What do you think?
Rate this book
Tintin #21
The Castafiore Emerald
The classic graphic novel. When Tintin and Captain Haddock happen across a community of gypsies they invite them home... just as Bianca Castafiore, the famous opera singer, decides to visit Tintin. It's chaos at Marlinspike Hall, and then a precious emerald goes missing!
62 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
50 people are currently reading
1912 people want to read
About the author
Hergé
1,027 books1,935 followersGeorges Prosper Remi (22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), better known by the pen name Hergé, was a Belgian comics writer and artist.
His best known and most substantial work is The Adventures of Tintin comic book series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, leaving the twenty-fourth Tintin adventure Tintin and Alph-Art unfinished. His work remains a strong influence on comics, particularly in Europe.
"Hergé" is the pseudonym of George Remí, making a game with the initials of his name inverted. Throughout the evolution of his star character, Tintin, we can see the progress of this author: from the first titles marked by the ultraconservative doctrine of the director of the newspaper Le Petit Vingtième, to the breaking of conventions embodied from The Blue Lotus , as well as the evolution of the society of his time. The research carried out by Hergé to historically contextualize his Adventures, as well as his implicit social criticism, have made Tintin a masterpiece of the 20th century.
Series on Goodreads:
* The Adventures of Tintin
* Quick & Flupke
* The adventures of Jo, Zette and Jocko
His best known and most substantial work is The Adventures of Tintin comic book series, which he wrote and illustrated from 1929 until his death in 1983, leaving the twenty-fourth Tintin adventure Tintin and Alph-Art unfinished. His work remains a strong influence on comics, particularly in Europe.
"Hergé" is the pseudonym of George Remí, making a game with the initials of his name inverted. Throughout the evolution of his star character, Tintin, we can see the progress of this author: from the first titles marked by the ultraconservative doctrine of the director of the newspaper Le Petit Vingtième, to the breaking of conventions embodied from The Blue Lotus , as well as the evolution of the society of his time. The research carried out by Hergé to historically contextualize his Adventures, as well as his implicit social criticism, have made Tintin a masterpiece of the 20th century.
Series on Goodreads:
* The Adventures of Tintin
* Quick & Flupke
* The adventures of Jo, Zette and Jocko
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 410 reviews
December 9, 2020
The Castafiore Emerald is my most favourite of the Tintin series. It is also the most hilarious one. This adventure is not quite the usual of Tintin. There is no neck breaking chase to catch the bad guys or to stop some disaster, but rather a slow-paced "adventure" into investigating certain mysterious happenings and disappearance of items including Bianca Castafiore's emerald.
Unlike in others, here the whole adventure takes place in Marlinspike. I think it may be the only story that is wholly set at Marlinspike. I've always liked this fictitious environment and was very much pleased to see the whole story taking place there. I also was happy to find all my most loved characters coming together in this adventure. It was such a pleasant experience.
As to the story, it was more of a mystery than a thriller, and as such, held more attraction for me. Our dear clever Tintin finds the answers while as always, the detective duo is groping in the dark. Captain Haddock has to face many mishaps here - a sprained ankle, a thumb bitten by a parrot, nose stung by a bee, and his ears strained by Bianca Castafiore's singing! :) There was a lot of laughter at the expense of poor dear Captain.
Personally, I think The Castafiore Emerald is one of the cleverly written stories of the series. It is certainly very entertaining. I've singled it out from my childhood with a few more. I've read them so many times and have watched the cartoon time and again that I've lost track of the number of times. Reading them always takes me back in time to my childhood and early youth. It is funny how a few comic books can transport you back in time to those innocent and carefree times.
Unlike in others, here the whole adventure takes place in Marlinspike. I think it may be the only story that is wholly set at Marlinspike. I've always liked this fictitious environment and was very much pleased to see the whole story taking place there. I also was happy to find all my most loved characters coming together in this adventure. It was such a pleasant experience.
As to the story, it was more of a mystery than a thriller, and as such, held more attraction for me. Our dear clever Tintin finds the answers while as always, the detective duo is groping in the dark. Captain Haddock has to face many mishaps here - a sprained ankle, a thumb bitten by a parrot, nose stung by a bee, and his ears strained by Bianca Castafiore's singing! :) There was a lot of laughter at the expense of poor dear Captain.
Personally, I think The Castafiore Emerald is one of the cleverly written stories of the series. It is certainly very entertaining. I've singled it out from my childhood with a few more. I've read them so many times and have watched the cartoon time and again that I've lost track of the number of times. Reading them always takes me back in time to my childhood and early youth. It is funny how a few comic books can transport you back in time to those innocent and carefree times.
