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Eberhard Mock #1
Śmierć w Breslau
Książka, która stworzyła Mocka.
Wrocław, maj 1933 roku. Wstrząsająca zbrodnia. Zmasakrowane zwłoki dwóch kobiet.
Tajemnicze zdanie napisane krwią ofiar. I wszędzie skorpiony.
Idealna sprawa dla Eberharda Mocka.
W mrocznym i posępnym Wrocławiu, gdzie w każdym zaułku złodzieje i mordercy czekają na ofiarę, rządzi przemoc i korupcja. Wysoko postawieni notable oddają się hazardowi i rozpuście, przekupna policja walczy o władzę. W mieście zarażonym doktryną hitlerowską pewien komisarz gustuje w dość nietypowej rozrywce. Grywa w szachy (według własnych zasad) z pięknymi roznegliżowanymi pannami.
To Mock, którego z domu rozkoszy może wyciągnąć tylko kolejna zbrodnia.
Wrocław, maj 1933 roku. Wstrząsająca zbrodnia. Zmasakrowane zwłoki dwóch kobiet.
Tajemnicze zdanie napisane krwią ofiar. I wszędzie skorpiony.
Idealna sprawa dla Eberharda Mocka.
W mrocznym i posępnym Wrocławiu, gdzie w każdym zaułku złodzieje i mordercy czekają na ofiarę, rządzi przemoc i korupcja. Wysoko postawieni notable oddają się hazardowi i rozpuście, przekupna policja walczy o władzę. W mieście zarażonym doktryną hitlerowską pewien komisarz gustuje w dość nietypowej rozrywce. Grywa w szachy (według własnych zasad) z pięknymi roznegliżowanymi pannami.
To Mock, którego z domu rozkoszy może wyciągnąć tylko kolejna zbrodnia.
212 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
60 people are currently reading
1215 people want to read
About the author
Marek Krajewski
65 books223 followersWrocławianin. Wykładowca Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego.
Autor osiemnastu bestsellerowych powieści kryminalnych, filolog klasyczny. Laureat prestiżowych nagród literackich i kulturalnych (m.in. Paszportu „Polityki", Nagrody Wielkiego Kalibru, Nagrody Prezydenta Wrocławia, Śląskiego Wawrzynu Literackiego), odznaczony Srebrnym Medalem „Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis”. Jego książki przetłumaczono jak dotąd na osiemnaście języków. Zadebiutował w 1999 roku „Śmiercią w Breslau” - w 2019 roku obchodzimy 20-lecie jego twórczości. Miłośnik filozofii i logiki.
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Marek Krajewski – socjolog, profesor zwyczajny, zatrudniony na Wydziale Socjologii UAM w Poznaniu. Autor licznych artykułów dotyczących materialności i wizualności, współczesnej kultury i sztuki oraz edukacji kulturowej. Opublikował też wiele książek poświęconych tej problematyce: Kultury kultury popularnej (2003), POPamiętane (2006), Za fotografię! (2010, wspólnie z R. Drozdowskim), Narzędziownia. Jak badaliśmy (niewidzialne) miasto (2012, wspólnie z R. Drozdowskim, M. Frąckowiakiem i Ł. Rogowskim), Są w życiu rzeczy… (2013), Incydentologia (2017). Współtwórca projektów badawczych, artystycznych i edukacyjnych: Niewidzialne miasto, Archiwum Badań nad Życiem Codziennym, Bardzo Młoda Kultura.
Autor osiemnastu bestsellerowych powieści kryminalnych, filolog klasyczny. Laureat prestiżowych nagród literackich i kulturalnych (m.in. Paszportu „Polityki", Nagrody Wielkiego Kalibru, Nagrody Prezydenta Wrocławia, Śląskiego Wawrzynu Literackiego), odznaczony Srebrnym Medalem „Zasłużony Kulturze Gloria Artis”. Jego książki przetłumaczono jak dotąd na osiemnaście języków. Zadebiutował w 1999 roku „Śmiercią w Breslau” - w 2019 roku obchodzimy 20-lecie jego twórczości. Miłośnik filozofii i logiki.
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Marek Krajewski – socjolog, profesor zwyczajny, zatrudniony na Wydziale Socjologii UAM w Poznaniu. Autor licznych artykułów dotyczących materialności i wizualności, współczesnej kultury i sztuki oraz edukacji kulturowej. Opublikował też wiele książek poświęconych tej problematyce: Kultury kultury popularnej (2003), POPamiętane (2006), Za fotografię! (2010, wspólnie z R. Drozdowskim), Narzędziownia. Jak badaliśmy (niewidzialne) miasto (2012, wspólnie z R. Drozdowskim, M. Frąckowiakiem i Ł. Rogowskim), Są w życiu rzeczy… (2013), Incydentologia (2017). Współtwórca projektów badawczych, artystycznych i edukacyjnych: Niewidzialne miasto, Archiwum Badań nad Życiem Codziennym, Bardzo Młoda Kultura.
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January 27, 2009
It’s difficult to wander any bookstore in Poland without coming across a shelf devoted to Krajewski’s quartet of Breslau books, which include, in order, Death in Breslau, The End of the World in Breslau, Ghosts in the City of Breslau, and Breslau Fortress; and I was thrilled when I discovered a translated copy of the first book in a bookstore in Berlin. My interest in reading this series in particular – outside of learning about a new Polish author – was that the books were set in (you guessed it!) Breslau, which is now known as Wroclaw, the city I live in today.
Death in Breslau tells the story of Criminal Director Eberhard Mock who must solve the murder of Baron von der Malten’s daughter. But like any good murder mystery, it’s hardly that simple. Since this is Breslau in 1933, Mock must not only outmaneuver the Gestapo, a frighteningly perverse society of aristocrats and an act of revenge 700 years in the making, but his own past as well.
For some reason, Death in Breslau reminds me of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. Perhaps it’s for the superficial reason that both books introduce their respective characters; however, I find it interesting that they also both remove their protagonist from the story for extended periods of time. Unlike Doyle’s disastrous choice to not only remove Holmes from nearly half the book, but to awkwardly shift from first to third person point of view, Krajewski’s decision to have Mock exit the story helps establish the introduction of the book’s true tragic character, Herbert Anwaldt, and plants the seeds for some of the book’s most emotional payoffs.
In many ways, Mock is Poland’s answer to Sherlock Holmes, as the character is twisted version of Holmes had he been raised in the shadow of fascism, where he had to hide his powers of deduction for fear of being noticed and instead embrace his more primal instincts in order to survive. When we first meet the Mock, he is enjoying his weekly meeting at a brothel, playing a sexually enhanced version of Chess with two prostitutes. This introduction reveals just a few of Mock’s flaws, which also includes his anti-Semitism, infidelity and alcoholism. Despite these characteristics, there is something compelling about Mock’s tenacity despite overwhelming odds; because Krajewski is careful to reveal Mock’s humanity sparingly, readers find themselves sympathetic to Mock even when they’re disgusted by his choices. And let me tell you, some of Mock’s choices are doozies.
If you’re in the mood for an excellent mystery with some solid characters, Death in Breslau will certainly leave you craving for more. In fact, Quercus published the English version earlier this year, and I can only hope that the remaining books will follow quickly.
This was originally published at: http://wherethelongtailends.com/archi...
Death in Breslau tells the story of Criminal Director Eberhard Mock who must solve the murder of Baron von der Malten’s daughter. But like any good murder mystery, it’s hardly that simple. Since this is Breslau in 1933, Mock must not only outmaneuver the Gestapo, a frighteningly perverse society of aristocrats and an act of revenge 700 years in the making, but his own past as well.
For some reason, Death in Breslau reminds me of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. Perhaps it’s for the superficial reason that both books introduce their respective characters; however, I find it interesting that they also both remove their protagonist from the story for extended periods of time. Unlike Doyle’s disastrous choice to not only remove Holmes from nearly half the book, but to awkwardly shift from first to third person point of view, Krajewski’s decision to have Mock exit the story helps establish the introduction of the book’s true tragic character, Herbert Anwaldt, and plants the seeds for some of the book’s most emotional payoffs.
In many ways, Mock is Poland’s answer to Sherlock Holmes, as the character is twisted version of Holmes had he been raised in the shadow of fascism, where he had to hide his powers of deduction for fear of being noticed and instead embrace his more primal instincts in order to survive. When we first meet the Mock, he is enjoying his weekly meeting at a brothel, playing a sexually enhanced version of Chess with two prostitutes. This introduction reveals just a few of Mock’s flaws, which also includes his anti-Semitism, infidelity and alcoholism. Despite these characteristics, there is something compelling about Mock’s tenacity despite overwhelming odds; because Krajewski is careful to reveal Mock’s humanity sparingly, readers find themselves sympathetic to Mock even when they’re disgusted by his choices. And let me tell you, some of Mock’s choices are doozies.
If you’re in the mood for an excellent mystery with some solid characters, Death in Breslau will certainly leave you craving for more. In fact, Quercus published the English version earlier this year, and I can only hope that the remaining books will follow quickly.
This was originally published at: http://wherethelongtailends.com/archi...
March 30, 2017
Μέτριο θριλερακι με κάποια καλά στοιχεία αλλά κυρίως μία κατά βάση βαρετή απόδοση. Γενικως δεν μου πολυαρέσουν τα αστυνομικά που η λύση τους σχετίζεται με προφητείες (σπόιλερ αλέρτ), αλλά θα ήμουν διατεθειμένη να το προσπεράσω αυτό εάν η γραφή του συγγραφέα ήταν καλύτερη (δεν ήταν) και αν με τραβούσε περισσότερο η ιστορία (δε με τράβηξε). Στο τέλος δε έγιναν όλα ένα τουρλουμπούκι - η κάθαρση του ήρωα (γιατί υπάρχει έντονο και το ελληνικό στοιχείο στο βιβλίο) δεν είναι ικανοποιητική, η τελευταία σκηνή είναι υπερβολικά στημένη, οι (αμπελο)φιλοσοφίες περί μοίρας ένα σκέτο χασμουρητό. Ξεκίνησε καλά αλλά οι προσδοκίες δεν επιβεβαιώθηκαν (2,5 αστεράκια).
