Pelagia and the Black Monk

Приключения Пелагии (серия «Провинціальный детективъ») #2

by Boris Akunin

UK first edition hard cover, with unclipped dust jacket, both in good condition. Light shelf and handling wear. including light creasing and tanning to DJ edges, small ticket residue to rear cover, tanning and foxing to pageblock. Spine is lightly cocked. Boards are in fine condition, pages tightly bound, content unmarked. CN

Genres: Mystery, Russia, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Detective, Crime, Russian Literature

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Real name - Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili (Russian: Борис Акунин; Georgian: გრიგორი შალვას ძე ჩხარტიშვილი; Аlso see Grigory Chkhartishvili, Григорий Чхартишвили), born in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 1956. Since 1958 he lives in Moscow. Writer and translator from Japanese. Author of crime stories set in tsarist Russia. In 1998 he made his debut with novel Azazel (to English readers known as The Winter Queen), where he created Erast Pietrovich Fandorin.
B. Akunin refers to Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin and Akuna, home name of Anna Akhmatova, Russian poet.
In September of 2000, Akunin was named Russian Writer of the Year and won the "Antibooker" prize in 2000 for his Erast Fandorin novel Coronation, or the last of the Romanovs.
Akunin also created crime-solving Orthodox nun, sister Pelagia, and literary genres.
His pseudonyms are Анатолий Брусникин and Анна Борисова. In some Dutch editions he is also known as Boris Akoenin.

Reviews

[Caro the Helmet Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one probably even more than the first book, Pelagia and the White Bulldog and sister Pelagia is still my fav heroine, maybe even of the whole reading year? I think so. Akunin created such an admirable and smart character and though archbishop Mitrofany is also a full blooded character, she basically drives the whole story alone and absolutely steals the show. Everything and everybody else is just a decoration for her to shine. This time she has a mystical mystery to uncover and the possible culprits are so many and you absolutely can't put your finger on it till the very end. Which is an awesome reading experience. Yes, it's an entertainment with a pinch of philosophy, but it's a high class entertainment. 5 shiny stars.

P.S. I wish I could watch the BBC series based on this book. Not HBO, because they would make sister Pelagia to show her boobs.

[Michael Kotsarinis]

Είναι ένα βιβλίο με πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα υπόθεση και με ένα ιδιαίτερο setting στην Ρωσία των Ρομανόφ. Οι ήρωες έχουν ο καθένα τα χαρακτηριστικά τους και φέρνουν λίγο σε καρικατούρες αλλά σε όλο το βιβλίο διακρίνεται μια ελαφρά (ενίοτε όχι και τόσο) ειρωνεία επομένως θα έλεγα ότι ταιριάζουν. Η δεισιδαιμονία συναντά το έγκλημα και μια πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα και πειστική εξήγηση κλείνει το βιβλίο.
Εκείνο που θα κουράσει ίσως τον αναγνώστη είναι η φλυαρία που είναι έντονη σχεδόν σε κάθε σημείο του βιβλίου, αποζημιώνεται όμως με την ωραία λύση του μυστηρίου.

Μάθετε περισσότερα στο Ex Libris 166.

[Gil Smolinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trilogies are hit or miss. Some should have stayed one-hit wonders and others get better with each book. Most of Boris Akunin’s books are enjoyable so it was likely that all the books in this trilogy would make for good reading. So far, so good. After finishing Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog, it was exciting to delve into yet another one adventure with Pelagia and the Black Monk. See my full review: https://smolinskiblog.co/2019/09/15/a...

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boris Akunin must have had such fun writing these. It's a wonder there are only 3 in the series! The setting in this one is an island in the middle of a large lake where there is a monastery and another small island with a hermitage. Citizens make pilgrimages to the large island so that there are hotels, store and other supporting businesses - all run by the monks. The names of these businesses set the mood for the novel:

a hairdresser's called Delilah
a souvenir shop called Gifts of the Magi
a bank called The Widow's Mite
a grill-restaurant call The Burnt Offering
a confectioner's called The Termpation of St Antony

The novel opens with the exact paragraphs as Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog ends. A ghost or spectre is seen walking on the water of Blue Lake by New Ararat. Everybody except those who have seen the spectre believe it is a hoax of some sort. Bishop Mitrofanii sends a young man who works for him to investigate, who sends letters with what he finds. The Bishop, Pelagia, and the state attorney discuss what these letters tell. Then the letters stop. Of course it is Pelagia in the title and the heroine of the series and eventually she does more than listen to a bunch of letters.

