Month: October 2022
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“The Buried Giant” by Kazuo Ishiguro

I’ll start this review like a fairy tale: once, in the land of far away, lived an elderly couple, Axl and Beatrice, who decided to go on a quest to reunite with their son. On their way, they met ogres, pixies, and a she-dragon. They walked with a great warrior, Wistan, and a young boy…
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“So Shall You Reap” by Donna Leon

Commissario Guido Brunetti wouldn’t be a true Venetian if he were not interested in Venice real estate market. When his father-in-law’s friend is curious if an old palazzo is for sale, Brunetti finds himself knocking on the palazzo’s door. He doesn’t know that the person who opens, a Sri Lankan man, will soon be found…
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“A Heart Full of Headstones” by Ian Rankin

I was an avid reader of Ian Rankin’s series with the Edinburgh detective John Rebus. Still, I somehow became distracted by the new and shiny mysteries that pop in the bookstores every week. Now I’m glad to see that Rebus is back and better than ever. It’s such a classic, noir fiction, with sharp dialogs…
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“A Girl’s Story” by Annie Ernaux

Artists are in search of truth. And yet, even with many writers keeping this in mind, it is tempting to interpret one’s personal experience in a flattering or apologizing light. It’s particularly challenging to keep an observant eye when writing autobiographical books. The 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Annie Ernaux “for the…
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“Moonflower Murders” by Anthony Horowitz

After solving the mystery in “Magpie Murders,” Susan Ryeland rode off into the sunset – she retired from the publishing business and moved to Greece with her boyfriend. Together they run a small hotel in Crete, but it’s not a smooth ride. Struggling with constant repairs, unreliable deliveries, and demanding guests, Susan misses her life…
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“Less” by Andrew Sean Greer

Arthur Less, the 49-year-old writer and the protagonist of Andrew Sean Greer’s novel, is on the run. He’s running away from love. The love of his life, Freddie Pelu, is getting married, and Less, in a desperate attempt to avoid attending the wedding, accepts all kinds of literary invitations from around the world. A carefully…