closed in. A recluse is someone who closes him/herself in, like a hermit. The English title does not well reflect the original title or the theme of the book. Well worth reading nevertheless!
Quand sort la recluse by Fred VargasVargas combines her interests in history and archaeology and her stories, and crimes, are often based on academic themes. Often history, but in this book, she ventures into science. Namely, into the life and deeds of a spider; Loxosceles reclusa. When a number of older people are dying from a bite from this spider, Adamsberg and his team are getting suspicious.
Usually, the bite of the spider does not lead to death. As he and his team are looking into the deaths, a gruesome past is opening up. It leads to an orphanage where things were not what they were supposed to be. Children, both boys, and girls suffered great anguish. Are they, after all these years, coming back for revenge on the group of boys who were harassing them? And, if so, why wait all these years?
Adamsberg and his colleagues are facing tough questions, drawbacks, and terrifying evidence before they manage to find the culprit. In the usual style of Vargas the story develops slowly, but in a way which is quite realistic. It is all based on true detective work. Adamsberg is an unconventional Inspector; he prefers to walk around the room while he is thinking of the case; he disappears into his foggy thoughts from time to time and his IT knowledge is limited. His colleagues all show different skills and characters; maybe not always professional, but with their own kind of ambition. The diversity of the knowledge of his colleagues helps Adamsberg in his search for the truth.
Unfortunately, the English title is not very good. In French, it is called Quand sort la recluse, meaning when the recluse/hermit comes out, and in Swedish Den instängdas blick, meaning the gaze of the one who is closed in. A recluse is someone who closes him/herself in, like a hermit. The English title does not well reflect the original title or the theme of the book. Well worth reading nevertheless!
dreadymorticia's review against another edition
4.0
Un vrai régal - même si j'ai eu du mal avec le côté un peu glauque.