This isn't literature or even, maybe, a great mystery. It's just plain fun and we all need that every once in awhile. I have just added the third and, sadly, the last of the series to my already over-burdened wish list. I hope it isn't years and years before I actually get to it.

[Mariya Mincheva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Приключенията на сестра Пелагия ( по съвместителство вдовицата Полина Лисицина) определено поставям след историите за неповторимия Ераст Фандорин, но пред тези за създаването на Рус. Сигурно търпят лека критика по линия наивност, но с това се изчерпват недостатъците.
Обожавам Акунин заради сладкодумния му, ироничен изказ и успешното изграждане на колоритни образи и динамично наслагващи се развръзки. Повествованието му никога не досажда и финалът не е предвидим. Всеки негов роман е шанс за мен да се принеса в една изключително достоверна царска Русия, да я почувствам съвсем осезаемо.
Толкова симпатична смесица от приключенство и абсурдизъм,толкова комични моменти, трогателно архаичен език, такава игра на дързост, смелост и вяра са вплетени в тази история, че не мога да не й дам висока оценка и да не си набележа следващата книга от поредицата.

[AP · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one a lot less than the first book, Pelagia and the White Bulldog. Sister Pelagia doesn't do much except for sit around and look anxious for the first 200 pages or so. Once she starts investigating the mystery and gets actively involved, then the narrative picks up and becomes fun and exciting to read. I still adore her character and wish that the first 200 pages had more action for her character. Akunin's clever and humorous writing does show through the translation.

[Ram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in late 19th century Russia. Pelagia and the Black Monk is about strange goings-on in the monastery of New Ararat (as I read, it is based on the Solovetsky monastery in the White Sea, in this book referred to as the Blue Lake). While there are some references, criticism and descriptions of the Orthodox Church under the Tsars, The main issue of the book is the, to some extent, absurd, witty and considerably complicated plot.

There probably is some satire about the influence of capitalism on the orthodox Russian church but I am sure there is more to it than I understood.

Still, this is a refreshing, brilliantly written "who did it" mystery, spiced with humor , wit and allot of feminine empowerment.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took a very long time to read this book, and by the end I was just ready for it to be over.

First part contains only token appearances by our heroine, who enters directly after three others have failed to solve the mystery themselves. I put down the book at that point, returning much later to see whether that would help get things flowing? Not really. A lot of nosing around at the site, but not really getting anywhere. Clever, action-packed conclusion wasn't really a lot of payoff, sad to say.

Maybe it's the Cancer in my chart, but I found all of those monks working as essentially indentured laborers (serfs?) rather a downer.

Will read the last book, but with lower expectations I'm afraid.

[Melissa McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Pelagia is as delightful as ever in this second book in the series. A series of mysterious deaths at an unusual monastery prompts Bishop Mitrofanii to send a series of investigators, each one with a different approach, each one a total failure at finding out the truth (one is killed, two go insane). Finally he's forced to send Pelagia, who is barred from some places in the settlement because she's female (hence sending all the failures first). Naturally, she's the only one who can solve the case. I get a kick out of seeing her dress up as her alter-ego Polina, the widowed socialite; she gets way too much enjoyment out of it than a nun should have. As usual, Akunin gives us half a dozen false solutions before revealing the truth, which in this case means both catching a murderer and solving the mystery of the strange hermitage connected to the monastery. Akunin isn't afraid to kill off favorite characters, so I was glad Matvei (one of Mitrofanii and Pelagia's close friends) made it through. I look forward to reading the final book in this series.