August 3, 2020
Ο Μάρεκ Κραγιέφσκι αποτελεί μια ιδιαίτερη περίπτωση συγγραφέα αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας που θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί από 'ιδιαίτερος' μέχρι εναλλακτικός. 'Το σημάδι του σκορπιού' (1999) είναι το πρώτο μυθιστόρημά του με ήρωα τον άτεγκτο, 'αποστειρωμένο' και ιδιόρρυθμο διευθυντή της Δίωξης Εγκλήματος, Έμπερχαρντ Μοκ, στο Μπρεσλάου της Πολωνίας, όπου το 1933 βρισκόταν υπό τη 'σκιά' του ναζισμού και της δεισιδαιμονίας.
Αντικειμενικά, πρόκειται για ένα πρωτότυπο θρίλερ αστυνομικής υφής που διχάζει και απευθύνεται σε ψύχραιμους και, ίσως, ανοιχτόμυαλους αναγνώστες, οι οποίοι, κατά την ανάγνωση, πολλές φορές θα αισθανθούν ότι κάνουν μια 'κατάβαση' στη κόλαση, έχοντας σαν παρέα σκορπιούς πάνω στο σώμα τους - σίγουρα δηλ. δεν πρόκειται σε καμία περίπτωση για ένα εύκολο στην ανάγνωση ή ευχάριστο βιβλίο, και αυτό αποτελεί ένα από τα πιο γοητευτικά του στοιχεία.
Σε πρώτο πλάνο, ο συγγραφέας παίζει με τους συμβολισμούς, τη πάλη σώματος-πνεύματος για την τελική επικράτηση, τις σεξουαλικές αποκλίσεις και παρεκκλίσεις, την 'αρρωστημένη' αλαζονεία της εξουσίας, την έλλειψη συμπόνιας και ανθρωπισμού, τις ιστορικές προφητείες και τον θρησκευτικό φανατισμό για να καταλήξει ότι όντως 'η εκδίκηση είναι ένα πιάτο που τρώγεται κρύο'.
Πέρα από όλα αυτά, οφείλω να τονίσω ότι πρόκειται για ένα από τα πιο ξεχωριστά μυθιστορήματα της αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας σε 'pocket' μορφή των Εκδόσεων 'Μεταίχμιο' που, ακόμα, και αν δεν αρέσει, σίγουρα θα μείνει χαραγμένο στη μνήμη για την τόλμη της πλοκής και για τις κινηματογραφικές 'εικόνες' του.
Βαθμολογία: 4,5/5 ή 9/10.
Αντικειμενικά, πρόκειται για ένα πρωτότυπο θρίλερ αστυνομικής υφής που διχάζει και απευθύνεται σε ψύχραιμους και, ίσως, ανοιχτόμυαλους αναγνώστες, οι οποίοι, κατά την ανάγνωση, πολλές φορές θα αισθανθούν ότι κάνουν μια 'κατάβαση' στη κόλαση, έχοντας σαν παρέα σκορπιούς πάνω στο σώμα τους - σίγουρα δηλ. δεν πρόκειται σε καμία περίπτωση για ένα εύκολο στην ανάγνωση ή ευχάριστο βιβλίο, και αυτό αποτελεί ένα από τα πιο γοητευτικά του στοιχεία.
Σε πρώτο πλάνο, ο συγγραφέας παίζει με τους συμβολισμούς, τη πάλη σώματος-πνεύματος για την τελική επικράτηση, τις σεξουαλικές αποκλίσεις και παρεκκλίσεις, την 'αρρωστημένη' αλαζονεία της εξουσίας, την έλλειψη συμπόνιας και ανθρωπισμού, τις ιστορικές προφητείες και τον θρησκευτικό φανατισμό για να καταλήξει ότι όντως 'η εκδίκηση είναι ένα πιάτο που τρώγεται κρύο'.
Πέρα από όλα αυτά, οφείλω να τονίσω ότι πρόκειται για ένα από τα πιο ξεχωριστά μυθιστορήματα της αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας σε 'pocket' μορφή των Εκδόσεων 'Μεταίχμιο' που, ακόμα, και αν δεν αρέσει, σίγουρα θα μείνει χαραγμένο στη μνήμη για την τόλμη της πλοκής και για τις κινηματογραφικές 'εικόνες' του.
Βαθμολογία: 4,5/5 ή 9/10.
October 27, 2015
I enjoyed reading this book and give it 4.5 stars(rounded up to 5). Eberhard Mock is a Police Inspector in Breslau, Germany in 1933(present day Wroclaw,Poland). He is called to the scene of 2 horrific murders. Two women have been horribly mutilated and 1 of them is the daughter of very powerful man, Baron Von Malten. Mock is between a rock and a hard place, as solving the murders means antagonizing the Gestapo and not solving them means that the Baron will betray him to the Gestapo.
The plot moves along swiftly, move and counter move between Mock and the Gestapo. The torture scenes are very gruesome. There are vivid descriptions of the squalid corruption in the city.
The author bio identifies him as a former lecturer in Classical Studies at the University of Wroclaw. There are Latin and Greek phrases scattered throughout the book. I liked the ending. This book was originally written in Polish. The translation is very good.
The plot moves along swiftly, move and counter move between Mock and the Gestapo. The torture scenes are very gruesome. There are vivid descriptions of the squalid corruption in the city.
The author bio identifies him as a former lecturer in Classical Studies at the University of Wroclaw. There are Latin and Greek phrases scattered throughout the book. I liked the ending. This book was originally written in Polish. The translation is very good.
July 25, 2010
First in a series of five novels, Death in Breslau might just possibly be my favorite crime fiction novel so far this year. I hadn't even finished this book and bought the next two, The End of the World in Breslau and The Phantoms of Breslau. If the cover doesn't grab you, the story will.
The story begins in 1950 in a Dresden psychiatric hospital, where the director is being pressed by a Stasi official who wants to question the patient named Herbert Anwaldt. Herbert Anwaldt's identity and the reason he is a patient are questions the author answers as the book moves back and forward in time, beginning in 1933 in Breslau (now Wrocław). The main character of this novel (and the four that follow) is Counsellor Eberhard Mock, who in 1933 was the Deputy Head of the Criminal Department of the Police Praesidium. That year, Hermann Göring had taken over the posts of Minister of Internal Affairs and Chief of the Prussian police. The Nazis had become very active in the Police Praesidium, and an entire wing of the building had been taken over by the Gestapo.
Mock is summoned to a side track of the main railway station, where he finds the bodies of Marietta von der Malten and her governess in a saloon car, savagely raped and murdered. Clues left behind include some dead scorpions, some live ones, and some cryptic writing in blood on the wall of the train car. Mock knows the dead girl and her father, the Baron, a fellow Mason and someone to whom he owes a great deal. His investigation leads him to Friedländer, a Jewish importer specializing in strange "vermin," which makes the Nazi anti-Jewish propagandists very happy. It also solves some of Mock's political problems, and the arrest leads to Mock's promotion as Criminal Director. But it's not the end of the story -- after Friedländer "commits suicide", the Baron receives a package containing some clothing that had belonged to his daughter and realizes that the real killer is still out there somewhere. Herbert Anwaldt, an alcoholic policeman from Berlin, is summoned to work with Mock to secretly discover the identity of the real murderer.
This book is as dark as dark gets. Spies are everywhere, Mock has enemies that would like to bring him down, the Gestapo is a force to be reckoned with. The sinister atmosphere does not let up for a moment. The characters are well developed, especially Mock, who although married, spends his Friday evenings at a brothel playing chess with two lovely women (one under the table, one at the table) who know that "every successful move was assigned a specific erotic configuration." He is quite adept at playing the game with the Nazis, and becomes a master of the art of self protection, both physically and politically. There are many other characters who indulge in hedonistic delights, and there are the Nazis, and nearly everyone seems to have secrets that they'll do anything to keep hidden. And if ever a book captured a place and a time, it's this one.
Death in Breslau is stunning, a novel you won't forget any time soon after reading. While it's great fun, it's also claustrophobic sometimes as you sink deeper and deeper into the world of the dark and sybaritic side of Breslau and its inhabitants. It's also an excellent look at the politics and changing Europe of the 1930s. I absolutely loved this book and very highly recommend it to readers who want something truly edgy and way off the beaten path in their crime fiction.
The story begins in 1950 in a Dresden psychiatric hospital, where the director is being pressed by a Stasi official who wants to question the patient named Herbert Anwaldt. Herbert Anwaldt's identity and the reason he is a patient are questions the author answers as the book moves back and forward in time, beginning in 1933 in Breslau (now Wrocław). The main character of this novel (and the four that follow) is Counsellor Eberhard Mock, who in 1933 was the Deputy Head of the Criminal Department of the Police Praesidium. That year, Hermann Göring had taken over the posts of Minister of Internal Affairs and Chief of the Prussian police. The Nazis had become very active in the Police Praesidium, and an entire wing of the building had been taken over by the Gestapo.
