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The Stages: A Novel
He trusts everyone, when he shouldn't trust anyone.
How does a man with Asperger’s Syndrome step out of his office, leave behind the safety of his desk and books, and embrace the world he’s always kept at arm’s length?
All his life, Daniel Peters has hidden behind his reputation as one of the world’s best translators of the iconic philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. When his beloved ex-girlfriend and mentor dies under odd circumstances and a priceless Kierkegaard manuscript goes missing, Daniel turns out to be the last person to have seen her alive. To clear his name, he must leave the safety of his books and venture out into the streets of Copenhagen.
Reminiscent of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, this mystery will keep readers guessing until the final page.
How does a man with Asperger’s Syndrome step out of his office, leave behind the safety of his desk and books, and embrace the world he’s always kept at arm’s length?
All his life, Daniel Peters has hidden behind his reputation as one of the world’s best translators of the iconic philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. When his beloved ex-girlfriend and mentor dies under odd circumstances and a priceless Kierkegaard manuscript goes missing, Daniel turns out to be the last person to have seen her alive. To clear his name, he must leave the safety of his books and venture out into the streets of Copenhagen.
Reminiscent of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime, this mystery will keep readers guessing until the final page.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published December 18, 2012
58 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
About the author
Thom Satterlee
12 books87 followersThom Satterlee’s God's Liar is the winner of Christianity Today's 2021 Award of Merit in fiction. His poetry collection Burning Wyclif was a 2007 American Library Association Notable book and a finalist for the L.A. Times Book Award. Other recognitions include two National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowships and awards from PEN America and the American-Scandinavian Foundation. He lives in Indiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 30, 2015
Thought provoking mystery with a twist.
Daniel Peters is an American translator of Kierkegaard living in Denmark. Daniel has Aspergers Syndrome, and while he is a genius when it comes to translating Kierkegaard's esoteric work, he is lacking in social skills/cues. When his boss, and first and only love, Mette, is murdered and a rare Kierkegaard manuscript goes missing, Daniel is forced into unraveling the mystery of the murder and stolen manuscript.
The Stages is an original mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Just as Daniel got wrapped up in words, I got wrapped up in his story/words and missed some clues. I finished this book several days ago, and it still has me thinking and questioning--which in my mind, makes a great mystery!
Daniel Peters is an American translator of Kierkegaard living in Denmark. Daniel has Aspergers Syndrome, and while he is a genius when it comes to translating Kierkegaard's esoteric work, he is lacking in social skills/cues. When his boss, and first and only love, Mette, is murdered and a rare Kierkegaard manuscript goes missing, Daniel is forced into unraveling the mystery of the murder and stolen manuscript.
The Stages is an original mystery that kept me guessing until the end. Just as Daniel got wrapped up in words, I got wrapped up in his story/words and missed some clues. I finished this book several days ago, and it still has me thinking and questioning--which in my mind, makes a great mystery!
May 8, 2013
I like learning stuff and that is the beauty of this book: one learns! The main character is an American translator in Denmark who has Asperger's Syndrome. He translates works by Kierkegaard who, to me, was just one of those boring old male Europeans that I had to study in Philosophy class way back in school. So I learned about Kierkegaard (how to pronounce his name, how he seems to have been an “Aspie” based on his lack of social skills and other personality quirks, and that he may or may not have been anti-Semitic). Being the mother of an “Aspie,” I found it fascinating to learn about the Asperger's Syndrome traits and feelings (or lack thereof) through the first-person narrator/main character. I learned that the Danes eat their sandwiches with a fork and knife (trivia is my thing). Woven through this well-written tale is a very interesting murder mystery plot and I learned that in order to solve it, as I like to do when reading, I should pay less attention to what I'm learning and more to the progression of clues. So if you enjoy a bit more than the usual—and sometimes boring—mystery novel, please try this book.
August 19, 2015
Daniel Peters tells his own story in Thom Satterlee's novel, The Stages, which is an interesting story even without the murder of Daniel's boss and former girlfriend—although of course that's the thread that pulls us through the pages.