October 15, 2025
تن تن عزیزم، منم مثل تو توی اپرا سردرد میگیرم :(
January 20, 2022
REVIEW OF THE ALSATIAN TRANSLATION
While I have read this here instalment of the Tintin series multiple times in both German and French (in the French original, its title is Les Bijoux de la Castafiore and in German it is called Die Juwelen der Sängerin), I am indeed very much thrilled to finally have been able to find a (rare) copy of this book in Alsatian, which is why the book title might seem a bit different and strange to Tintin fans (De Castafiore ihre Schmuck). Furthermore, please do note that in German (and in the low Allemannic dialect of Alsatian, of Elsässisch), Schmuck simply means jewelry; it does NOT have the negative connotations it has in Yiddish. And oh wow, reading Les Bijoux de la Castafiore in Alsatian is proving to be so much linguistic fun for me. I had always been under the impression that Alsatian, while indeed a German dialect (or rather a Low Allemannic dialect), should be considered a French/German Creole type of language, but upon reading De Castafiore ihre Schmuck, I for one do no longer really consider it as a true Creole, but basically a staunchly German based dialect that uses a certain amount of French vocabulary for salutations, terms of respect and such (in other words, the grammar, the sentence structure of Alsatian is German, is Allemannic, as is in fact most of the vocabulary used, with some specific French word choices providing what I would label a decorative trim).
I was also a bit pleasantly flabbergasted at how much of the Alsatian is really, truly easy for me to figure out and understand, until I decided to do some online research and began to understand and realise that Alsatian as a Low Allemannic dialect is both geographically and linguistically close and linked to the dialects spoken in and around Basle, Switzerland and to what in German we call and label as Lake of Constance Allemannic "Bodenseeallemannisch" (which is the dialect my mother's family speaks, and thus it makes perfect sense that I am somewhat familiar with it, having heard it, even if I have not actively used it, on multiple visits to the area both recently and not so recently). And of course, I am also now more keen than ever to locate any other Tintin books that have been translated into Alsatian (I think there might be three more, but I am not sure).
And as to the specific narrative themes and contents of De Castafiore ihre Schmuck, there is considerably more straight out humour and slapstick comedy visible and present than the standard, than the usual cloak and dagger adventures of the majority of Hergé's Tintin series contain, especially with regard to the eponymous clowns and jesters of the series, curmudgeonly Captain Haddock and the accident prone Duponts (all three of them experience à la The Three Stooges a myriad of both physical and psychological, mental calamities, including for the unfortunate Captain Haddock the neither tender nor in any way desired attentions and mercies of opera singer Bianca Castafiore, who basically does descend on his humble manner, his refuge and home like a grating and chaotic but also entertaining tsunami).
Now the above all being said though, and while much of the action presented and featured throughout the illustrated text of De Castafiore ihre Schmuck is most definitely entirely physical and at times even rather violent slap stick like humour, the author (Hergé) has also (and appreciatively) included subtle satire and pointed socio-critical jabs at cultural stereotyping (with regard to the Roma, who have not only been harassed and forced by the authorities to set up camp near the town dump, but who are later after they have been granted refuge at Marlinspike Manor, unjustly accused of having stolen Bianca Castafiore's jewels simply because they are Gypsies), as well as criticisms of the tabloid media and paparazzi (who basically descend on Captain Hadock's manor like a pack of raging lunatic locusts when it becomes common knowledge that famous opera diva Castafiore is indeed visiting).
But I do have to wonder a bit if younger children reading De Castafiore ihre Schmuck (in whatever edition, whether in French, English, German, Alsatian etc.) would necessarily catch all of the included, featured cultural and societal allusions and innuendoes. Case in point, the first time I read this story (at around the age of eight, and in German translation), I certainly did NOT make the connection that Tintin manages as to what had really happened to the "stolen" jewels (that due to Rossini's opera La Gazza Ladra, The Thieving Magpie, being mentioned in a newspaper article, Tintin realises and then proves that a magpie and not the wrongfully accused Roma had stolen Castafiore's baubles, that the thief was indeed a thieving magpie of tradition and folklore). And with these nuances in mind, and although I do very highly recommend De Castafiore ihre Schmuck as one of the most humorous and entertaining offerings of Hergé's Tintin series, some of the themes, some of the details and especially many of he satirical asides and such might well be beyond younger children.