Mock is summoned to a side track of the main railway station, where he finds the bodies of Marietta von der Malten and her governess in a saloon car, savagely raped and murdered. Clues left behind include some dead scorpions, some live ones, and some cryptic writing in blood on the wall of the train car. Mock knows the dead girl and her father, the Baron, a fellow Mason and someone to whom he owes a great deal. His investigation leads him to Friedländer, a Jewish importer specializing in strange "vermin," which makes the Nazi anti-Jewish propagandists very happy. It also solves some of Mock's political problems, and the arrest leads to Mock's promotion as Criminal Director. But it's not the end of the story -- after Friedländer "commits suicide", the Baron receives a package containing some clothing that had belonged to his daughter and realizes that the real killer is still out there somewhere. Herbert Anwaldt, an alcoholic policeman from Berlin, is summoned to work with Mock to secretly discover the identity of the real murderer.
This book is as dark as dark gets. Spies are everywhere, Mock has enemies that would like to bring him down, the Gestapo is a force to be reckoned with. The sinister atmosphere does not let up for a moment. The characters are well developed, especially Mock, who although married, spends his Friday evenings at a brothel playing chess with two lovely women (one under the table, one at the table) who know that "every successful move was assigned a specific erotic configuration." He is quite adept at playing the game with the Nazis, and becomes a master of the art of self protection, both physically and politically. There are many other characters who indulge in hedonistic delights, and there are the Nazis, and nearly everyone seems to have secrets that they'll do anything to keep hidden. And if ever a book captured a place and a time, it's this one.
Death in Breslau is stunning, a novel you won't forget any time soon after reading. While it's great fun, it's also claustrophobic sometimes as you sink deeper and deeper into the world of the dark and sybaritic side of Breslau and its inhabitants. It's also an excellent look at the politics and changing Europe of the 1930s. I absolutely loved this book and very highly recommend it to readers who want something truly edgy and way off the beaten path in their crime fiction.
April 6, 2017
Ένα ιδιαίτερα σκληρό βιβλίο που μας μεταφέρει στην σκοτεινή εποχή της Γκεστάπο. Οι χαρακτήρες του αμφιλεγόμενοι που μπερδεύουν τον αναγνώστη για το ποίες είναι τελικά οι προθέσεις τους. Σεξ, βακχικά όργια, διαστροφές, σαδισμός, βία, εκδίκηση σ΄ ένα κουβάρι που ο συγγραφέας ξετυλίγει με μαεστρία. Οι συνεχείς ανατροπές του δεν σε αφήνουν να σταματήσεις την ανάγνωση παρά μονάχα όταν διαβάσεις για την τελική κάθαρση στην τελευταία σελίδα. Δεν μπορώ να πω ακόμα κ τώρα αν συμπαθώ ή αντιπαθώ τον Μοκ. Ελπίζω να κατασταλάξω διαβάζοντας γι’ αυτόν στο «Το κεφάλι του Μινώταυρου», για να δούμε!
March 17, 2020
blog review
*
Marek Krajewski is a Polish classical philologist and expert in Latin linguistics. His series of detective novels about Eberhard Mock received awards for best crime stories. Death in Breslau is part of that series, and, God help me, I don’t know why he got the awards.
Just a short overview of the plot before I get on with eviscerating the book. A girl brutally is murdered on a train and there are strange letters written on the train cart, and there are also scorpions around. The events take place in Wroclaw (Breslau) under Nazi rule. The chief detective is Eberhard Mock and Herbert Anwaldt. There’s Gestapo involvement, possible secret societies, conspiracy theories, torture, drugs and old cars. All in all a good recipe for a page turner. But NO, it most definitely is not!
I’m gonna give you my reasons in bullet point form (because I’ll be imagining each bullet point being an actual bullet piercing the book, and perhaps the editor and the translator)
- Each chapter is divided into sub-chapters that have titles like this: “Dresden, Monday, July 17th, 1950 / five o’clock in the afternoon” and the following is the same as that one only with the time stamp of midnight. If your narration doesn’t make it clear to the reader that time has progressed by several hours, you are a bad writer and/or you have an idiot for an editor.
-There are random italicized segments of text in parentheses that just make no sense: “Into the ruined tomb peers a hairy goat”. They are not thoughts of the character, neither are they comments from the narrator. They don’t add anything to the plot or to the atmosphere. They just stand there, staring at you like “exiled children.” And in other places the text in the parenthesis is not italicized, but there is no difference between the two!
- Every couple of pages there is some kind of interrogation but there are NEVER any answers from the suspects, just the reactions from the investigators. I know that Poirot was a master at reading between the lines, but even he needed some lines to read between!
- Idiotic phrases/words that make no sense: “blue-black of the azure vault” (do you even know colours), “[he] attacked the mucous membrane of his stomach with nicotine” (= he lit a cigarette) (How the fuck does he smoke? Does he swallow instead of inhale?)
- Endless descriptions that lead to nowhere – several paragraphs on a drive down a road and at the end of the drive— nothing.
- giving the exact brands of the cigarettes a character smokes. It’s not one brand, so we might get a clearer image of the character, but DIFFERENT brands!
- Really really bad writing/translation: “Anwaldt gave a start and experienced the action of that hormone which, in human beings, is responsible for making bodily hair stand on end.” This is just, I don’t know. It’s like it was written by an AI. D00d! do you even human?!
- Using the same unusual word in two consecutive sentences: “quivering;” using the same phrase in two consecutive paragraphs: “despite the early hour”
and the pièce de résistance
- A HALF PAGE LONG VERBATIM REPETITION OF A CONVERSATION! Verbatim! A whole conversation! 11 pages apart! WHY!? WHY?
I just, I just can’t any more. There are so many more things that were wrong with this, and please, have in mind that this book is less than 250 pages long!
This book just shows us that not everyone should publish/edit/translate. Perhaps they should try being lawyers, that way I won’t get angry at them and try to find them and shoot them.
You know what, perhaps I should have been drunk or high while reading this… perhaps…
*
Marek Krajewski is a Polish classical philologist and expert in Latin linguistics. His series of detective novels about Eberhard Mock received awards for best crime stories. Death in Breslau is part of that series, and, God help me, I don’t know why he got the awards.
Just a short overview of the plot before I get on with eviscerating the book. A girl brutally is murdered on a train and there are strange letters written on the train cart, and there are also scorpions around. The events take place in Wroclaw (Breslau) under Nazi rule. The chief detective is Eberhard Mock and Herbert Anwaldt. There’s Gestapo involvement, possible secret societies, conspiracy theories, torture, drugs and old cars. All in all a good recipe for a page turner. But NO, it most definitely is not!
I’m gonna give you my reasons in bullet point form (because I’ll be imagining each bullet point being an actual bullet piercing the book, and perhaps the editor and the translator)
- Each chapter is divided into sub-chapters that have titles like this: “Dresden, Monday, July 17th, 1950 / five o’clock in the afternoon” and the following is the same as that one only with the time stamp of midnight. If your narration doesn’t make it clear to the reader that time has progressed by several hours, you are a bad writer and/or you have an idiot for an editor.
-There are random italicized segments of text in parentheses that just make no sense: “Into the ruined tomb peers a hairy goat”. They are not thoughts of the character, neither are they comments from the narrator. They don’t add anything to the plot or to the atmosphere. They just stand there, staring at you like “exiled children.” And in other places the text in the parenthesis is not italicized, but there is no difference between the two!
- Every couple of pages there is some kind of interrogation but there are NEVER any answers from the suspects, just the reactions from the investigators. I know that Poirot was a master at reading between the lines, but even he needed some lines to read between!
- Idiotic phrases/words that make no sense: “blue-black of the azure vault” (do you even know colours), “[he] attacked the mucous membrane of his stomach with nicotine” (= he lit a cigarette) (How the fuck does he smoke? Does he swallow instead of inhale?)
- Endless descriptions that lead to nowhere – several paragraphs on a drive down a road and at the end of the drive— nothing.
- giving the exact brands of the cigarettes a character smokes. It’s not one brand, so we might get a clearer image of the character, but DIFFERENT brands!
- Really really bad writing/translation: “Anwaldt gave a start and experienced the action of that hormone which, in human beings, is responsible for making bodily hair stand on end.” This is just, I don’t know. It’s like it was written by an AI. D00d! do you even human?!
- Using the same unusual word in two consecutive sentences: “quivering;” using the same phrase in two consecutive paragraphs: “despite the early hour”
and the pièce de résistance
- A HALF PAGE LONG VERBATIM REPETITION OF A CONVERSATION! Verbatim! A whole conversation! 11 pages apart! WHY!? WHY?
I just, I just can’t any more. There are so many more things that were wrong with this, and please, have in mind that this book is less than 250 pages long!
This book just shows us that not everyone should publish/edit/translate. Perhaps they should try being lawyers, that way I won’t get angry at them and try to find them and shoot them.
You know what, perhaps I should have been drunk or high while reading this… perhaps…
May 23, 2012
This is a dark, noir novel, which is both bizarre and extreme. In the heat of a pre-war summer a seventeen year old girl and her governess are discovered murdered in a railway carriage, with their intestines and stomach slashed, scorpion's in the stomach cavity of the girl and strange writing, in blood on the wall. Enter Councsellor Eberhard Mock, the Deputy Head of the Criminal Department of the Police Praesidium, who knew the young girl since she was a child and owes much of his career to her father, Baron von der Malten. However, the discovery of who murdered young Marietta is complicated by many things, including a large number of people who have a rather cynical view of the truth. For the novel takes place in Breslau in 1933, where the rise of the Nazi party is causing power within the police department to change hands and those with secrets, which includes virtually everyone in this novel, have reason to fear the truth coming out.
I feel this will be something of a marmite book. It is neither a straightforward crime story, nor really a story about the rise of the Nazi's, although it encompasses both. Rather it is a dark and twisted tale of revenge, mysterious curses and the underbelly of a city in Europe which is changing beyond all recognition. Be prepared to simply go with the flow and enter the author's world. I am sure that I will be reading on in this series.