Daniel is a middle-aged American man who has lived in Copenhagen for twenty years where he works as a translator at the Søren Kierkegaard Research Center. An extremely circumscribed life with minimal human contact and a rigid routine suits Daniel who suffers from Asperger's syndrome.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, "Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder characterized by social impairment, communication difficulties, and restrictive, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Asperger syndrome is . . . synonymous with the most highly functioning individuals with ASD. Two core features of autism are: a) social and communication deficits and b) fixated interests and repetitive behaviors. The social communication deficits in highly functioning persons with Asperger syndrome include lack of the normal back and forth conversation; lack of typical eye contact, body language, and facial expression; and trouble maintaining relationships." It makes Daniel a brilliant translator but hobbles him as a freelance investigator. He cannot tell when someone lying or speaking ironically.
The Stages opens with the funeral of Matte Rassmussan, the director of the Søren Kierkegaard Research Center. She's been brutally hacked to death; Daniel had seen her the night of her death; the Copenhagen police have no suspects although they certainly have questions for Daniel. Adding to the mystery, recently-discovered Kierkegaard manuscript has gone missing from the vault where it was stored. Fortunately—or not—Daniel had already translated the contents.
As an amateur translator myself, I was interested in Daniel's description of the work: . . . "[I] pay attention to words, hear what they say and say back what they mean, what they could mean or most likely would mean in English rather than Danish; what the words mean, in some sense, beyond both languages, in another more essential language, which is like a sea I cast into and draw out words—some I throw back, others I keeps; and I do this over and over again in my mind, until whole sentences of the right words are strung together with a rhythm that holds them like a taut wire—and these word-strung wires I place carefully on the lines of my exercise booklet, one after another, down the page and onto the next."
Because of the story Satterlee is telling, the reader learns a great deal about Kierkegaard's life and work, including how to pronounce his name ("Kyerk-ah-gore"). Because of the setting, we learn something about Danish life and culture. For example, "If I have to be the suspect in a murder case, let it be Copenhagen where a senior officer brews fresh strong coffee and offers you sugar from a crystal bowl." Because of Satterlee's skill, we never leave Daniel's point of view, and reading what Daniel does, and why and how does it seems entirely plausible and convincing. I'll second Publishers Weekly's blurb: "A deftly crafted mystery that will leave readers curious and surprised." I was surprised and satisfied.
Daniel is a middle-aged American man who has lived in Copenhagen for twenty years where he works as a translator at the Søren Kierkegaard Research Center. An extremely circumscribed life with minimal human contact and a rigid routine suits Daniel who suffers from Asperger's syndrome.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, "Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder characterized by social impairment, communication difficulties, and restrictive, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Asperger syndrome is . . . synonymous with the most highly functioning individuals with ASD. Two core features of autism are: a) social and communication deficits and b) fixated interests and repetitive behaviors. The social communication deficits in highly functioning persons with Asperger syndrome include lack of the normal back and forth conversation; lack of typical eye contact, body language, and facial expression; and trouble maintaining relationships." It makes Daniel a brilliant translator but hobbles him as a freelance investigator. He cannot tell when someone lying or speaking ironically.
The Stages opens with the funeral of Matte Rassmussan, the director of the Søren Kierkegaard Research Center. She's been brutally hacked to death; Daniel had seen her the night of her death; the Copenhagen police have no suspects although they certainly have questions for Daniel. Adding to the mystery, recently-discovered Kierkegaard manuscript has gone missing from the vault where it was stored. Fortunately—or not—Daniel had already translated the contents.
As an amateur translator myself, I was interested in Daniel's description of the work: . . . "[I] pay attention to words, hear what they say and say back what they mean, what they could mean or most likely would mean in English rather than Danish; what the words mean, in some sense, beyond both languages, in another more essential language, which is like a sea I cast into and draw out words—some I throw back, others I keeps; and I do this over and over again in my mind, until whole sentences of the right words are strung together with a rhythm that holds them like a taut wire—and these word-strung wires I place carefully on the lines of my exercise booklet, one after another, down the page and onto the next."
