Book reviews
These are the books I've read this past week.
Deadline in Athens: Petros Markaris
This book is an English translation of the original Greek novel. It explores the death of several Albanians and the media circus that soon follows. When several members of the media wind up dead, events become more chaotic and intense. Themes of prejudice and class structure are also explored with the detective Costas Haritos caught square in the middle. I enjoyed the book but I don't recommend it since there are too many structural problems, many I suspect due to the translation from Greek to English. In many ways the book reads like a book written in the 1950s not 2004 when the book was copyrighted in Greece.
The Laws of Invisible Things: Frank Huyler
This book was written by an ER physician in New Mexico. It revolves around the quiet and understated life of a young infectious disease physician, Michael Grant, in North Carolina. He's in this small community to escape elements in his past and soon finds out that his present has its own troubles. The novel is very poetic and the imagery is stark and has a feeling of hopelessness imbued within. There's an exploration of disease and how it relates to philosophy and religion that definitely pricked my interest, but unfortunately the book never delivers on its early promise. I didn't like the ending at all but I'd still recommend the book on the basis of the good writing. Better to get it at the library though since one reading should suffice.
Eleven on Top: Janet Evanovich
The most recent Stephanie Plum novel. I enjoyed this one more than the past few though I'm not sure why. It follows the normal formula with Steph's inability to choose between Ranger and Morelli and her misadventures in bounty hunting, though this time Steph is never officially working as a bounty hunter--she does assist, and the normal mayhem ensues. If you like the series, or enjoy light detective stories with romantic overtones, then this book is probably a good fit for you. I certainly enjoyed it.
Deadline in Athens: Petros Markaris
This book is an English translation of the original Greek novel. It explores the death of several Albanians and the media circus that soon follows. When several members of the media wind up dead, events become more chaotic and intense. Themes of prejudice and class structure are also explored with the detective Costas Haritos caught square in the middle. I enjoyed the book but I don't recommend it since there are too many structural problems, many I suspect due to the translation from Greek to English. In many ways the book reads like a book written in the 1950s not 2004 when the book was copyrighted in Greece.
The Laws of Invisible Things: Frank Huyler
This book was written by an ER physician in New Mexico. It revolves around the quiet and understated life of a young infectious disease physician, Michael Grant, in North Carolina. He's in this small community to escape elements in his past and soon finds out that his present has its own troubles. The novel is very poetic and the imagery is stark and has a feeling of hopelessness imbued within. There's an exploration of disease and how it relates to philosophy and religion that definitely pricked my interest, but unfortunately the book never delivers on its early promise. I didn't like the ending at all but I'd still recommend the book on the basis of the good writing. Better to get it at the library though since one reading should suffice.
Eleven on Top: Janet Evanovich
The most recent Stephanie Plum novel. I enjoyed this one more than the past few though I'm not sure why. It follows the normal formula with Steph's inability to choose between Ranger and Morelli and her misadventures in bounty hunting, though this time Steph is never officially working as a bounty hunter--she does assist, and the normal mayhem ensues. If you like the series, or enjoy light detective stories with romantic overtones, then this book is probably a good fit for you. I certainly enjoyed it.
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