I feel this will be something of a marmite book. It is neither a straightforward crime story, nor really a story about the rise of the Nazi's, although it encompasses both. Rather it is a dark and twisted tale of revenge, mysterious curses and the underbelly of a city in Europe which is changing beyond all recognition. Be prepared to simply go with the flow and enter the author's world. I am sure that I will be reading on in this series.
November 30, 2024
Moje pierwsze spotkanie zarówno z czarnym kryminałem, jak i Krajewskim, i, mniemam, że w obu przypadkach nie ostatnie. Atmosfera była gęsta jak mgła, przez co czasami czytanie zdawało się dłużyć, ale nie sądzę, że przełożyło się to na odbiór. Zresztą, podróż po międzywojennym Breslau była doświadczeniem niezwykle przyjemnym (it's the wrocławianin in me). Humor bohaterów w większości przypadł mi do gustu, uważam go za jeden z najlepszych elementów fabuły wraz z nawiązaniami kulturowymi i elementem lingwistycznym (przepowiednie).
Chciałabym natomiast, by było tu więcej Mocka, bo od pewnego momentu głównym bohaterem był właściwie Anwaldt, a jego postać nie wydaje mi się wiarygodna. // Pozytywnie zaskoczyła mnie queer reprezentacja.
Jeden dość istotny zarzut: Krajewski nie umie pisać kobiet
7/10
Chciałabym natomiast, by było tu więcej Mocka, bo od pewnego momentu głównym bohaterem był właściwie Anwaldt, a jego postać nie wydaje mi się wiarygodna. // Pozytywnie zaskoczyła mnie queer reprezentacja.
Jeden dość istotny zarzut: Krajewski nie umie pisać kobiet
7/10
November 8, 2011
Somewhat disappointing novel after the reviews that made it sound more interesting than the relatively banal thriller/mystery it turned out to be with centuries long grudges, agents that could do anything until they ran afoul of the author so to speak, etc
Some good parts here and there - the cynical attitude of the main character and the all around depravity - but overall the novel does not transcend its genre and as I said many times, you read a thriller, you read all and I mostly got bored rather than chilled
As historical fiction, the novel is junky and farcical.
Some good parts here and there - the cynical attitude of the main character and the all around depravity - but overall the novel does not transcend its genre and as I said many times, you read a thriller, you read all and I mostly got bored rather than chilled
As historical fiction, the novel is junky and farcical.
September 7, 2020
Breslau, 1933-ieji. Policijos inspektorius Mockas atvyksta į nusikaltimo vietą. Traukinio vagone išprievartautos septyniolikmetė mergina ir jos guvernantė, joms perrėžti pilvai, o atvertose žaizdose knibžda skorpionai. Ant sienos – aukų krauju kažin kas prikringaliota nepažįstamais rašmenimis. Koridoriuje – skorpionų sukandžioto traukinio palydovo kūnas. Ir Mockas imasi tirti tą bylą.
Tiesa, neužtrunka. Vos tik pradeda kapstytis, kai staiga iš gestapo karininko sužino, kad jis, Mockas, tą bylą jau išsprendė. Nusikaltėlis sulaikytas, jau spėjo ir prisipažinti. Ir dar taip sėkmingai sutapo, kad tas nusikaltėlis – žydas. Tai sveikinam, ponas Mockai, spaudžiam dešinę ir paaukštiname jus pareigose. Nuo viso to dvokia per atstumą, bet Mockas – ne riteris ant balto žirgo. Jis džiaugiasi savo naujomis pareigomis, o nusikaltėlis ir toliau labai patogus – dėl visa ko dar ir nusižudo kameroje, kad niekas nebegalėtų patikrinti jo prisipažinimo ir atrasti jame kokių nors nesutapimų.
Galima būtų viską ir pamiršti. Bet aukos tėtis, baronas, turi įtakingų draugų. Ir štai iš Berlyno atvyksta dar vienas policininkas – truputį alkoholikas, bet sako, kad jau metė gerti. Atvyksta slapčiomis pasikapstyti po visą tą reikalą ir surasti tikrųjų nusikaltėlių. Kad ir kaip keista, Mockas jam visapusiškai padeda (tiesa, tik tiek, kiek naudinga jam pačiam), o štai nuo gestapo savo veiksmus tenka slėpti. Nes žydas nusikaltėlis propagandai kur kas naudingesnis, nei koks kitas. O gal gestapas turi ir daugiau papildomų priežasčių kaišioti pagalius į ratus tyrėjams?
Įspūdis labai nevienareikšmis. O ir pats pasakojimas – netolygus. Pradžia ir pabaiga šlubuoja, tačiau vidurys pasičiumpa ir verčia greičiau versti lapus. Ir tas keistumo jausmas... Kai kurios motyvacijos ir poelgiai rodosi padiktuoti nesveiko proto. Ir nei kiek nepadeda tai, kad nei Mockui, nei iš Berlyno atvykusiam Anwaldtui – dviems pagrindiniams herojams – jokios empatijos nerasta. Mockas tai net neretai kelia pasidygėjimą. Jis savo mieste tvarkosi tarsi koks pogrindinis Donas Karleonė. Padaro tau paslaugą, o paskui už ją pareikalauja, jei reikės, tai ir tavo sielos. Arba pateikia pasiūlymą, kurio negali atsisakyti. Nesibodi nei šantažo, nei smurto, nei apgaulės. Ir nors pabaigoje nusikaltėlis surastas ir nubaustas (taip, kaip tą bausmę suprato Mockas), bet pasakyti, kad triumfavo teisingumas – negali.
Žinoma, galbūt autoriaus tikslas toks ir buvo. Va, žiūrėkit, toks jis, gyvenimas, nepapuoštas rožiniais romantikų snargliais. Gal. Bet aš lieku kiek sutrikęs. Iš vienos pusės lyg ir sudomino paskaityti kitus ciklo romanus, iš kitos – trikdo mane tas Krajewskis. Kol kas, už pirmąją ciklo knygą tebūnie trys iš penkių.
Tiesa, neužtrunka. Vos tik pradeda kapstytis, kai staiga iš gestapo karininko sužino, kad jis, Mockas, tą bylą jau išsprendė. Nusikaltėlis sulaikytas, jau spėjo ir prisipažinti. Ir dar taip sėkmingai sutapo, kad tas nusikaltėlis – žydas. Tai sveikinam, ponas Mockai, spaudžiam dešinę ir paaukštiname jus pareigose. Nuo viso to dvokia per atstumą, bet Mockas – ne riteris ant balto žirgo. Jis džiaugiasi savo naujomis pareigomis, o nusikaltėlis ir toliau labai patogus – dėl visa ko dar ir nusižudo kameroje, kad niekas nebegalėtų patikrinti jo prisipažinimo ir atrasti jame kokių nors nesutapimų.
Galima būtų viską ir pamiršti. Bet aukos tėtis, baronas, turi įtakingų draugų. Ir štai iš Berlyno atvyksta dar vienas policininkas – truputį alkoholikas, bet sako, kad jau metė gerti. Atvyksta slapčiomis pasikapstyti po visą tą reikalą ir surasti tikrųjų nusikaltėlių. Kad ir kaip keista, Mockas jam visapusiškai padeda (tiesa, tik tiek, kiek naudinga jam pačiam), o štai nuo gestapo savo veiksmus tenka slėpti. Nes žydas nusikaltėlis propagandai kur kas naudingesnis, nei koks kitas. O gal gestapas turi ir daugiau papildomų priežasčių kaišioti pagalius į ratus tyrėjams?
Įspūdis labai nevienareikšmis. O ir pats pasakojimas – netolygus. Pradžia ir pabaiga šlubuoja, tačiau vidurys pasičiumpa ir verčia greičiau versti lapus. Ir tas keistumo jausmas... Kai kurios motyvacijos ir poelgiai rodosi padiktuoti nesveiko proto. Ir nei kiek nepadeda tai, kad nei Mockui, nei iš Berlyno atvykusiam Anwaldtui – dviems pagrindiniams herojams – jokios empatijos nerasta. Mockas tai net neretai kelia pasidygėjimą. Jis savo mieste tvarkosi tarsi koks pogrindinis Donas Karleonė. Padaro tau paslaugą, o paskui už ją pareikalauja, jei reikės, tai ir tavo sielos. Arba pateikia pasiūlymą, kurio negali atsisakyti. Nesibodi nei šantažo, nei smurto, nei apgaulės. Ir nors pabaigoje nusikaltėlis surastas ir nubaustas (taip, kaip tą bausmę suprato Mockas), bet pasakyti, kad triumfavo teisingumas – negali.
Žinoma, galbūt autoriaus tikslas toks ir buvo. Va, žiūrėkit, toks jis, gyvenimas, nepapuoštas rožiniais romantikų snargliais. Gal. Bet aš lieku kiek sutrikęs. Iš vienos pusės lyg ir sudomino paskaityti kitus ciklo romanus, iš kitos – trikdo mane tas Krajewskis. Kol kas, už pirmąją ciklo knygą tebūnie trys iš penkių.
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November 22, 2014Поляците винаги са имали силни позиции в литературата. Като започнем от класиците Хенрик Сенкевич и Болеслав Прус, Тадеуш Доленга-Мостович, преминем през легендарните фантасти Станислав Лем и Януш Зайдел, и стигнем до Анджей Сапковски, авторът на поредицата за "Вещер", чиято компютърна игра, правена по книгите, придоби огромна популярност.
Знам, че поляци и руснаци се обичат толкова, колкото се обичат израелци и палестинци (но не чак толкова, колкото шотландци и англичани :р ), но все пак бих сравнил Крайевски и "Смърт в Бреслау" с Борис Акунин и неговите романи - и двамата автори обичат да разполагат историите си някъде насред бурните събития между двете световни войни, и да построят и развият криминален сюжет около тях.
