BookJumper Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Has anyone read The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl? I'm not into murder mysteries because you can't really read them twice, but I really like the premise of this. Can tell me whether a non-mystery reader would enjoy it enough to keep? I don't want to be getting something I'll then have to give away. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlette Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Has anyone read The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl? I'm not into murder mysteries because you can't really read them twice, but I really like the premise of this. Can tell me whether a non-mystery reader would enjoy it enough to keep? I don't want to be getting something I'll then have to give away. Thank you. Although I haven't read The Dante Club, I'll throw in my two cents worth of what I do know. I own (the yet to be read) The Poe Shadow - by the same author - and while looking about online for reviews of said novel, I soon came to the realization that I might have bought the wrong novel... What I should have bought is The Dante Club, which according to reviewers is brilliant. I doubt this rambling has helped you in any way at all, though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
page turner Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I have The Dante club here. I read it years ago and remember being really confused - but that's just me. I'm happy to send it on to a new home if your interested in it? let me know:smile2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 I have The Dante club here. I read it years ago and remember being really confused - but that's just me. I'm happy to send it on to a new home if your interested in it? let me knowAw, how nice of you ! That's the whole problem though, I don't know if I'm interested in it yet - pro is, I was raised on Dante (he's the cultural equivalent of Shakespeare back at home, and rightly so) and have heard good things about Pearl's work in general; con is, I try to limit the mysteries I read to the ones that are well-written enough for me to want to read again. I'll have a ponder and let you know (I wouldn't want you to waste postage money for something I might not enjoy) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Another one would be... has anyone read The Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce? This sounds like it could possibly be my next vampiric favourite but I'd like to know what others thought of the characters and style before I rush into anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Aw, how nice of you ! That's the whole problem though, I don't know if I'm interested in it yet - pro is, I was raised on Dante (he's the cultural equivalent of Shakespeare back at home, and rightly so) and have heard good things about Pearl's work in general; con is, I try to limit the mysteries I read to the ones that are well-written enough for me to want to read again. I'll have a ponder and let you know (I wouldn't want you to waste postage money for something I might not enjoy) . BookJumper, I don't know if my opinion matters much, but Pearl is a favorite of mine and personally I LOVED The Dante Club. I believe it to be the best of the 3 he's written in fact. I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed in it, but I'm biased . I liked reading about these brilliant poets Longfellow, Holmes and Lowell, their Dante translations, and then trying to solve murders that are happening in Cambridge during post Civil War time. It was just so interesting to me, but I love historical mysteries anyway so it wasn't hard for me to enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 BookJumper, I don't know if my opinion matters muchOf course your opinion matters, don't be silly ! I liked reading about these brilliant poets Longfellow, Holmes and Lowell, their Dante translations, and then trying to solve murders that are happening in Cambridge during post Civil War time.You see, what I'm interested in is the brilliant poets and their Dante translations as opposed to the murder-solving; if you promise me there is at least as much about brilliant poets translating Dante as there is about murder-solving, we might have something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I've noticed that some of you are reading this at the moment. I finished The Lost Book of Salem recently and loved it and thought I'd like to read something similar. This, I believe hasn't been out long has it? I wondered what you thought of the Heretic's Daughter and should I get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuggleMagic Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I've noticed that some of you are reading this at the moment. I finished The Lost Book of Salem recently and loved it and thought I'd like to read something similar. This, I believe hasn't been out long has it? I wondered what you thought of the Heretic's Daughter and should I get it? I REALLY want to read this one. I nearly brought it in a charity shop in Isle of Wight but didn't (it was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 I REALLY want to read this one... <snip> and now I'm kicking myself because I cannot get it anywhere! Really? I'm sure your local bookstore can order it, but Amazon have The Lost Book of Salem. Sue - I'm about of two-thirds of the way through The Heretic's Daughter and I'm really enjoying it so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fi. Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Really? I'm sure your local bookstore can order it, but Amazon have The Lost Book of Salem. The Book Depository also has this book in stock - I just ordered it from there for my mum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 You see, what I'm interested in is the brilliant poets and their Dante translations as opposed to the murder-solving; if you promise me there is at least as much about brilliant poets translating Dante as there is about murder-solving, we might have something. Hmmmm... Well, I won't deny that the murder-solving takes up a pretty big chunk of this book, BookJumper. There is however quite a bit of background into each of the poets, especially Longfellow since it delves into his wife's tragic death. The poets also struggle with the higher ups at Harvard, since they don't want anything to do with Dante for some reason. I'll warn you too that the murders happening in Cambridge are pretty grisly. Honestly though, Pearl writes this book so beautifully, such that he will always be one of my favorite authors. You can always go to Matthew Pearl's website and read more on each of his books if you're still trying to decide whether to read it or not. I hope my explanation helped just a little! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fi. Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Has anyone read The Unicorn Road by Martin Davies? I've just had it recommended to me on Amazon after buying something but I've not heard of it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 No, but his other book, The Conjuror's Bird, was excellent - one of my best reads of 2007. For some reason, this slipped under the radar for me, and I'm buying straightaway. Thanks for the heads up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 (edited) I've noticed that some of you are reading this at the moment. I finished The Lost Book of Salem recently and loved it and thought I'd like to read something similar. This, I believe hasn't been out long has it? I wondered what you thought of the Heretic's Daughter and should I get it? I am so glad everyone is still rating the Lost book of Salem. I have taken it out of my library and I am looking forward to reading it. . Edited October 3, 2009 by catwoman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fi. Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 No, but his other book, The Conjuror's Bird, was excellent - one of my best reads of 2007. For some reason, this slipped under the radar for me, and I'm buying straightaway. Thanks for the heads up! No problems, thanks for the tip about The Conjuror's Bird - I've now bought both books Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterioso Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 (edited) Has anyone read The Unicorn Road by Martin Davies? I've just had it recommended to me on Amazon after buying something but I've not heard of it before. Yeah I had to read and review it for a magazine- tedious, a good idea but written badly with a very rushed and unsatisfying ending are my only lasting memories of it. His first book was okay- typical Richard and Judy fare- but definitely not as good as 'Rifling Paradise' by Jem Poster or the brilliant 'The Sound of Butterflies' by Rachael King..... Of course your opinion matters, don't be silly ! You see, what I'm interested in is the brilliant poets and their Dante translations as opposed to the murder-solving; if you promise me there is at least as much about brilliant poets translating Dante as there is about murder-solving, we might have something. Maybe you could try the Dante mysteries by Guilio Leoni, a professor of Italian history and literature who has written 3 books featuring Dante as sleuth and as tortured poet struggling to realise his visions of Paradise, Hell and Purgatory. The first in the series is 'The Third Heaven Conspiracy'... Edited October 3, 2009 by Michelle posts merged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fi. Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 It was a Richard & Judy book? Oh dear, I've not particularly liked any of their recommendations except for a small handful of titles that I read before they got R & J'd Thanks for that, have already ordered them but can always swap them if I don't like either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 It was a Richard & Judy book? If a book has been recommended by them I tend to avoid it as I've read a few shockers which they thought were great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fi. Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 If a book has been recommended by them I tend to avoid it as I've read a few shockers which they thought were great. I've heard that said before, and also tried a few myself only to wish I really hadn't Is there anywhere I can find a list of R & J reads so I know what not to buy? While I'm here, has anyone read The Book Of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark? My mum found it in pristine condition in the charity shop for 50p & bought it for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 I've heard that said before, and also tried a few myself only to wish I really hadn't Is there anywhere I can find a list of R & J reads so I know what not to buy? Yes, Wikipedia ETA: I've read some from that list which were great (Mister Pip being just one). I'd never consciously choose one because it was one of theirs, but I wouldn't let it put me off if I liked the sound of one either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fi. Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Thanks Janet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Fi - looking at your Librarything catalogue, there is a reasonable fistful of R&J choices which you've rated 4 or 5 stars, so I wouldn't worry too much about that - I've found several I really like, and a few I haven't particularly rated. Unless they're stickered in the shop, I'm rarely aware of whether they're R&J choices or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 I've heard that said before, and also tried a few myself only to wish I really hadn't Is there anywhere I can find a list of R & J reads so I know what not to buy? Please don't do that! There are some fantastic books on the list as well as some truly awful ones, so please don't allow the R&J sticker to influence whether you decide to buy a book or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fi. Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 Fi - looking at your Librarything catalogue, there is a reasonable fistful of R&J choices which you've rated 4 or 5 stars, so I wouldn't worry too much about that - I've found several I really like, and a few I haven't particularly rated. Unless they're stickered in the shop, I'm rarely aware of whether they're R&J choices or not. I think I read most of them before they were R & J reads or without knowing - I'm just being a snob because I really can't stand R & J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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