While I have read this here instalment of the Tintin series multiple times in both German and French (in the French original, its title is Les Bijoux de la Castafiore and in German it is called Die Juwelen der Sängerin), I am indeed very much thrilled to finally have been able to find a (rare) copy of this book in Alsatian, which is why the book title might seem a bit different and strange to Tintin fans (De Castafiore ihre Schmuck). Furthermore, please do note that in German (and in the low Allemannic dialect of Alsatian, of Elsässisch), Schmuck simply means jewelry; it does NOT have the negative connotations it has in Yiddish. And oh wow, reading Les Bijoux de la Castafiore in Alsatian is proving to be so much linguistic fun for me. I had always been under the impression that Alsatian, while indeed a German dialect (or rather a Low Allemannic dialect), should be considered a French/German Creole type of language, but upon reading De Castafiore ihre Schmuck, I for one do no longer really consider it as a true Creole, but basically a staunchly German based dialect that uses a certain amount of French vocabulary for salutations, terms of respect and such (in other words, the grammar, the sentence structure of Alsatian is German, is Allemannic, as is in fact most of the vocabulary used, with some specific French word choices providing what I would label a decorative trim).
I was also a bit pleasantly flabbergasted at how much of the Alsatian is really, truly easy for me to figure out and understand, until I decided to do some online research and began to understand and realise that Alsatian as a Low Allemannic dialect is both geographically and linguistically close and linked to the dialects spoken in and around Basle, Switzerland and to what in German we call and label as Lake of Constance Allemannic "Bodenseeallemannisch" (which is the dialect my mother's family speaks, and thus it makes perfect sense that I am somewhat familiar with it, having heard it, even if I have not actively used it, on multiple visits to the area both recently and not so recently). And of course, I am also now more keen than ever to locate any other Tintin books that have been translated into Alsatian (I think there might be three more, but I am not sure).
And as to the specific narrative themes and contents of De Castafiore ihre Schmuck, there is considerably more straight out humour and slapstick comedy visible and present than the standard, than the usual cloak and dagger adventures of the majority of Hergé's Tintin series contain, especially with regard to the eponymous clowns and jesters of the series, curmudgeonly Captain Haddock and the accident prone Duponts (all three of them experience à la The Three Stooges a myriad of both physical and psychological, mental calamities, including for the unfortunate Captain Haddock the neither tender nor in any way desired attentions and mercies of opera singer Bianca Castafiore, who basically does descend on his humble manner, his refuge and home like a grating and chaotic but also entertaining tsunami).
Now the above all being said though, and while much of the action presented and featured throughout the illustrated text of De Castafiore ihre Schmuck is most definitely entirely physical and at times even rather violent slap stick like humour, the author (Hergé) has also (and appreciatively) included subtle satire and pointed socio-critical jabs at cultural stereotyping (with regard to the Roma, who have not only been harassed and forced by the authorities to set up camp near the town dump, but who are later after they have been granted refuge at Marlinspike Manor, unjustly accused of having stolen Bianca Castafiore's jewels simply because they are Gypsies), as well as criticisms of the tabloid media and paparazzi (who basically descend on Captain Hadock's manor like a pack of raging lunatic locusts when it becomes common knowledge that famous opera diva Castafiore is indeed visiting).
But I do have to wonder a bit if younger children reading De Castafiore ihre Schmuck (in whatever edition, whether in French, English, German, Alsatian etc.) would necessarily catch all of the included, featured cultural and societal allusions and innuendoes. Case in point, the first time I read this story (at around the age of eight, and in German translation), I certainly did NOT make the connection that Tintin manages as to what had really happened to the "stolen" jewels (that due to Rossini's opera La Gazza Ladra, The Thieving Magpie, being mentioned in a newspaper article, Tintin realises and then proves that a magpie and not the wrongfully accused Roma had stolen Castafiore's baubles, that the thief was indeed a thieving magpie of tradition and folklore). And with these nuances in mind, and although I do very highly recommend De Castafiore ihre Schmuck as one of the most humorous and entertaining offerings of Hergé's Tintin series, some of the themes, some of the details and especially many of he satirical asides and such might well be beyond younger children.
April 26, 2024
After reading Herge’s best Tintin album, Tintin in Tibet, The Castafiore Emerald feels like a letdown. It still has Herge’s signature clear line, and it does have complicated plot, setting it in Marlinspike for the entire story feels pedestrian.
I prefer my Tintin globetrotting. But this would have worked better have a read it as part of the 3 album volumes I was buying before reading my first oversized album.
I prefer my Tintin globetrotting. But this would have worked better have a read it as part of the 3 album volumes I was buying before reading my first oversized album.
May 3, 2024
Aaah! Rio-me por me ver tão bela neste espelho lalalala 🎵
Uma história muita divertida, cheia de momentos de mal entendidos muito engraçados. Tintin nunca desilude! Delicioso!