Събитията в романа на Крайевски ни прехвърлят в Бреслау (така немците наричат град Вроцлав), в началото на 30-те, когато градът е в рамките на Ваймарската република, след което попада в ръцете на Хитлер и нацистите. Ритуално са убити две жени - младата дъщеря на масонски барон, заедно с нейната гувернантка. Със случая се захваща комисар Еберхарт Мок. В хода на разследването Мок е приклещен от нацистите от една страна, които използват тези убийства за пропагандни цели, като обвиняват евреин за тях, а от друга страна седи могъщия баща на жертвата - баронът-масон фон дер Малтен. Налага се комисар Мок да лавира между двете страни: от една страна не желае да си навлече гнева на Гестапо, откривайки истинския убиец и проваляйки анти-еврейската им пропаганда, а от друга страна - влиятелният баща на убитото момиче обещава да му съсипе кариерата, ако не намери убиеца.
За да се измъкне от тази мелница Мок започва да действа безскрупулно и безпощадно, без да подбира средства. Това е и една от особеностите на романа - в него няма положителни герои. Всеки гледа да забие нож в гърба на другия, а в историята са въвлечени експанзивни нацисти, езиди и тяхното сектанско ритуално отмъщение, масони, тайни агенти, евреи... Разбираеми са действията на комисаря в тази ситуация, а на нас не ни остава нищо друго освен да се потопим в този мрачен, опасен и садистичен свят, и да се чудим кой от героите заслужава по-тежка съдба. В арабската митология скорпионие символизират едновременно злото и борбата срещу злото...
Още една от интересните точки в романа е, че авторът ни сблъсква с кюрдо-религиозния етнос на езидите (язиди), които в последните години попаднаха под светлината на прожекторите в западните медии, заради експанзията на Ислямска държава в близкия изток и масовия геноцид, който те извършват над тази кюрдска общност. Всъщност езидите (язидите) винаги са били преследван народ, векове наред мачкан от кръстоносци, араби, турци, кюрди и т.н. Езидите са секта, която почита сатаната, но след като се разкайва за греховете си. Наричат този бог на злото Малак-Тавус, предс��авят го във формата на паун и вярват, че управлява света с помощта на седем ангела, също представени като железни или бронзови пауни. Накратко, религията на езидите е смесица от ислям, християнство, юдаизъм и зороастризъм, тоест, всички религия преминали през планините в средата на Месопотамия, на запад от Мосул, оставяйки частици от вярванията си. По принци езидите са спокоен и любезен народ. Може би авторът е направил интересен паралел между преследванията срещу тях и преследванията срещу евреите в един роман, замаскиран като кримка с елементи на окултизъм.
Вероятно Крайевски е можело избегне някои клишета и да пидаде по-голяма дълбочина на героите, но като тегля чертата, определено интересен роман, особено за нощите без телевизор.
Знам, че поляци и руснаци се обичат толкова, колкото се обичат израелци и палестинци (но не чак толкова, колкото шотландци и англичани :р ), но все пак бих сравнил Крайевски и "Смърт в Бреслау" с Борис Акунин и неговите романи - и двамата автори обичат да разполагат историите си някъде насред бурните събития между двете световни войни, и да построят и развият криминален сюжет около тях.
Събитията в романа на Крайевски ни прехвърлят в Бреслау (така немците наричат град Вроцлав), в началото на 30-те, когато градът е в рамките на Ваймарската република, след което попада в ръцете на Хитлер и нацистите. Ритуално са убити две жени - младата дъщеря на масонски барон, заедно с нейната гувернантка. Със случая се захваща комисар Еберхарт Мок. В хода на разследването Мок е приклещен от нацистите от една страна, които използват тези убийства за пропагандни цели, като обвиняват евреин за тях, а от друга страна седи могъщия баща на жертвата - баронът-масон фон дер Малтен. Налага се комисар Мок да лавира между двете страни: от една страна не желае да си навлече гнева на Гестапо, откривайки истинския убиец и проваляйки анти-еврейската им пропаганда, а от друга страна - влиятелният баща на убитото момиче обещава да му съсипе кариерата, ако не намери убиеца.
За да се измъкне от тази мелница Мок започва да действа безскрупулно и безпощадно, без да подбира средства. Това е и една от особеностите на романа - в него няма положителни герои. Всеки гледа да забие нож в гърба на другия, а в историята са въвлечени експанзивни нацисти, езиди и тяхното сектанско ритуално отмъщение, масони, тайни агенти, евреи... Разбираеми са действията на комисаря в тази ситуация, а на нас не ни остава нищо друго освен да се потопим в този мрачен, опасен и садистичен свят, и да се чудим кой от героите заслужава по-тежка съдба. В арабската митология скорпионие символизират едновременно злото и борбата срещу злото...
Още една от интересните точки в романа е, че авторът ни сблъсква с кюрдо-религиозния етнос на езидите (язиди), които в последните години попаднаха под светлината на прожекторите в западните медии, заради експанзията на Ислямска държава в близкия изток и масовия геноцид, който те извършват над тази кюрдска общност. Всъщност езидите (язидите) винаги са били преследван народ, векове наред мачкан от кръстоносци, араби, турци, кюрди и т.н. Езидите са секта, която почита сатаната, но след като се разкайва за греховете си. Наричат този бог на злото Малак-Тавус, предс��авят го във формата на паун и вярват, че управлява света с помощта на седем ангела, също представени като железни или бронзови пауни. Накратко, религията на езидите е смесица от ислям, християнство, юдаизъм и зороастризъм, тоест, всички религия преминали през планините в средата на Месопотамия, на запад от Мосул, оставяйки частици от вярванията си. По принци езидите са спокоен и любезен народ. Може би авторът е направил интересен паралел между преследванията срещу тях и преследванията срещу евреите в един роман, замаскиран като кримка с елементи на окултизъм.
Вероятно Крайевски е можело избегне някои клишета и да пидаде по-голяма дълбочина на героите, но като тегля чертата, определено интересен роман, особено за нощите без телевизор.
April 18, 2025
Dawno nie czytałem takiego kupska. Poziom tej książki jest tak niski, że aż sam jestem w szoku, że to pierwsza część serii składającej się z kilkunastu (!) tomów.
Chciałbym zacząć od (niewielu) pozytywów - jest nim miejsce akcji. Przedwojenny Wrocław oraz cała rzesza (hehe) działających tam organizacji idealnie nadaje się na scenerię kryminału. Szkoda, że nie zostaje zbyt dobrze wykorzystana, przydałoby się jakieś pogłębienie tego świata.
Czas na minusy. Zagadka? Nudna. Bohaterowie? Antypatyczni. Tempo akcji? Mało angażujące. Serio, nie wierzę, że ta seria dostała masę nagród. Może później jest lepiej? Chyba nie mam energii by się przekonać.
Jednak najgorszym aspektem tej książki jest wszędobylski seksizm. Bohaterowie są okropni wobec kobiet. Biją je, gw*łcą, podrywają i ślinią się do dziewczyn młodszych od siebie o kilkanaście (albo i więcej lat). Jest to obleśne, a kolejne opisy krągłości bohaterek są absolutnie zbędne. Dodatkowo, postacie kobiece w tej powieści albo są obiektem pożądania, albo stają się ofiarami, dramat.
Rozumiem, że ta powieść została napisana prawie 30 lat temu, jest “owocem swoich czasów”, ale wydaje mi się, że już w latach 90 dało się stworzyć rzeczy, które nie były aż tak seksistowskie. NIE POLECAM.
Chciałbym zacząć od (niewielu) pozytywów - jest nim miejsce akcji. Przedwojenny Wrocław oraz cała rzesza (hehe) działających tam organizacji idealnie nadaje się na scenerię kryminału. Szkoda, że nie zostaje zbyt dobrze wykorzystana, przydałoby się jakieś pogłębienie tego świata.
Czas na minusy. Zagadka? Nudna. Bohaterowie? Antypatyczni. Tempo akcji? Mało angażujące. Serio, nie wierzę, że ta seria dostała masę nagród. Może później jest lepiej? Chyba nie mam energii by się przekonać.
Jednak najgorszym aspektem tej książki jest wszędobylski seksizm. Bohaterowie są okropni wobec kobiet. Biją je, gw*łcą, podrywają i ślinią się do dziewczyn młodszych od siebie o kilkanaście (albo i więcej lat). Jest to obleśne, a kolejne opisy krągłości bohaterek są absolutnie zbędne. Dodatkowo, postacie kobiece w tej powieści albo są obiektem pożądania, albo stają się ofiarami, dramat.
Rozumiem, że ta powieść została napisana prawie 30 lat temu, jest “owocem swoich czasów”, ale wydaje mi się, że już w latach 90 dało się stworzyć rzeczy, które nie były aż tak seksistowskie. NIE POLECAM.
January 8, 2018
„Śmierć w Breslau” to moje pierwsze spotkanie z twórczością Marka Krajewskiego i muszę przyznać, że od pierwszej strony jest to niezwykła przygoda . Głównie dlatego, że opisywany przez pisarza Breslau bądź jak ktoś woli bardziej swojsko brzmiący Wrocław to miasto, w którym mieszka ogromna ilość przestępców seksualnych, zwyrodnialców, gwałcicieli i fetyszystów. Dlatego nikogo nie może dziwić, że w tak bogato zaludniony przez zboczeńców miejscowości często dochodzi do różnych zbrodni, a ofiarą jednej z nich zostaje baronówna. Dochodzenie prowadzi nie kto inny, jak dyrektor kryminalny Eberhard Mock.