[Bookish Bluestocking · Rating 4 out of 5]

Απολαυστικός Ακουνιν όπως πάντα, με απίστευτο χειρουργικό χιούμορ και πένα για αποτύπωση χαρακτήρων και καταστάσεων. Η Πελαγία γίνεται μάρτυρας και ξεδιαλύνει το μυστήριο του Μαύρου Μοναχού, μέσα από το οποίο ο συγγραφέας έχει ζωγραφίσει τη φύση της εκκλησίας αλλά κυρίως των λειτουργών της, των νοοτροπιων που υπάρχουν και συνυπάρχουν και μας δίνει και την ουμανιστικη ματιά. Πολύ καλή και η μετάφραση που όμως δεν είναι από τα ρώσικα αλλά από τα ιταλικά. Την επόμενη περιπέτεια της Πελαγίας θα την ψάξω σε πρώτο χέρι μετάφραση γιατί εδώ ήταν δεύτερο.

[Velina Karagyozova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Прекрасни са образите на Акунин - много живи и цветни. Искрено се посмях с този криминален случай, а това, че ми беше толкова забавно, няма как да не оценя с 5 звезди. Автор, който ще продължавам да чета и да препоръчвам.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5, округлю до четырёх, но как же таращит уже от акунинских персонажей, а особенно от того, как неприятно он пишет женщин. их у него как правило два типа - безмозглая курица и мужик в юбке. сестру пелагию, впрочем, аж в двух ипостасях удалось изобразить

[Pinko Palest · Rating 5 out of 5]

just as good as the best Fandorin novels. It oozes mystery, with layer after layer of plot and never a dull moment around. It is just a bit reactionary though

[Joyce K. Wire · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story

Enjoyed this mystery that evoked images from Dostoyevsky's Russia. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author. I recommend it.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A meditation on the ways reason and madness are intertwined, and how faith in the mode of apophatic theology is our only way out. Plus s detective story that owes more to Eco than to Christie, despite the knitting. Full Review to follow.

[Бекарыс Нуржан · Rating 5 out of 5]

Жесть, конечно. Но убийца не угадывается до самого конца - не в этом ли прелесть детектива? Убийства на острове - что может быть лучше since Десять негритят? И намного интересней первой книги. Не зря же Cuculos - это про KKK.

[Rincewind · Rating 5 out of 5]

For people tired of the quick-cut-styled screen-written books by "New York Times Best Selling Authors" (which I am not sure is a praise anymore), Akunin offers a fresh breath of air with his innovative story-telling yet again. Half the book is in reported speech, filled with letters and notes, which surprisingly does nothing to let up on the pace. A sleek mystery, spiced with the supernatural, with a number of pop-cultural references (from the 19th century), an interesting array of characters (as in every other Akunin novel), a gripping finale and a fitting prologue - Akunin's second mystery in this series doesn't hold back any punches.

One issue I've seen people have with this book is that it has a number of sub-plots that are unnecessary and I beg to disagree. Without revealing a number of plot twists, each sub-plot spins a different narrative showing the endless vagaries of the human psyche and adds a rich dose of suspense to the book in itself. No character is added without value, and no character is jettisoned without having his/her purpose met. It is for this very reason the Pelagia series might not make for a good movie series.

Here is hoping Akunin picks up the pace on the Pelagia series and belts out a few more.

[Gabriella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing. A bit confused by the Russian names, and couldn't immediately recognize the references to Russian literature since I have read very few novels by Russian authors. The story and the characters are very interesting and amusing.

Scusate, ho scritto in inglese ma il commento doveva essere in italiano. Ho letto l'edizione italiana, naturalmente. Comunque è stata una lettura divertente, l'inizio un po' tirato per le lunghe con tanti personaggi strani e apparentemente slegati, poi la trama si è fatta più avvincente e il finale in effetti non me lo sarei aspettato. Non tanto per l'identità del monaco nero quanto per la spiegazione di cosa avviene nell'eremo. Consiglio la lettura, non è letteratura impegnata, forse si potrebbe definire "di evasione"? Fatta molto bene però. A me è piaciuto.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been greedily anticipating this book (such luck! two of Akunin's books out in like 6 months). Different than the Erast Fandorin books, but the red-headed adventurious nun has grown on me. Almost makes me want to live in back-water 1890s Russia for a few minutes, until I stop to reconsider.