Because of the story Satterlee is telling, the reader learns a great deal about Kierkegaard's life and work, including how to pronounce his name ("Kyerk-ah-gore"). Because of the setting, we learn something about Danish life and culture. For example, "If I have to be the suspect in a murder case, let it be Copenhagen where a senior officer brews fresh strong coffee and offers you sugar from a crystal bowl." Because of Satterlee's skill, we never leave Daniel's point of view, and reading what Daniel does, and why and how does it seems entirely plausible and convincing. I'll second Publishers Weekly's blurb: "A deftly crafted mystery that will leave readers curious and surprised." I was surprised and satisfied.
November 10, 2015
Thos is a mystery npvel featuring an adult male with Asperger's syndrome, Daniel Peters, a translator. I work with a few individuals with Aspies, the author nailed the character. I am very impressed.
This is told on first person. I really liked that hecause the author was able to dip into the characters thoughts. Some of those thoughts help readers to better understad what actually goes on Peters' head. I loved that part of thos boom.
As far as the story itself, I was really guessing the whole time trying to figure out hoe it would end. There are some really shocking plot twists.
There is a lot of focus on Kierkegaard. I found that part to he cery interesting and educating. I had a good idea of who he was, but now i know a lot more.
This is told on first person. I really liked that hecause the author was able to dip into the characters thoughts. Some of those thoughts help readers to better understad what actually goes on Peters' head. I loved that part of thos boom.
As far as the story itself, I was really guessing the whole time trying to figure out hoe it would end. There are some really shocking plot twists.
There is a lot of focus on Kierkegaard. I found that part to he cery interesting and educating. I had a good idea of who he was, but now i know a lot more.
November 12, 2015
The Stages by Thom Satterlee is an intriguing mystery starring a very unusual but likable protagonist.
For the past eighteen years, American Daniel Peters has been living and working in Copenhagen as translator of philosopher Søren Kierkegaard's works. Socially awkward with a penchant for routine, Daniel was unaware that these traits are, in fact, symptoms of Asperger's syndrome until rather late in life. His close friend and boss Mette Rasmussen was instrumental in helping him understand his condition and while he still has difficulty reading social cues, he is making an effort to interact more regularly with his co-workers. Mette was very protective of him and in the aftermath of her death, Daniel is trying to put his well-ordered life back on track when he learns he is the lead suspect in her murder. In an effort to clear his name and recover a recently discovered but now missing Kierkegaard manuscript, Daniel steps out of his comfort zone and investigates the clues that he hopes will lead him to her killer.
Daniel is highly intelligent but he is definitely at a disadvantage in social or work environments. He is never quite sure whether people are making fun of him and he is often at a loss when trying to read facial expressions or grasp subtle nuances during conversations. He also struggles to understand what emotions he is experiencing and although he misses Mette, he does not feel grief at her death. He is very reflective of their shared history and there is no mistaking his long held affection for his former girlfriend, but grief is just not in his emotional vocabulary. Instead, Daniel tries to make sense of his new life without her but without Mette's protection, his trusting nature makes him a target of unscrupulous people who try to take advantage of him both at home and work.
Daniel's innocence is refreshing yet also heartbreaking. The police have questions about his last encounter with Mette and he is genuinely perplexed when his explanations do not clear him as a suspect. Once he realizes this, he fully co-operates with their requests while at the same time investigating her death on his own. He makes a few puzzling discoveries that he tracks down but his Asperger's makes it difficult for him to put what he uncovers into any type of understandable context until a shocking revelation helps Daniel put all of the pieces of the puzzle together.
Although a bit of a slow starter, The Stages is a captivating read with an engaging cast of characters. Daniel is an interesting protagonist and viewing the world through his perspective is quite fascinating. The mystery aspect of the storyline is well-written and Thom Satterlee does a superb job of concealing the perpetrator's identity and the motive for the crime right until the novel's stunning conclusion. Overall, a clever yet baffling mystery with a unique premise, unexpected plot twists and an atypical lead character that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
For the past eighteen years, American Daniel Peters has been living and working in Copenhagen as translator of philosopher Søren Kierkegaard's works. Socially awkward with a penchant for routine, Daniel was unaware that these traits are, in fact, symptoms of Asperger's syndrome until rather late in life. His close friend and boss Mette Rasmussen was instrumental in helping him understand his condition and while he still has difficulty reading social cues, he is making an effort to interact more regularly with his co-workers. Mette was very protective of him and in the aftermath of her death, Daniel is trying to put his well-ordered life back on track when he learns he is the lead suspect in her murder. In an effort to clear his name and recover a recently discovered but now missing Kierkegaard manuscript, Daniel steps out of his comfort zone and investigates the clues that he hopes will lead him to her killer.