Książkę czyta się zadziwiająco dobrze, niezbyt długie rozdziały, zwięzłe i konkretne opisy są solidne, grubiańskie i konkretne. Bardzo przypominają głównego bohatera, który swoją władczą postawą stara się przyćmić wszystkich i wszystko co się dzieje w Breslau. Pozwala sobie na to wszystko, bo zna sekrety praktycznie wszystkich wpływowych obywateli Wrocławia.
Trudno w jednym zdaniu określić, czy jest to dobra książka bądź zła. Ponieważ przedstawiony w powieści kryjący się w ludzkich duszach mrok strasznie kusi i po prostu chce się dalej czytać, żeby przekonać się do jakich ohydnych rzeczy jest zdolny człowiek.
Jeśli natomiast chodzi o śledztwo to mam dziwne wrażenie, że pomimo jego rozwoju, szukania nowych poszlak, informacji jakoś na pierwszy plan wysuwają się wszelkie dziwne, często zboczone pragnienia Wrocławian. Odnośnie wad mogę powiedzieć, że tekst nie jest idealnie skonstruowany, podobnie wygląda kreacja postaci, zwłaszcza drugiego istotnego bohatera – Herberta Anwaldta – który pomimo swojego alkoholowego problemu potrafi funkcjonować zaskakująco dobrze i to w sytuacji, gdy się go przymusza do bycia trzeźwym, a on nawet za bardzo nie odczuwa pragnienia sięgnięcia po kufel zimnego piwa czy butelkę sznapsa.
No cóż przygody Eberharda Mocka nie są dla każdego, części Czytelników może przypaść do gustu to zaglądanie i gmeranie po najdziwniejszych ludzkich upodobaniach, a dla innych to będzie powód by narzekać i marudzić, że ta powieść skupia się jedynie na prezentowaniu dewiacji seksualnych. A prawda wygląda tak, że każdy sam musi zadecydować czy jest to tytuł dla niego.
Książkę czyta się zadziwiająco dobrze, niezbyt długie rozdziały, zwięzłe i konkretne opisy są solidne, grubiańskie i konkretne. Bardzo przypominają głównego bohatera, który swoją władczą postawą stara się przyćmić wszystkich i wszystko co się dzieje w Breslau. Pozwala sobie na to wszystko, bo zna sekrety praktycznie wszystkich wpływowych obywateli Wrocławia.
Trudno w jednym zdaniu określić, czy jest to dobra książka bądź zła. Ponieważ przedstawiony w powieści kryjący się w ludzkich duszach mrok strasznie kusi i po prostu chce się dalej czytać, żeby przekonać się do jakich ohydnych rzeczy jest zdolny człowiek.
Jeśli natomiast chodzi o śledztwo to mam dziwne wrażenie, że pomimo jego rozwoju, szukania nowych poszlak, informacji jakoś na pierwszy plan wysuwają się wszelkie dziwne, często zboczone pragnienia Wrocławian. Odnośnie wad mogę powiedzieć, że tekst nie jest idealnie skonstruowany, podobnie wygląda kreacja postaci, zwłaszcza drugiego istotnego bohatera – Herberta Anwaldta – który pomimo swojego alkoholowego problemu potrafi funkcjonować zaskakująco dobrze i to w sytuacji, gdy się go przymusza do bycia trzeźwym, a on nawet za bardzo nie odczuwa pragnienia sięgnięcia po kufel zimnego piwa czy butelkę sznapsa.
No cóż przygody Eberharda Mocka nie są dla każdego, części Czytelników może przypaść do gustu to zaglądanie i gmeranie po najdziwniejszych ludzkich upodobaniach, a dla innych to będzie powód by narzekać i marudzić, że ta powieść skupia się jedynie na prezentowaniu dewiacji seksualnych. A prawda wygląda tak, że każdy sam musi zadecydować czy jest to tytuł dla niego.
December 30, 2014
The city of Breslau. Don't look for it on a map. It doesn't exist anymore. Once upon a time, it was a German city sharing a border with Poland. After the atrocities of World War 2, the Soviets drove out the German populace and gave it to Poland. It is now Wroclaw.
Back to the book. Breslau, 1933. A teenage girl and her nanny are murdered and ritually disemboweled on a train car in Breslau. Inspector Mock knew the girl and her father, a local aristocrat. To assist Mock in solving the crime, the Berlin police send Herbert Anwaldt to Breslau. Outwardly, Mock is a world-weary cynic, but secretly he pines for a son. Anwaldt grew up in an orphanage. He yearns for a father.
I really did love most of this book. Mr. Krajewski has a dark gift for creating noir atmosphere. His hero is Eberhard Mock, a cheerfully amoral, rules-bending German police inspector trying to solve a hideous crime--as well as hold on to his job--and his head--at the precise moment in history when the Nazis came to power. Mix in a little history, mythology, gastronomy, class warfare, hookers, murder, and the occult, and you begin to have an idea of what this book is about.
You don't really appreciate the achievement of this novel until you realize, as I suddenly did, that none of the places he is describing exist anymore. The people and culture of Breslau are gone, even the street names, different. How did he find all this stuff out?
A couple of caveats. The translation is kind of stiff--it feels like a translation from a book in the 1930s, not a Polish best-seller that was published a few years ago. And the characters' attitudes towards Jews and homosexuals are pretty primitive.
But still, a terrific read, full of gritty, riveting detail. I couldn't put it down.
Back to the book. Breslau, 1933. A teenage girl and her nanny are murdered and ritually disemboweled on a train car in Breslau. Inspector Mock knew the girl and her father, a local aristocrat. To assist Mock in solving the crime, the Berlin police send Herbert Anwaldt to Breslau. Outwardly, Mock is a world-weary cynic, but secretly he pines for a son. Anwaldt grew up in an orphanage. He yearns for a father.
I really did love most of this book. Mr. Krajewski has a dark gift for creating noir atmosphere. His hero is Eberhard Mock, a cheerfully amoral, rules-bending German police inspector trying to solve a hideous crime--as well as hold on to his job--and his head--at the precise moment in history when the Nazis came to power. Mix in a little history, mythology, gastronomy, class warfare, hookers, murder, and the occult, and you begin to have an idea of what this book is about.
You don't really appreciate the achievement of this novel until you realize, as I suddenly did, that none of the places he is describing exist anymore. The people and culture of Breslau are gone, even the street names, different. How did he find all this stuff out?
A couple of caveats. The translation is kind of stiff--it feels like a translation from a book in the 1930s, not a Polish best-seller that was published a few years ago. And the characters' attitudes towards Jews and homosexuals are pretty primitive.
But still, a terrific read, full of gritty, riveting detail. I couldn't put it down.
August 19, 2014
Do editors still read books before they are published? It's hard to know if the bad writing in this book is due to the translator or the author. The translator clearly isn't fluent in English, often using incorrect words when clearly something else is intended. For instance, literary digression is referred to as "retardation", and "pushy" is used when what is meant is "horny." (That reference comes in a discussion of a quote from the ancient author "Hezjod", whom I thought must be some heretofore-unknown-to-me Near Eastern wise man, until I came across the actual quote the character was thinking of and realized he was talking about the Greek poet known in English as Hesiod.) Still, other examples can't be blamed solely on the translator - there are stretches of dialogue that one can't believe would come out of any real persons's mouth.
As for the story, well, it's about depraved Germans torturing, murdering, and corrupting people ("What's not to like?" I hear you say - show me the orgies!) but this sort of titillation is a cliche at this point. I found no psychological insights into the bad behavior on display. The mystery was also not particularly intriguing - we learn little about the victims, and certainly not enough to care - and the motive for the killer ends up being ridiculous.
As for the story, well, it's about depraved Germans torturing, murdering, and corrupting people ("What's not to like?" I hear you say - show me the orgies!) but this sort of titillation is a cliche at this point. I found no psychological insights into the bad behavior on display. The mystery was also not particularly intriguing - we learn little about the victims, and certainly not enough to care - and the motive for the killer ends up being ridiculous.
August 8, 2014
„Смърт в Бреслау” на Марек Крайевски успя да ме изненада доста силно. Очаквах криминално приключение, което малко или много да попада в клишето, с единствената разлика, че действието се развива няколко години преди Втората световна война в днешна Полша.
Началото на романа започва с мистериозното, дори мистично убийство на Мариета фон дер Малтен и нейната гувернантка. Двете са изнасилени и убити, а коремът на Мариета е разрязан и в него са поставени скорпиони. Доста зловещо, като добавим и тайнствен надпис, изписан с кръвта на жертвите. Случаят е поверен на инспектор Еберхарт Мок и тук беше първата ми изненада. Вместо да започне разследване, което бавно и методично да доведе до разкриване на престъплението, Мок беше притиснат политически и така вината пое невинна жертва, в неясна все още интрига. Търсенето на убиеца се поднови година по-късно, и то неявно, заради Гестапо, което тъкмо започваше своя тъмен възход и по някаква причина искаше случаят да бъде потулен.
цялото ревю тук: http://azcheta.com/smart-v-breslau-ma...
Началото на романа започва с мистериозното, дори мистично убийство на Мариета фон дер Малтен и нейната гувернантка. Двете са изнасилени и убити, а коремът на Мариета е разрязан и в него са поставени скорпиони. Доста зловещо, като добавим и тайнствен надпис, изписан с кръвта на жертвите. Случаят е поверен на инспектор Еберхарт Мок и тук беше първата ми изненада. Вместо да започне разследване, което бавно и методично да доведе до разкриване на престъплението, Мок беше притиснат политически и така вината пое невинна жертва, в неясна все още интрига. Търсенето на убиеца се поднови година по-късно, и то неявно, заради Гестапо, което тъкмо започваше своя тъмен възход и по някаква причина искаше случаят да бъде потулен.
цялото ревю тук: http://azcheta.com/smart-v-breslau-ma...