Once I started this book, I had to stay up all night until I finished it. And I was not disappointed--another excellent book by Akunin.

[Kris McCracken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second novel of the Pelagia series, this time our intrepid nun investigates a series strange events in a remote island monastery. Like Akunin's other novels this one is both a cracking yarn as well as an interesting mediation on Russian history, the Orthodox religion and the societal shifts of the late-Nineteenth Century.

I really enjoyed it, and would happily recommend it to all and sundry.

[Fellini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Вторая книга про Пелагею/Полину. Более замороченная загадка, более серьёзные угрозы жизни и здоровью героини - но и из этих приключений она выходит с честью. Идея с островом, на котором сосуществуют и разумные люди, и безумцы, напоминает логическую задачку.

[Victoria Evangelina Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

завораживающе живое повествование, кажется, что знаешь героев уже много лет - невозможно оторваться! живой язык и весьма оригинальный сюжет - РЕКОМЕНДУЮ ОТ ДУШИ!!!!!

[Rima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mano apžvalga: http://knygoholike.blogspot.com/2015/...

[Dana Clinton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk (Sister Pelagia Mysteries, #2) by Boris Akunin. I read the first in this series many years ago, and this second volume was sent along to me, also many years ago now, by a Bookcrossing friend. I am always trying to keep up with these generous gifts! You do have to love Sister Pelagia, who is a fearless, spunky, intelligent nun, a spiritual daughter to the Bishop Mitrofanii. In this very long tale, with many digressions and written in what I would call a very Dostoevsky style, the Bishop has been informed about the mysterious appearance of the Black Monk Basilisk in the faraway island/hermitage monastery of New Ararat, a pilgrimage town run by the severe Father Vitali. There is also a mental institution founded by an odd millionaire interested in studying the mentally ill. The Black Monk appears walking on the water between Ararat and the Hermitage on the Outskirts island, where extremely devoted monks go to die; he tells the people whom he terrorizes that their place is cursed. Women are not allowed at the Outskirts, so the Bishop sends three different envoys to get to the bottom of the mystery, each of which meets with tragedy. So Sister Pelagia goes undercover. The twists and turns in the plot of her search for the Black Monk are almost exhausting! Who is mad and who is not in New Ararat, and how many times does Pelagia, in several disguises, have to reassess what she thinks she knows? It is a very intellectual book overall, so not for the faint of heart looking for a rollicking mystery or a quick read!

[Natasha Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ох, невероятный сюжет! В начале довольно долго раскачивается, но потом как волной нахлынивает со всей своей мощью, подгружая читателя на морское дно, откуда сложно выплыть на берег или же, поскромнее, просто отложить книгу.

В этой части речь идёт вот о чём: на прекраснейшем острове Ханаане завёлся «призрак»- чёрный монарх, в куколе, рясе, пугающий людей до такой степени, что потом отпевать их в церкви строжайше воспрещено. Наша героиня Пелагия, как и всесущный владыка отец Митрофаний собираются узнать, что же там такое на острове происходит: сначала отправляют своих подручных, но результат у них плачевный или же вовсе трагичный. А чёрный монарх так и продолжает пугать прихожан и гостей знатного острова. Описание острова, между прочим, невероятно красочное, богатое и даже с запахом) вашему скромному рецензенту понравилось бы там побывать и отведать медовых коврижек, поселиться в пансионе «Непорочная дева» и гулять вдоль набережной, посматривая на монахов в рясах и восхищаться их отрешённостью и непомерным усердиям. Говоря дальше о сюжете, то Пелагия сама решает во всём разобраться, не смотря на строжайшие запреты отца Митрофания. Тогда и вплывает, как уже и заведено у Акунина, госпожа Лисицина: альтер эго скромной невесты Христовой Пелагии. Вот с этого момента и начинается «полное погружение» на дно морское)

Однозначно рекомендую!