Uma história muita divertida, cheia de momentos de mal entendidos muito engraçados. Tintin nunca desilude! Delicioso!
April 22, 2011
Jess, my 8-year old little girl, gives it 5 stars.
Comments while reading:
1. Captain Haddock is bad with kids. Why did he say “KILIKILIKILI” to that little girl and scared her off?
2. What are Gypsies? Why do people in Europe don’t like them?
3. I think it’s very bad to make the Gypsies stay in the rubbish dump. Captain Haddock is very good to let them camp on his land.
4. How come that every time anyone call Cutts the butcher, they get Marlinspike instead? I’m glad that our phone isn’t like that.
5. Mr. Jolyon is an insurance agent. I know what insurance is. It means that if anything that you own is broken or lost, the insurance man will give you money to buy a new one. What? Do you have to pay them money too? I didn’t know that.
6. Is Castafiore very rich and famous? I think she’s kind of spoiled and not very nice.
7. I like Tintin because he’s good and smart, but I don’t like Mike because he’s always snooping around.
8. This book is very funny! Things that make me laugh:
- Iago the parrot saying “Helloo, I can hear you” when Captain Haddock was talking to the police chief on the phone, and the police chief got annoyed because he thought that Captain Haddock was teasing him. Anything with Iago and Captain Haddock is funny!
- Captain Haddock calling that lady “nanny goat”.
- Castafiore calling Captain Haddock funny names because she couldn’t remember his real name. She always calls him silly names like “Halibut”, “Hammock”, “Paddock” and “Stopcock”.
- Professor Calculus thinking that Castafiore was a painter, instead of an opera singer. He’s so deaf!
- The weird pictures that Calculus’ TV made --- doesn’t he know that somebody had invented color TV before?
9. Thompson and Thomson are so stupid! How could they be detectives if they’re that silly?
10. Snowy finds the emerald and saves the day!
November 19, 2019
This is such a lovely screwball story. Not your typical Tintin adventure, perhaps that's the reason why it still was so vivid in my mind after all these years.
Apart from the fun I had reading the trials and tribulations here I was positively surprised by the fair take on gypsies in the story. With older books I always prepare for prejudiced misgivings of one kind or the other that make me cringe inwardly, but that wasn't necessary in this case.
I was an avid Tintin reader in my childhood (it was the only graphic novel series I did collect) and I still own all of them but the first volume - yet some of the books already fall apart. The "Never too late to read classics" group Chose Hergé's books as BotM and I enthusiastically dove into them with a lot of childhood nostalgia.
How wonderful to see that the love still holds after all those years. Now I will read on (in a more chronological fashion this time).
Apart from the fun I had reading the trials and tribulations here I was positively surprised by the fair take on gypsies in the story. With older books I always prepare for prejudiced misgivings of one kind or the other that make me cringe inwardly, but that wasn't necessary in this case.
I was an avid Tintin reader in my childhood (it was the only graphic novel series I did collect) and I still own all of them but the first volume - yet some of the books already fall apart. The "Never too late to read classics" group Chose Hergé's books as BotM and I enthusiastically dove into them with a lot of childhood nostalgia.
How wonderful to see that the love still holds after all those years. Now I will read on (in a more chronological fashion this time).
September 18, 2022
Tintin was one of the comic book heroes of my childhood. I'm going to read my way through the series again as I listen to a radio program about him, and his creator, Hergé. Next after Tintin in Tibet is The Castafiore Emerald, named after the world famous opera singer Bianca Castafiore who annoys both Tintin, and captain Haddock so terribly badly. They are at home, and the Captain manages to injure himself. So who invites herself for a visit at this time other than Bianca Castafiore with entourage.
The Castafiore Emerald is an unusual Tintin book because all of it takes place at Captain Haddock’s home. There is no journey, no adventure, but at least there is a minor mystery. What happened to a emerald that Castafiore owns, but goes missing after she comes for the visit.
I can’t say this is a great book. It feels a bit like Hergé is saying to his readers: “Tintin and I have been on twenty adventures in a row. We are on holiday now. Normal adventure business will assume shortly.”
Mind you, I’m not saying it’s all bad. It’s funny. In fact, it is quite a bit funnier than Tintin in Tibet. Just think, Captain Haddock is unable to run away from Bianca Castefiore who treats him like a toy that she can’t remember what is called. There are quite a lot of comic moments that work very well.
But the mystery is insignificant. It never manages to become exciting, just a silly little thing, and never reaches Agatha Christie complexity, even though I think it may have been thought of as homage to that kind of mystery novels. Perhaps it feels as much a let down as it does because it comes straight after one of the greatest Tintin book in the series. Still, it is funny. There is no denying that.