January 10, 2023
Many of the reviews of this book were so good that I was excited to read it. My advice after reading it is - DON’T. This book was a torture to finish. I loathed it. It was poorly written, badly translated, and filled with male characters who were so disgusting that they became one dimensional caricatures of evil. The women were almost all pathetic victims of abuse. The men were almost all immoral, unfeeling, out of control murderers and rapists who considered that a woman existed solely for her ability to sexually satisfy the male. I detested this book and every male character in it.
March 24, 2012
Giving up. This book is a disappointment; artificial and contrived. The translation is awkward. There are better places to put my time. It's a pity because there are one or two sections where the writing does come to life....
May 21, 2025
co za seksistowski, ohydny gównowysryw. autor ma absolutną obsesję na punkcie seksualizowania kobiet. postaci kobiece nie są tutaj ludźmi, o nie. one były tutaj wyłącznie: prostytutkami, obiektami pożądania, lub (a często również) ofiarami przemocy, przemocy seksualnej i zbrodni. dokładnie pięć kobiet dostało tutaj jakiekolwiek kwestie do wypowiedzenia - jedna to późniejsza ofiara mordu, jedna to burdelmama, dwie to prostytutki, jedna to żona jednego z bohaterów - przelotny obiekt pożądania. żadnej z kobiet nie ominęło byciem przedmiotem w oczach któregoś z bohaterów (za to co najmniej cztery zostały BARDZO brutalnie zamordowane, co oczywiście było szczegółowo opisane), którzy, notabene, są najżałośniejszymi istotami, o jakich czytałam, a potem się dowiedziałam, że o jednym z nich autor napisał KILKANAŚCIE książek. myślę, że jakby tak policzyć, ile razy w tekście wspomniane są prostytutki, to wyszłoby tak około setki. przysięgam, to jest OBSESJA. i na pewno nie ma ani jednej strony, na której któryś z bohaterów jak obrzydliwy dziad nie mlaskałby sobie pod nosem jęzorem na widok kobiety albo na myśl o widoku kobiety - to jest tak z połowa treści.
ale przecież przedwojenny wrocław! powiedzą fani książki. no to ja wam powiem, jak ten przedwojenny wrocław jest zarysowany: jest gorąco. bohater wsiada w samochód, jedzie jednąstrasse, drugąstrasse, mija teatr, skręca w trzeciąstrasse, czwartąstrasse i dojeżdża do piątejstrasse. aha, a do tego jest upał i duszno i kurz, bo jest lipiec i wrocław leży w dolinie.
ale zagadka kryminalna! nie no, chapeu bas, bo trzeba mieć dużo umiejętności, żeby napisać taką książkę. przez całą lekturę tak skupiałam się na tym, w jak dziwny i obleśny sposób to wszystko jest napisane, że zapomniałam o morderstwie z początku powieści. wow taki kryminał taka zagadka tyle suspensu wow
easily jedna z najgorszych książek, jakie czytałam. autor zasługuje na terapię albo odizolowanie od społeczeństwa (a przynajmniej od jego połowy).
ps o mało co nie zapomniałam o seksualizowaniu, uwaga, 12- i 14-letnich dziewcząt. tak, dzieci.
ale przecież przedwojenny wrocław! powiedzą fani książki. no to ja wam powiem, jak ten przedwojenny wrocław jest zarysowany: jest gorąco. bohater wsiada w samochód, jedzie jednąstrasse, drugąstrasse, mija teatr, skręca w trzeciąstrasse, czwartąstrasse i dojeżdża do piątejstrasse. aha, a do tego jest upał i duszno i kurz, bo jest lipiec i wrocław leży w dolinie.
ale zagadka kryminalna! nie no, chapeu bas, bo trzeba mieć dużo umiejętności, żeby napisać taką książkę. przez całą lekturę tak skupiałam się na tym, w jak dziwny i obleśny sposób to wszystko jest napisane, że zapomniałam o morderstwie z początku powieści. wow taki kryminał taka zagadka tyle suspensu wow
easily jedna z najgorszych książek, jakie czytałam. autor zasługuje na terapię albo odizolowanie od społeczeństwa (a przynajmniej od jego połowy).
ps o mało co nie zapomniałam o seksualizowaniu, uwaga, 12- i 14-letnich dziewcząt. tak, dzieci.
August 4, 2024
Not a fan. Writing style was jarring and made it difficult to follow what was happening. Characters were pretty unlikeable. Storyline was interesting at times but not often enough to make it an enjoyable read.
June 23, 2019
I was rating this much higher for about 2/3 of the book, but then it fell apart. There were times I didn't even know what was going on (and I can read, and like, weird shit). I don't know if this was due to the translation or plotting. It's seems too easy to blame the translator for a failure that extends for about a third of the book. (It was working fine before that.)
The set-up for the novel is fascinating. 1933, Breslau is in the first throes of the Nazi takeover, and local cop, Inspector Mock, is trying to balance that reality with his own interests and desire for control. Mock is not a nice guy, and the glimpses into his private life are often fragmentary and contradictory. He likes prostitutes and chess, he's anti-Semitic (but not whole-hog Nazi either), he plays his cards close, observes and takes note of the weaknesses of others, and is capable of rough justice if it dovetails with his interests. The novel opens with a brutal murder, with ritualistic overtones. This was fascinating, but by novel's end promised more than it delivered. And there is a lot of that in this short novel. Cryptic allusions, ancient (and modern) vendettas, kinky sex, and bizarre characters. It's cool a ride until it becomes necessary to pull these elements together for some sort of resolution. Even the book's opening epigram, from Oedipus the King, is ultimately disappointing because it doesn't resonate due to the undeveloped character it's attached to. All this complaining aside, the book IS fascinating in its portrayal of the German underworld of 1933. If you like M, Weimar, Three Penny Opera, Brecht, and Cabaret, there might be something here for you, but just not as a satisfying overall read. As one reviewer commented, Breslau (1933) is the real star here. A dark one at that. As negative as this review is, I still may check out other books in this series.
The set-up for the novel is fascinating. 1933, Breslau is in the first throes of the Nazi takeover, and local cop, Inspector Mock, is trying to balance that reality with his own interests and desire for control. Mock is not a nice guy, and the glimpses into his private life are often fragmentary and contradictory. He likes prostitutes and chess, he's anti-Semitic (but not whole-hog Nazi either), he plays his cards close, observes and takes note of the weaknesses of others, and is capable of rough justice if it dovetails with his interests. The novel opens with a brutal murder, with ritualistic overtones. This was fascinating, but by novel's end promised more than it delivered. And there is a lot of that in this short novel. Cryptic allusions, ancient (and modern) vendettas, kinky sex, and bizarre characters. It's cool a ride until it becomes necessary to pull these elements together for some sort of resolution. Even the book's opening epigram, from Oedipus the King, is ultimately disappointing because it doesn't resonate due to the undeveloped character it's attached to. All this complaining aside, the book IS fascinating in its portrayal of the German underworld of 1933. If you like M, Weimar, Three Penny Opera, Brecht, and Cabaret, there might be something here for you, but just not as a satisfying overall read. As one reviewer commented, Breslau (1933) is the real star here. A dark one at that. As negative as this review is, I still may check out other books in this series.
March 14, 2023
K detektivnímu pojetí románu jsem měl nejblíž při bizarním pátrání nezletilců u Gombrowicze, takže musím předestřít, že z hlediska žánru jsem absolutní zelenáč. Zároveň jsem od prvních stran vycítil, že Krajewski se přinejmenším pokouší trochu vystrnadit z klasických žánrových poloh. Používá různé dokumenty – záznamy, kroniky, novinové i vědecké články –, což je ještě ve spojení s ústředním motivem záhadného vzkazu celkem sugestivní. I jasně rozvržený černobílý charakter pátrajících a hledaných je poněkud rozmělněný; v knize všichni tak trochu podléhají nabubřelému machismu, ale díky detailně líčeným neohrabanostem a banalitám se i tenhle rys celkem zpochybňuje. Nadosobní poslání je fuč a vyšetřování chvílemi spíš připomíná jakousi poťouchlou hru plnou dobrých i groteskních intrik, výhružek a fíglů.
Ale navzdory všem těm výkladům klasické filologie a historickým exkurzům na Blízký východ jsem se nemohl zbavit dojmu, že autorovi stále jde hlavně o pořádnou senzaci – jinak si nedokážu vysvětlit ty labužnické popisy rozedraných těl a sexuálních praktik. I to propojení se semitskou sektou a současnou židovskou situací v Německu (román se odehrává v 30. letech 20. století) se mi jeví spíš nahozeně, jako by nakonec stejně šlo o to vytěžit prostory bordelů a psychiatrie. Vlastně co s tím.
Iritovaly mě i ty násilné dialogy, které se zčistajasna zjevily a byl v nich vysvětlen celý dosavadní průběh vyšetřování. Naopak celkem organicky se v knize skrz detaily vynořovaly traumata z minulosti hlavních postav, to ve výsledku nejvíce rozbíjelo ustrnulé závěry ve vyšetřování. A taky to poťouchlé lpění na pečlivém popisu (původních) jmen ulic (dokonce se slovníčkem), ha, z toho snad nelze moc vyčíst, ale docela zajímavě to rytmicky odměřovalo jinak rozjařené vyprávění.
Ale navzdory všem těm výkladům klasické filologie a historickým exkurzům na Blízký východ jsem se nemohl zbavit dojmu, že autorovi stále jde hlavně o pořádnou senzaci – jinak si nedokážu vysvětlit ty labužnické popisy rozedraných těl a sexuálních praktik. I to propojení se semitskou sektou a současnou židovskou situací v Německu (román se odehrává v 30. letech 20. století) se mi jeví spíš nahozeně, jako by nakonec stejně šlo o to vytěžit prostory bordelů a psychiatrie. Vlastně co s tím.
