Cluadia Fernadez Fernadez itibaren Cubleşu Someşan, Romanya
I had Jesse’s copy from home and he had bought another copy while in Cambridge. We read this together and managed to have several cool conversations both during and after our reading. What to say? Such gorgeous language. I think I’d been intimidated by this book, might have started it years ago and set it down. It was gripping from the first page. Stories within stories; endless twists and turns in the storyline. Noted frequent use of portmanteau words such as: his head backflung; while the slowspitting and squatting men watch her covertly; in a room lighted by a bugswirled kerosence lamp. Interesting use of repetition of specific words; intricate character development. Need to read more Faulkner! Connection of beginning to end. First paragraph: Sitting beside the road, watching the wagon mount the hill toward her, Lena thinks, ‘I have come from Alabama: a fur piece. All the way from Alabama a-walking. A fur piece.’ Thinking although I have not been quite a month on the road I am already in Mississippi, further from home than I have ever been before. I am now further from Doane’s Mill than I have been since I was twelve years old. The ending: “’Saulsbury, Tennessee’ and I looked back and saw her face. And it was like it was already fixed and waiting to be surprised, and that she knew that when the surprise come, she was going to enjoy it. And it did come and it did suit her. Because she said, “’My, my. A body does get around. Here we aint been coming from Alabama but two months, and now it’s already Tennessee.’”
Excellent mystery. I've read 3 other John Cardinal mysteries and they have all been excellent stories. John Cardinal is a troubled cop, but an excellent cop as well. His partner, Lise Delorme, is also great. The mystery is well-paced, interesting and resolved satisfactorily. Giles Blunt is an excellent writer. Loved it.