The Castafiore Emerald is an unusual Tintin book because all of it takes place at Captain Haddock’s home. There is no journey, no adventure, but at least there is a minor mystery. What happened to a emerald that Castafiore owns, but goes missing after she comes for the visit.
I can’t say this is a great book. It feels a bit like Hergé is saying to his readers: “Tintin and I have been on twenty adventures in a row. We are on holiday now. Normal adventure business will assume shortly.”
Mind you, I’m not saying it’s all bad. It’s funny. In fact, it is quite a bit funnier than Tintin in Tibet. Just think, Captain Haddock is unable to run away from Bianca Castefiore who treats him like a toy that she can’t remember what is called. There are quite a lot of comic moments that work very well.
But the mystery is insignificant. It never manages to become exciting, just a silly little thing, and never reaches Agatha Christie complexity, even though I think it may have been thought of as homage to that kind of mystery novels. Perhaps it feels as much a let down as it does because it comes straight after one of the greatest Tintin book in the series. Still, it is funny. There is no denying that.
August 25, 2017
Captain Haddock invites a group of Gypsies living on nearby rubbish dump to come and stay on a meadow by the stream on his estate. Meanwhile the Captain's nemesis, the Florentine opera star, Bianca Castafiore
invites herself to say at his residences of Marlinspike.
Castafiore and her entourage cause the Captain no end of irritation , but the real adventure comes when her prize jewelry goes missing and it is up to Tintin to unravel the mystery.
With the interplay of the Captain and people like Castafiore , the pet parrot , troublemaking journalists, and the insurance broker , Jolyon Wagg , this Tintin album is hilarious from beginning to finish.
invites herself to say at his residences of Marlinspike.
Castafiore and her entourage cause the Captain no end of irritation , but the real adventure comes when her prize jewelry goes missing and it is up to Tintin to unravel the mystery.
With the interplay of the Captain and people like Castafiore , the pet parrot , troublemaking journalists, and the insurance broker , Jolyon Wagg , this Tintin album is hilarious from beginning to finish.
March 13, 2024
عاشق قسمتهایی که توی خونهی هادوک هستنم😍
February 10, 2017
The most absurd of Herge's albums
24 February 2012
This is a unique comic in all of Herge's repertoir in that it is probably the most absurd of his stories. Granted, Tintin and Alpha-Art (which is unfinished and I am unlikely to purchase it on those grounds) appears to move into a more post-modern setting (it is suggested that Alpha-Art was an adventure into the world of art, but Herge died before its completion) but in this story, basically nothing happens. In fact, the entire story seems to be one great red-herring.
The entire story is set in Marlinspike, and Captain Haddock is simply having a really bad day (or at least a month). It seems as if it is a comedy of errors for the poor captain. First he learns that Bianca Castafiore, the famous opera singer, is coming to stay so he wants to get out but he slips on the broken stairs and busts his pelvis and ends up being confined to a wheelchair. He gets his nose stung and his finger bitten, and near the end he has become a patchwork of bandages.
Throw in the red-herrings, as well as the running jokes (such as Cutts the Butcher and Joylon Wagg) and we have a very interesting story, which doesn't seem to really go anywhere. This is not necessarily a bad thing though, since it succeeded in Waiting for Godot and also in Seinfeld. Then there are the jokes running through the story, such as the broken step. Pretty much everybody in the story, with the exception of Bianca Castafiore, slips and falls on the step at one time or another. Herge does it brilliantly, and it is very clear that he had truly developed his style by this point. There is also the parrot that keeps on screaming 'Hello! I can hear you!' which we soon discover is how Bianca Castafiore answers the phone.
There is a little case of the missing emerald, and it is unexpected (too an extent, though there is a hint dropped in the first frame) where it turns up. However, it disappears nearer to the end, namely because through the story we hear Bianca Castafiore continually jumping at ghosts believing that her emerald has been stolen. We are also led to believe that it is likely that either the Gypsies or the Pianist Wagner, are the culprits, but it turns out that they are not (I am not going to reveal the culprit though, since it is a surprise).
Herge does not pull back on commentary here either, and in this particular story it involves the gypsies. It appears that Herge is very supportive and sympathetic towards them, which shows in the character of Haddock and Tintin. I have never had any interaction with the Romani until 2011 when I travelled to Europe, and you pretty quickly work out who they are. It is also very tempting to take a prejudice view of them, particularly with the multiple warnings you receive about them on the web and in other travel literature. While I am tempted to say that they brought it on themselves, I believe that there is a lot of prejudice in Europe towards these people. I know Romanians that wail in anger over suggestions that they are connected with the Romani. However, I believe it is very brave and noble of Herge to stand up for these people.
