Review: Mac's Problem

Mac's Problem by Enrique Vila-Matas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting glimpse at the evolving (devolving) psyche of the "author" of this diary, although I must admit that by the end I was lost, and wasn't sure what was reality and what wasn't, which may have been the point. Still, an entertaining read. I wonder how autobiographical this book was. 

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Review: La detective miope

La detective miope by Rosa Ribas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely an intense story. I had guessed some of it, but none of the main parts really. I don't think I can read too many of the author's books in a row, since it's pretty heavy stuff, but I'd like to read more at some point. 

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Review: All This I Will Give to You

All This I Will Give to You by Dolores Redondo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

PROBABLE SPOILERS AHEAD:
Part drama, part mystery. But for some reason it didn't really work for me. I feel like the book was trying to do too much. It wasn't fast paced enough to be a real murder mystery, but it didn't really have enough drama to be a real drama.

Sort of annoying how Alvaro was the best of the best of the best (turns out to be a noble out of the blue, is honorable, stood up for his brother, made money for the family, was extremely knowledgable about wine growing, was the only noble who loved hanging around with non-nobility, etc. etc.), and then had dark secrets, which were obviously all a misunderstanding because he's the best of the best of the best. He just seemed a bit too cardboard cutout to me.

Can't say I liked the whole pedophile priest angle either, since I feel like it's quite played out at this point.

I realize these are all bad points. But from around 3/4 of the way through it started getting more interesting, and the ending was great (aside from the police officer's home life. The ending seemed too trite for me. I think they could have just skipped that whole part).

Oh, and I loved reading about Galicia.

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Review: Purity of Blood

Purity of Blood by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte, Sonia Soto (Translation)

The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some of it was rough around the edges, and I had some issues with the whole ending/denouement, but all in all it was a satisfying read.

I liked many of the asides and quotes, such as the one about Marquis de Paulmy and the Comte d'Artois. Or the discussion about why Death carries a scythe while the devil has a pitchfork:
"Because Death reaps, but the Devil harvests"

Also, this introduction happened at the party, which made me happy: "Look who's arrived. You know him, don't you? Professor of Semiotics in Bologna..."

3.5 stars





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