Daniel is highly intelligent but he is definitely at a disadvantage in social or work environments. He is never quite sure whether people are making fun of him and he is often at a loss when trying to read facial expressions or grasp subtle nuances during conversations. He also struggles to understand what emotions he is experiencing and although he misses Mette, he does not feel grief at her death. He is very reflective of their shared history and there is no mistaking his long held affection for his former girlfriend, but grief is just not in his emotional vocabulary. Instead, Daniel tries to make sense of his new life without her but without Mette's protection, his trusting nature makes him a target of unscrupulous people who try to take advantage of him both at home and work.
Daniel's innocence is refreshing yet also heartbreaking. The police have questions about his last encounter with Mette and he is genuinely perplexed when his explanations do not clear him as a suspect. Once he realizes this, he fully co-operates with their requests while at the same time investigating her death on his own. He makes a few puzzling discoveries that he tracks down but his Asperger's makes it difficult for him to put what he uncovers into any type of understandable context until a shocking revelation helps Daniel put all of the pieces of the puzzle together.
Although a bit of a slow starter, The Stages is a captivating read with an engaging cast of characters. Daniel is an interesting protagonist and viewing the world through his perspective is quite fascinating. The mystery aspect of the storyline is well-written and Thom Satterlee does a superb job of concealing the perpetrator's identity and the motive for the crime right until the novel's stunning conclusion. Overall, a clever yet baffling mystery with a unique premise, unexpected plot twists and an atypical lead character that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
June 8, 2013
Der Amerikaner Daniel Peters arbeitet seit 20 Jahren als Kierkegaard-Übersetzer in Dänemark. Mitten im Vorbereitungsstress zum 200. Geburtstag des dänischen Schriftstellers wird Daniels Chefin Mette Rasmussen tot aufgefunden. An Daniels Arbeitsplatz weiß außer Mette niemand, dass Daniel unter dem Asperger-Syndrom leidet und Probleme damit hat, die Mimik seiner Gesprächspartner einzuschätzen. Seit Mette und Daniel als Schüler für kurze Zeit ein Paar waren, hielt seine Chefin und Förderin eine schützende Hand über ihn. Daniel erzählt die gesamte Geschichte in der Ich-Form, u. a. wie er die Trauerfeier für Mette erlebt und nicht weiß, wie er das tun soll, was nun wohl von ihm erwartet wird - um Mette trauern. Da mit Mettes Tod ein wertvolles Manuskript von Kierkegaard verschwunden ist, wäre Daniel ein wichtiger Zeuge für die ermittelnde Kriminalbeamtin. Daniel, der kein Handy besitzt und sein Festnetztelefon noch nie angeschlossen hat, verspricht, mit der Ermittlerin Ingrid zusammenzuarbeiten. Daniel eignet sich perfekt als Laienermittler, verfolgt er seine Ziele doch stets direkt und ohne falsche Rücksichtnahme. Wer zuvor jedoch aus Daniels Perspektive seinen streng strukturierten Tagesablauf und das innige Verhältnis zu seiner karierten Mütze verfolgt hat, wird daran zweifeln, ob diese "Zusammenarbeit" mit einem in seiner Wahrnehmung Behinderten ethisch korrekt sein kann. Während für Mette bereits verdächtig schnell eine Nachfolgerin eingestellt worden ist, fördert Daniel die komplizierten Geheimnisse ihrer Familie zutage.