It seems that by this time Herge was winding down the Tintin comics, as he only produced another two and a half comics after this one. Earlier it appeared that he would produce at least one to two a year, but has now dropped down to about two a decade. Maybe Herge was simply getting tired of the endless adventures of Tintin and wanted to pull the plug. However, it appears he continued to experiment, and in doing so, explored new areas. In all seriousness, nothing that I have seen coming out of the US comic book scene even compares to the ingeniousness of Herge, and in a way, I do not feel that even Asterix comes anywhere near to Herge's brilliance.
24 February 2012
This is a unique comic in all of Herge's repertoir in that it is probably the most absurd of his stories. Granted, Tintin and Alpha-Art (which is unfinished and I am unlikely to purchase it on those grounds) appears to move into a more post-modern setting (it is suggested that Alpha-Art was an adventure into the world of art, but Herge died before its completion) but in this story, basically nothing happens. In fact, the entire story seems to be one great red-herring.
The entire story is set in Marlinspike, and Captain Haddock is simply having a really bad day (or at least a month). It seems as if it is a comedy of errors for the poor captain. First he learns that Bianca Castafiore, the famous opera singer, is coming to stay so he wants to get out but he slips on the broken stairs and busts his pelvis and ends up being confined to a wheelchair. He gets his nose stung and his finger bitten, and near the end he has become a patchwork of bandages.
Throw in the red-herrings, as well as the running jokes (such as Cutts the Butcher and Joylon Wagg) and we have a very interesting story, which doesn't seem to really go anywhere. This is not necessarily a bad thing though, since it succeeded in Waiting for Godot and also in Seinfeld. Then there are the jokes running through the story, such as the broken step. Pretty much everybody in the story, with the exception of Bianca Castafiore, slips and falls on the step at one time or another. Herge does it brilliantly, and it is very clear that he had truly developed his style by this point. There is also the parrot that keeps on screaming 'Hello! I can hear you!' which we soon discover is how Bianca Castafiore answers the phone.
There is a little case of the missing emerald, and it is unexpected (too an extent, though there is a hint dropped in the first frame) where it turns up. However, it disappears nearer to the end, namely because through the story we hear Bianca Castafiore continually jumping at ghosts believing that her emerald has been stolen. We are also led to believe that it is likely that either the Gypsies or the Pianist Wagner, are the culprits, but it turns out that they are not (I am not going to reveal the culprit though, since it is a surprise).
Herge does not pull back on commentary here either, and in this particular story it involves the gypsies. It appears that Herge is very supportive and sympathetic towards them, which shows in the character of Haddock and Tintin. I have never had any interaction with the Romani until 2011 when I travelled to Europe, and you pretty quickly work out who they are. It is also very tempting to take a prejudice view of them, particularly with the multiple warnings you receive about them on the web and in other travel literature. While I am tempted to say that they brought it on themselves, I believe that there is a lot of prejudice in Europe towards these people. I know Romanians that wail in anger over suggestions that they are connected with the Romani. However, I believe it is very brave and noble of Herge to stand up for these people.
It seems that by this time Herge was winding down the Tintin comics, as he only produced another two and a half comics after this one. Earlier it appeared that he would produce at least one to two a year, but has now dropped down to about two a decade. Maybe Herge was simply getting tired of the endless adventures of Tintin and wanted to pull the plug. However, it appears he continued to experiment, and in doing so, explored new areas. In all seriousness, nothing that I have seen coming out of the US comic book scene even compares to the ingeniousness of Herge, and in a way, I do not feel that even Asterix comes anywhere near to Herge's brilliance.
December 4, 2015
The Castafiore Emerald is what I would call a home-adventure for Tintin. It is a little different than the other tintin books as the adventure take place at one place, the Marlinspike Hall.
The billions blue blistering barnacles turn into trillion blue blistering barnacles for Captain Haddock, when Bianca Castafiore pays a visit to Marlinspike. With his foot fractured, Captain Haddock nerves are through the roof. This comic is way funnier than any of the other tintin adventures. The story is pretty straight forward but what it lacks in story and suspense, it builds up in humor.
The billions blue blistering barnacles turn into trillion blue blistering barnacles for Captain Haddock, when Bianca Castafiore pays a visit to Marlinspike. With his foot fractured, Captain Haddock nerves are through the roof. This comic is way funnier than any of the other tintin adventures. The story is pretty straight forward but what it lacks in story and suspense, it builds up in humor.
