Quirky and enjoyable mystical thriller about good and evil trying to possess the Holy Graal, which has been stored away in the cupboard of an English Quirky and enjoyable mystical thriller about good and evil trying to possess the Holy Graal, which has been stored away in the cupboard of an English country church.
Merged review:
Quirky and enjoyable mystical thriller about good and evil trying to possess the Holy Graal, which has been stored away in the cupboard of an English country church....more
In prose that manages to be both conversational, funny and elegant, Itami spins the tale of Mizuki, a Tokyo wife and mother of two. A little bit of a In prose that manages to be both conversational, funny and elegant, Itami spins the tale of Mizuki, a Tokyo wife and mother of two. A little bit of a wild child in her youth, including time as a singer, she now finds herself slightly adrift and a little lonely with an abstracted workaholic husband, whom she fell for because he was a “Care Bear trapped in the body of an underwear model.”
Then she keeps coming across Kiyoshi who might best be described (mine) as a benefit trapped inside the pleasures of a friend. Will they? Could they? Does it really matter when their friendship takes place against the backdrop of a Tokyo that is heart-stoppingly beautiful and romantic and yet constrained.
As a former Pennsylvanian it’s a rare treat to read a noir set in Philadelphia, especially since hey, we can be corrupt too, and we’re within living mAs a former Pennsylvanian it’s a rare treat to read a noir set in Philadelphia, especially since hey, we can be corrupt too, and we’re within living memory (qv Frank effing Rizzo.) Philly isn’t all cheese witt and funnel cakes and wasn’t c. 1953 when this novel is set. Good cops take a backseat to the crooked ones and the hero decides to leave the force, if not his quest for justice, after it all becomes very very personal.
A former crime reporter, McGivern knows the city and doesn’t waste a word. A wonderful surprise....more
So many people have sung the praises of this novel, so many “best of” lists that it must be me that finds the total less than the sum of its conceptioSo many people have sung the praises of this novel, so many “best of” lists that it must be me that finds the total less than the sum of its conceptions and themes. After several attempts I gave up a third of the way in.
I went back and gave this another try. Still not sold on how well the elements work together but promising....more
Loading...