Iritovaly mě i ty násilné dialogy, které se zčistajasna zjevily a byl v nich vysvětlen celý dosavadní průběh vyšetřování. Naopak celkem organicky se v knize skrz detaily vynořovaly traumata z minulosti hlavních postav, to ve výsledku nejvíce rozbíjelo ustrnulé závěry ve vyšetřování. A taky to poťouchlé lpění na pečlivém popisu (původních) jmen ulic (dokonce se slovníčkem), ha, z toho snad nelze moc vyčíst, ale docela zajímavě to rytmicky odměřovalo jinak rozjařené vyprávění.
February 8, 2017
"Tod in Breslau" lebt nicht nur von seinem markanten Mordfall, sondern auch von der sehr stimmigen Atmosphäre. Marek Krajewski lässt hier das Breslau der 1930er Jahre vor dem Auge des Lesers entstehen und schildert dies detailreich und -getreu.
Mit Eberhard Mock bekommt man es mit einem nicht alltäglichen Kommissar zu tun, denn er betrügt seine Frau, geht ins Bordell und schreckt auch nicht vor Schlimmerem zurück. Durch den Roman zieht sich ebenso eine Spur aus Korruption, Machtgeschachere, Folter und auch die ein oder andere kurze Sexszene. Ein verruchtes Breslau eben! Ebenso wird schon der Einfluss Hitlers erkennbar.
Mir hat der Auftakt der Reihe gut gefallen, da es mal etwas anderes als die typische Krimi-Kost war und daher werde ich auch die anderen drei in Deutschland erschienenen Bände noch lesen.
Mit Eberhard Mock bekommt man es mit einem nicht alltäglichen Kommissar zu tun, denn er betrügt seine Frau, geht ins Bordell und schreckt auch nicht vor Schlimmerem zurück. Durch den Roman zieht sich ebenso eine Spur aus Korruption, Machtgeschachere, Folter und auch die ein oder andere kurze Sexszene. Ein verruchtes Breslau eben! Ebenso wird schon der Einfluss Hitlers erkennbar.
Mir hat der Auftakt der Reihe gut gefallen, da es mal etwas anderes als die typische Krimi-Kost war und daher werde ich auch die anderen drei in Deutschland erschienenen Bände noch lesen.
January 5, 2014
Wrocław, rok 1933. W brutalny sposób zostaje zamordowana młoda baronówna. Radca kryminalny, Eberhard Mock, szuka mordercy, który rozciął brzuch młodej dziewczynie i umieścił w jej trzewiach zabójcze skorpiony. W tle przewija się panorama międzywojennego Wrocławia, oddana w dokładny sposób, od stanu architektonicznego miasta, aż po ulubione rozrywki jego prominentnych mieszkańców.
I to jest największy problem z książką Krajewskiego. Bo choć zagadka jest ciekawa, choć czytelnik oczekuje na jej rozwiązanie, autor zdaje się nie skupiać na tej kwestii w sposób szczególny. Z dużą większym zaangażowaniem opisuje jurnych bogaczy, ich fascynacje nieletnimi dziewczynami, czy sposób funkcjonowania podwrocławskiego burdelu. Kiedy w końcu rozwiązanie zagadki się zbliża, okazuje się ono mocno naciągane, zostawia poczucie, że cała ta książka została napisana na siłę i w sumie, nie wiadomo, po co.
Mówiąc krótko - "Śmierć w Breslau" nudzi, momentami obrzydza, a na końcu rozczarowuje. Ciężko nawet zachwycić się obrazem miasta sprzed 80 lat, kiedy należało ono jeszcze do Niemców i zarówno nazwy ulic, jak i mentalność mieszkańców były zupełnie inne. A szkoda, bo w tej materii autor zrobił kawał dobrej roboty. Szkoda, że do innych aspektów opowieści nie przyłożył się tak samo mocno.
I to jest największy problem z książką Krajewskiego. Bo choć zagadka jest ciekawa, choć czytelnik oczekuje na jej rozwiązanie, autor zdaje się nie skupiać na tej kwestii w sposób szczególny. Z dużą większym zaangażowaniem opisuje jurnych bogaczy, ich fascynacje nieletnimi dziewczynami, czy sposób funkcjonowania podwrocławskiego burdelu. Kiedy w końcu rozwiązanie zagadki się zbliża, okazuje się ono mocno naciągane, zostawia poczucie, że cała ta książka została napisana na siłę i w sumie, nie wiadomo, po co.
Mówiąc krótko - "Śmierć w Breslau" nudzi, momentami obrzydza, a na końcu rozczarowuje. Ciężko nawet zachwycić się obrazem miasta sprzed 80 lat, kiedy należało ono jeszcze do Niemców i zarówno nazwy ulic, jak i mentalność mieszkańców były zupełnie inne. A szkoda, bo w tej materii autor zrobił kawał dobrej roboty. Szkoda, że do innych aspektów opowieści nie przyłożył się tak samo mocno.
November 28, 2012
Breslau, 1934. The head of the local police, Eberhard Mock, enjoys playing strip-chess with prostitutes. This is perhaps his most endearing quality, as he is a corrupt sadist. Herbert Anwaldt is an alcoholic grown-up orphan with an education in the classics. His commander in Berlin has had it with him and is only too happy to ship him off to Bresalu on an errand. Together, Mock and Anwaldt must solve the murder of Baron von der Malten's daughter: the young woman was attacked in her train car, raped, disemboweled and had live scorpions dropped into her empty abdominal cavity. Just another day in Breslau.
Everyone is screwing everyone - literally and figuratively. Regimes change every week. If you don't have a good historical grasp on all that Ernst Roehm-era pusctching, you'll have a devil of the time keeping it all straight: the Gestapo, the SS, the Abwehr, the SA.
A bestseller in Krajeski's native Poland, this book, the first in the Eberhard Mock series, has just been translated into Engligh. Recommended for inter-war history junkies and Silesians, but most others can give it a pass.
Everyone is screwing everyone - literally and figuratively. Regimes change every week. If you don't have a good historical grasp on all that Ernst Roehm-era pusctching, you'll have a devil of the time keeping it all straight: the Gestapo, the SS, the Abwehr, the SA.
A bestseller in Krajeski's native Poland, this book, the first in the Eberhard Mock series, has just been translated into Engligh. Recommended for inter-war history junkies and Silesians, but most others can give it a pass.
May 24, 2012
Very dark, historical crime novel with policemen who are violent, drink too much, extort and whore as protagonists. Underneath all the evil and violence, it is book about lonely people longing to belong and seeking escape from this harsh reality. And it is a book about a society that's disappeared under the politics of war.
The characters are way more complex and interesting than the standard fare coming in shovel-loads out of the "land of the brave and the free". In these pages, you won't find your average reformed ex-alcoholic getting redemption in the protection of the innocent (the character who is now the almost universal hero of crime novels). These are broken people in a broken world doing bad things - not in pursuit of any good; merely in pursuit of survival.
It is a ripping read, and so much more than a standard crime novel.
The characters are way more complex and interesting than the standard fare coming in shovel-loads out of the "land of the brave and the free". In these pages, you won't find your average reformed ex-alcoholic getting redemption in the protection of the innocent (the character who is now the almost universal hero of crime novels). These are broken people in a broken world doing bad things - not in pursuit of any good; merely in pursuit of survival.
It is a ripping read, and so much more than a standard crime novel.
August 21, 2014
Смърт от жилото на скорпион: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/s...
Това е зло. Чисто зло зад зла корица. Роман, в който ни един герой не е протагонист, няма ни капчица трепетна любов, нито каквото и да е позитивно чувство, възвишен порив или неегоистично действие. “Смърт в Бреслау” започва в лудница и със скорпиони, продължава с кошмарни изнасилване и убийство – и после става по-лошо.
Силно подозирам, че Марек Крайевски е написал най-мизантропския роман, който съм чел някога – всички в него са озлобени към света, обсадени в своите малки професионални крепости, а основният им метод на комуникация вън от мъченията е шантажът.
БГкнига
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/s...
Това е зло. Чисто зло зад зла корица. Роман, в който ни един герой не е протагонист, няма ни капчица трепетна любов, нито каквото и да е позитивно чувство, възвишен порив или неегоистично действие. “Смърт в Бреслау” започва в лудница и със скорпиони, продължава с кошмарни изнасилване и убийство – и после става по-лошо.
Силно подозирам, че Марек Крайевски е написал най-мизантропския роман, който съм чел някога – всички в него са озлобени към света, обсадени в своите малки професионални крепости, а основният им метод на комуникация вън от мъченията е шантажът.
БГкнига
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/s...
January 9, 2023
That was awful. I loathed this book. There was not a single likable character in here. The writing was terrible. The translation was abysmal. I probably would have given it one star just for the poor writing but the content made it even worse. Every page is more torture, violence, abuse. The violence against and general contempt for women was overwhelming. I know many of the characters were Nazis, so they are supposed to be terrible men, but the main characters showed the same contempt for women, Jews, and any other minority. It was so prevalent, it felt like the author was getting off on the exploitation. The whole book was distasteful and very difficult to read.
October 11, 2017
"Seventeen-year-old Marietta von der Malten was on the floor , naked from the waist down. Her loose, thick, ash-blonde hair was saturated with blood, like a sponge. Her face was contorted as if by a sudden attack of paralysis. Garlands of int3estines lay scattered at the sides of her slashed body. The torn stomach revealed remnants of undigested food. Mock caught sight of something in the abdominal cavity. Overcoming his revulsion, he leaned over the girl's body. The stench was unbearable. Mock swallowed. In the blood and mucus moved a small , vigorous scorpion."
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