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's no spoiler alert. The only plot that's revealed is how I came about to acquire this book.
It was a genuine stroke of luck that I found it, 'in these corona times', omforlatels, when you can't go to the library and avoid bookshops and don't particularly like reading e-books, etc. I read the first Sister Pelagia mystery some years ago, liked it, and my mom (I guess I was penniless back then or something) offered to buy its sequel for me because e-books are cheap and unlimited. Only, by mistake, she bought me the final book, not the second. And since I absolutely refuse to read books out of order, I didn't read it. But I didn't buy the second one either, just let it be and moved on to read other books.
But this was some kind of an Easter miracle. There's one of those 'Take a book - Leave a book' boxes near our home. It used to be half-empty, but a month ago or so it became filled with new, surprisingly good books, and among them was Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk. Moreover, it's a kind of book that no public nor uni library ever has. So I've been lucky.
I liked it. I consumed it. It was pretty good, but not as good as any of the Erast Fandorin novels. I think Sister Pelagia's character is underdeveloped. And characters in general. But it was really not bad.

[Joy Ramlogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in Boris Akunin's series set in late 19th century Russia, with our wonderfully resourceful Sister Pelagia. The translation is excellent and the original Russian text must be filled with even more irony and humour. In this book, the reader gets a close look at an isolated prosperous community run by a capitalist bishop who uses the severe monastic rules to have his monks work for the economic good of the community. Mr. Akunin's genius is in transporting the reader to the island to feel the atmosphere of the "holy" capitalist enclave and to understand little by little what is really going on. Having the millionaire psychiatrist with his oddball ideas letting the mentally ill loose on the island was a stroke of genius. Also Mr. Akunin loves Dostoyevsky and homage is paid, overtly and indirectly throughout the book. Sister Pelagia aka Polinia is delightful and perceptive. Though the resolution of the Black Monk mystery could have been more comprehensive. I was left wanting more.

[Almantas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boris Akunin knygoje apie vienuolę Pelageją rasime viską, kas būtina įdomiam ir to pačiu painiam detektyviniam romanui. Tai antroji knyga serijoje su šia pagrindine veikėja. Vienuolyne vaidenasi juodas vienuolis, šio vienuolyno įkūrėjas, šventasis, miręs prieš keletą šimtų metų. Arkivyskupas, gavęs signalą, siunčia savo pavaldinį, jauną žmogų išsiaiškinti situaciją. Šis išprotėja. Arkivyskupas siunčia dar vieną patikimą asmenį. Šis nusišauna. Arkivyskupas prašo apygardos prokuroro pavaduotojo pagalbos. Šis taip pat išprotėja. Galų gale ne iš kelmo spirta vienuolė Pelageja imasi aiškintis šiuos reikalus. Tada prasideda pačios įdomybės, nes šalia vienuolyno saloje yra įsikūrusi psichiatrinė klinika. Visi personažai labai ryškūs ir įdomūs. Finalas tikrai nelauktas. Boris Akunin neabejotinai yra genialus rašytojas, kuo skaitant šią knygą galima darkart įsitikinti.

[Ivan Š · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inače sam ljubitelj Borisa Akunina i pročitao sam većinu knjiga sa Erastom Fandorinom u glavnoj ulozi. Imao sam velika očekivanja i od nove junakinje Pelagije, ali jednostavno mi niti ona kao junakinja, niti čitava priča "nije sjela". Ne mogu reći da je knjiga loša, stil pisanja je prepoznatljiv Akuninov, ali jednostavno meni osobno se nije svidjela i čisto sumnjam da ću čitati ostale knjige s ovom junakinjom u glavnoj ulozi. Vidim da su generalno ocijene na ovoj stranici visoke, tako da neka vas moj kratki osvrt ne odbije od čitanja.

[Nikolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good Mystery, Detective Story

I had a bit of difficulty getting to the story. As the author built the backgrounds of the characters I found it disjointed. (Probably because of translation). This book is full of intrigue, unexpected turns, twists of mystery, humor, as well as quotes and references to other authors, science& scientists work & historical facts. It’s no wonder he is so popular!