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jachinheckman's review against another edition
1.0
This book is frustratingly pointless. It puts you in an environment full of unlikable characters that have found themselves wrapped up in a seemingly complex mystery. Once the writer has you wondering how all of these many bizarre puzzle pieces fit together, he reveals that they don't. It is just aliens. To clarify, not complex aliens with specific powers that explain all the weird things that are going on, just all powerful, robot aliens. This book provides nothing but half a mystery, poorly developed characters, and a half-assed science fiction story.
yelisiei's review against another edition
4.0
That book is a mystery-SF story. Funny thing about it, because separately mystery line in the book is not very awesome, and separately SF elements are also not very good. But all together works great.
The big virtues of the book are very fine characters, amazing (as always) prose. Great cozy atmosphere of the hotel.
Summing up it is very good book which I recommend to everyone.
The big virtues of the book are very fine characters, amazing (as always) prose. Great cozy atmosphere of the hotel.
Summing up it is very good book which I recommend to everyone.
hidelynch's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tanasay's review against another edition
5.0
Funny, puzzling, weird, well-written and -translated. First published in 1970. The audio book starts out with an author bio and book preview. The authors, Russian siblings who survived the siege of Leningrad, were apparently better known for science fiction than for detective novels.
alyx30's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
mafiabadgers's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
First read 07/2024
A glorious, tangled mess of weirdness, drunkenness, suspicion... It's not always easy to say how much I enjoy the Strugatskys' books, but they never fail to fascinate.
A glorious, tangled mess of weirdness, drunkenness, suspicion... It's not always easy to say how much I enjoy the Strugatskys' books, but they never fail to fascinate.
full_quieting's review against another edition
3.0
Did you like Barton Fink? Then you might really dig this. I feel like I might like it more if I read it again more carefully, except I don't really feel like it.
Mystery stories mix awkwardly with the surreal. Hard to know how to read the thing.
Mystery stories mix awkwardly with the surreal. Hard to know how to read the thing.
markhodderauthor's review against another edition
Imagine Agatha Christie took a double handful of drugs before settling down to write a murder mystery. Imagine she occasionally thought a touch of SF might add flavour to the brew. Or perhaps she should make it a ghost story? Imagine she occasionally drifted into a drug-addled daze and when she came out of it couldn’t recall the plot but carried on writing it anyway. That, basically, is what you have here. Apparently it is “delightful and humorous.” Those parts escaped me. “Engaging?” Nope. The only part that I thoroughly enjoyed was giving up on it.