Thom Satterlee, der wie seine Figur Daniel ein Jahr als Austausch-Schüler in Dänemark verbrachte, erweitert seinen Kriminalroman beiläufig zu einer unterhaltsamen Vorlesung über Kierkegaard. Im Wissen um seine Behinderung kann man Daniel einfach nicht übelnehmen, wenn er immer wieder auf sein Spezialgebiet zu sprechen kommt. Als Leser weiß man nie, ob man über Daniels eigenwillige Vorstellungen gerade lachen oder weinen soll. Die Sicht eines Asperger-Autisten, für den das menschliche Zusammenleben nach undurchschaubaren Regeln zu funktionieren scheint, macht den Charme dieses Buches aus.
Thom Satterlee, der wie seine Figur Daniel ein Jahr als Austausch-Schüler in Dänemark verbrachte, erweitert seinen Kriminalroman beiläufig zu einer unterhaltsamen Vorlesung über Kierkegaard. Im Wissen um seine Behinderung kann man Daniel einfach nicht übelnehmen, wenn er immer wieder auf sein Spezialgebiet zu sprechen kommt. Als Leser weiß man nie, ob man über Daniels eigenwillige Vorstellungen gerade lachen oder weinen soll. Die Sicht eines Asperger-Autisten, für den das menschliche Zusammenleben nach undurchschaubaren Regeln zu funktionieren scheint, macht den Charme dieses Buches aus.
October 20, 2015
Full disclosure: I received this as a Goodreads giveaway from the author, Thom Saterlee, but that in no way affects the review which follows.
What a wonderful book! First, I loved the idea -- a murder mystery whose main character, Daniel Peters, an American translator working in Copenhagen at the Soren Kierkegaard Research Center who has Asperger's Syndrome, is himself an all-too-trusting suspect who ends up helping the police with their investigation. We learn along the way that he has many things in common with the famous Kierkegaard. (A later summary of Daniel's thoughts on this says "...I am an unmarried, unsexed middle-aged man who lives alone in this harbor town and spends most of his time in the company of words rather than people. Like him, I had one important romantic relationship in my life, and I regret that it had to end...." - pp. 181-182) This puts him in the unique position of being able to think like Kierkegaard, even to the point of deciphering when Kierkegaard is being literal and when he is being ironic or even sarcastic -- a big advantage in his work as a translator.
Saterlee, who says that he spent the better part of four years writing The Stages, has really done his research on Kierkegaard (both writings and biographies), as well as on Copenhagen (where he first visited three decades ago), and this is evident in his command of the subject matter. But at no time did I find myself mired down in unnecessary information; whatever he shares with the reader is essential to the story line and to the character development.
Speaking of character development, I really loved his characterizations of all of the major and minor characters, as well as their interactions. I especially loved getting into Daniel's mind and thoughts, and reading his (Daniel's) descriptions of his favorite delicious Danish pastries.
What an unusual and well-integrated book; very highly recommended without reservation! Thank you so much for the opportunity to have read this!
What a wonderful book! First, I loved the idea -- a murder mystery whose main character, Daniel Peters, an American translator working in Copenhagen at the Soren Kierkegaard Research Center who has Asperger's Syndrome, is himself an all-too-trusting suspect who ends up helping the police with their investigation. We learn along the way that he has many things in common with the famous Kierkegaard. (A later summary of Daniel's thoughts on this says "...I am an unmarried, unsexed middle-aged man who lives alone in this harbor town and spends most of his time in the company of words rather than people. Like him, I had one important romantic relationship in my life, and I regret that it had to end...." - pp. 181-182) This puts him in the unique position of being able to think like Kierkegaard, even to the point of deciphering when Kierkegaard is being literal and when he is being ironic or even sarcastic -- a big advantage in his work as a translator.
Saterlee, who says that he spent the better part of four years writing The Stages, has really done his research on Kierkegaard (both writings and biographies), as well as on Copenhagen (where he first visited three decades ago), and this is evident in his command of the subject matter. But at no time did I find myself mired down in unnecessary information; whatever he shares with the reader is essential to the story line and to the character development.
Speaking of character development, I really loved his characterizations of all of the major and minor characters, as well as their interactions. I especially loved getting into Daniel's mind and thoughts, and reading his (Daniel's) descriptions of his favorite delicious Danish pastries.