June 19, 2017
Doesn't Castafiore drive you wild? But she's so funny! :P
May 21, 2017
چقد سركارى و خوووب بود =)))))
December 26, 2022
Bu seriyi bitirmek benim için dayak yemiş Rocky'nin maçın sonunu getirmeye çalışması gibi. Acı yok, kan yok. Bitireceğim. Ve sanıyorum ki ilk kez bir seriyi bitirdikten sonra hepsini komple satacağım. İlk kez bir seri kitaplığımda dursun istemiyorum.
July 31, 2012
One of my favourite Tin Tin books! It's probably the least exciting of all the books but its definitely the funniest. I think Herge relaxed a bit this one focusing on the interactions between the characters to drive the story instead of an actual mystery or adventure. The ending is a bit anticlimactic but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of it.
December 23, 2020
جواهرات کاستافیوره تنها ماجرای تن تن است که در ان خبری از سفر های به دور و دنیا و جدال با تبهکاران و دشمنان نیست,داستانی ارام در فضای مارلین اسپایک..جایی که انگار زمان در آن متوقف شده.
August 23, 2021
Diese Hörspiele sind einfach ein Ohrenschmaus. Nicht so actionreich wie sonst, aber mit viel Humor und gegen so viele Vorurteile! Einfach toll!
October 12, 2025
Of all Tintin's adventures, The Castafiore Emerald is the one I find myself revisiting with a peculiar, quiet addiction. It defies the usual formula there are no villains to thwart, no distant lands to explore. Instead, Hergé masterfully traps his entire cast of beloved characters at Marlinspike Hall, weaving a brilliant comedy of errors around the visit of the tempestuous opera diva, Bianca Castafiore.
The plot is a delightfully intricate clockwork of misunderstandings. When the famous emerald goes missing, suspicion, panic, and hilarious incompetence erupt in a whirlwind around the ever logical Tintin. Featuring a wayward parrot, misplaced stepping stones, and the sublime chaos of Thomson and Thompson at their most brilliantly baffling.
This entire confined romp is a stunning showcase of Hergé's genius. Without firing a single bullet or boarding a ship, he builds unbearable tension and endless laughter purely through character expression, impeccable timing, and visual wit. Every panel is a masterpiece of storytelling, packed with subtle gags and details you discover on the tenth read. It’s this depth, this ability to find a universe of adventure in a single setting, that makes the Tintin series so profoundly and endlessly addictive. The Castafiore Emerald isn't just a comic, it's a masterclass in pacing, humor, and art, proving that Hergé’s true magic lies not in the scale of the adventure, but in the unparalleled skill with which he brought his world to life.
The plot is a delightfully intricate clockwork of misunderstandings. When the famous emerald goes missing, suspicion, panic, and hilarious incompetence erupt in a whirlwind around the ever logical Tintin. Featuring a wayward parrot, misplaced stepping stones, and the sublime chaos of Thomson and Thompson at their most brilliantly baffling.
This entire confined romp is a stunning showcase of Hergé's genius. Without firing a single bullet or boarding a ship, he builds unbearable tension and endless laughter purely through character expression, impeccable timing, and visual wit. Every panel is a masterpiece of storytelling, packed with subtle gags and details you discover on the tenth read. It’s this depth, this ability to find a universe of adventure in a single setting, that makes the Tintin series so profoundly and endlessly addictive. The Castafiore Emerald isn't just a comic, it's a masterclass in pacing, humor, and art, proving that Hergé’s true magic lies not in the scale of the adventure, but in the unparalleled skill with which he brought his world to life.
February 17, 2015
Hell is other people
So said Sartre.
Bored of sending Tintin halfway across the globe for every outing, Herge instead adopted the idea of Tintin staying at home. The result? Probably the greatest adventure in the series, packed with wit, humour and biting satire.
In Captain Haddock, we have one of comics' greatest creations on the verge of a mental breakdown, housebound by a twisted ankle, and tormented by a psychopathic parrot and an opera singer who is the living embodiment of Sartre's famous observation.
Tintin himself is strangely subdued, which is no bad thing, content to give a nodding wink to the reader, and equally surprised when his famous sleuthing abilities are found wanting, and the real perpetrators of the crime featured in the story turn out to be something a lot more innocent...
A strong supporting cast of equally amusing characters and eccentrics, lend gravitas to the claim of this being one of the best comic stories of all time...
So said Sartre.
Bored of sending Tintin halfway across the globe for every outing, Herge instead adopted the idea of Tintin staying at home. The result? Probably the greatest adventure in the series, packed with wit, humour and biting satire.
In Captain Haddock, we have one of comics' greatest creations on the verge of a mental breakdown, housebound by a twisted ankle, and tormented by a psychopathic parrot and an opera singer who is the living embodiment of Sartre's famous observation.
Tintin himself is strangely subdued, which is no bad thing, content to give a nodding wink to the reader, and equally surprised when his famous sleuthing abilities are found wanting, and the real perpetrators of the crime featured in the story turn out to be something a lot more innocent...
A strong supporting cast of equally amusing characters and eccentrics, lend gravitas to the claim of this being one of the best comic stories of all time...
January 20, 2019
Although I didn't get hooked until I saw the movie "The Adventures of Tintin" and afterwards read the main book it was based on (
) which still remains my favorite, this book was the one that first introduced me to the wonderful world of Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Thompson and Thomson, and The Milanese Nightingale; and is a story which I never grow tired of reading and re-reading over and over again!
) which still remains my favorite, this book was the one that first introduced me to the wonderful world of Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Thompson and Thomson, and The Milanese Nightingale; and is a story which I never grow tired of reading and re-reading over and over again!
December 29, 2016
This scene, Professor Calculus presents his invention 'color television', is pretty iconic:
May 12, 2016
The first Tintin I've read to my daughter, I think she enjoyed it, getting so many pictures to look at was a big bonus for her.
This is probably the funniest of the Tintin books, lots of misunderstandings, a deaf scientist, an opera singer who can't get Captain Haddock's name right and a funny parrot. Probably a good place to start for a young kid as things are really simple and the plot not too challenging to follow. Good fun and looking forward to read another story.
This is probably the funniest of the Tintin books, lots of misunderstandings, a deaf scientist, an opera singer who can't get Captain Haddock's name right and a funny parrot. Probably a good place to start for a young kid as things are really simple and the plot not too challenging to follow. Good fun and looking forward to read another story.
April 27, 2023
Para mi este álbum es la obra maestra de Hergé. No sólo tiene algunos de los momentos más divertidos de la serie, si no que, además, el dejar de lado la aventura y centrarse en la sátira de costumbres me parece un gran acierto. Además, creo que el entorno más cotidiano favorece especialmente al arte de de Hergé que destaca como nunca.
May 2, 2015
The Castafiore Emerald is a unique instalment in the Tintin series since it focuses on a female character and takes place entirely in one location - Marlinspike. The hilarious interaction between the characters makes up for the loss of adventure and makes you laugh out loud several times. The story is rich in detail and the mystery keeps you captivated until the very end.
December 7, 2024
The biggest surprise so far. In my younger years I considered this story dull but after this reading (probably 20 years later), it’s shot up to become one of my favorites. No wonder, as much of the story itself is very subtle with much of the mystery happening in the background. The pacing and humor were delightful—I read this in a single sitting. Herge has developed a rich setting and side-cast over several books now, and he’s brought them all together to hilariously torture Haddock.
February 18, 2024
De Donald Duck is echt een miljoen keer leuker
October 26, 2021
"- Catástrofe!... Vêm para este lado!... Fui apanhado como um rato!...
- Sabem quem é? é um velho lobo-do-mar um pouco brusco `primeira impressão, mas... Que se esconde sob essa rude carapaça uma alma simples de criança grande um pouco ingénuo..." (p.22)
- Sabem quem é? é um velho lobo-do-mar um pouco brusco `primeira impressão, mas... Que se esconde sob essa rude carapaça uma alma simples de criança grande um pouco ingénuo..." (p.22)
July 13, 2018
Reseña completa: http://elcaosliterario.blogspot.com/2...
"Las joyas de la Castafiore" es el volumen 21 y fue publicado en 1961. Es el único que se desmarca de lo habitual en los álbumes de Tintín dado que no hay viajes ni villanos. La intención de Hergé era comprobar si conseguía mantener el vino al lector hasta el final en una historia sencilla que transcurría en el mismo lugar que se originaba.
No es uno de los mejores cómics de Hergé, quizá porque estaba experimentando en otro tipo de historia tal y como comenté antes. Siendo uno de sus últimos álbumes es una pena que no continuase ese camino para seguir probando otro tipo de historias.
"Las joyas de la Castafiore" es el volumen 21 y fue publicado en 1961. Es el único que se desmarca de lo habitual en los álbumes de Tintín dado que no hay viajes ni villanos. La intención de Hergé era comprobar si conseguía mantener el vino al lector hasta el final en una historia sencilla que transcurría en el mismo lugar que se originaba.
No es uno de los mejores cómics de Hergé, quizá porque estaba experimentando en otro tipo de historia tal y como comenté antes. Siendo uno de sus últimos álbumes es una pena que no continuase ese camino para seguir probando otro tipo de historias.
November 6, 2022
Less action; more humor. Works for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 410 reviews