What an unusual and well-integrated book; very highly recommended without reservation! Thank you so much for the opportunity to have read this!
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October 19, 2015This is a mystery novel told in first-person narrative by a man with Aspberger syndrome. His difficulty reading emotions or understanding subtle social cues gives the first half of the book a muted feeling. We only see the other characters through the eyes of the protagonist, and he does not see people in full color, so to speak. This makes the first half of the book drag a little, especially if the experience of a person with Aspbergers is not new information to the reader.
But once I got into the meat of the mystery, I found this book strangely compelling. There is a peace and clarity to the way Daniel speaks that kept me in the book. His inability to understand emotional experience - even his own - allowed the violence of the murder to sneak up on the reader. Without graphic or sordid description, Daniel's attempts to understand his own reactions conveyed the horror and blasphemy of murder in a way few cozies can.
A central element to this story is the theory that the philosopher Kierkegaard himself had Aspberger's. The way I had heard my college professors speak about Kierkegaard left me with the impression that he is essential reading to pretentious people who want to sound smart, but would be intolerably dull to the rest of us. This novel is the first time I've ever seen Kierkegaard described in ways that made me want to pick up one of his books. The author sees him not only as a source of impressive ideas, but as a kind of living drama and mystery. He draws the reader into Kierkegaard's story. The next time I hear someone mention him now, I may actually listen.
But once I got into the meat of the mystery, I found this book strangely compelling. There is a peace and clarity to the way Daniel speaks that kept me in the book. His inability to understand emotional experience - even his own - allowed the violence of the murder to sneak up on the reader. Without graphic or sordid description, Daniel's attempts to understand his own reactions conveyed the horror and blasphemy of murder in a way few cozies can.
A central element to this story is the theory that the philosopher Kierkegaard himself had Aspberger's. The way I had heard my college professors speak about Kierkegaard left me with the impression that he is essential reading to pretentious people who want to sound smart, but would be intolerably dull to the rest of us. This novel is the first time I've ever seen Kierkegaard described in ways that made me want to pick up one of his books. The author sees him not only as a source of impressive ideas, but as a kind of living drama and mystery. He draws the reader into Kierkegaard's story. The next time I hear someone mention him now, I may actually listen.
May 8, 2014
Let's see where to begin... The book is about Daniel who has Aspergers Syndrome and works at the Center for Soren Kierkegaard. For his career, Daniel translates Kierkegaard's writing from Danish to English. Daniel is obsessed with Kierkegaard ... and works incredibly hard to be sure and interpret the words correctly.
Daniel's friend, boss, and "mentor" (I can't think of a better word) is murdered and this takes Daniel out of his Aspergers comfort zone and into a world of finding Mette's murderer.
The book is very informative about the life of Soren Kierkegaard... and I have to admit I learned more than I ever wanted to know about his life - lol. However in the process I was glad to learn more about Kierkegaard, the man.
The story is told through Daniels' viewpoint, that of a person with Asperger Syndrome... it is a very "concrete" type of thinking that is unusual and interesting to follow. I recently read two other books that were written from the perspective of someone with Autism - all three books are amazing in their ability to portray a unique way of thinking that remains a mystery to most of us (the other 2 books are The Curious Incident of the Dog Barking in the Night Time and The Speed of Dark)
Daniel was very well portrayed; his unique approach to life was very well described. And I learned a lot about Kierkegaard. The only problem was the description of the pastries that Daniel loved did not help my diet at all :)
Daniel's friend, boss, and "mentor" (I can't think of a better word) is murdered and this takes Daniel out of his Aspergers comfort zone and into a world of finding Mette's murderer.
The book is very informative about the life of Soren Kierkegaard... and I have to admit I learned more than I ever wanted to know about his life - lol. However in the process I was glad to learn more about Kierkegaard, the man.
The story is told through Daniels' viewpoint, that of a person with Asperger Syndrome... it is a very "concrete" type of thinking that is unusual and interesting to follow. I recently read two other books that were written from the perspective of someone with Autism - all three books are amazing in their ability to portray a unique way of thinking that remains a mystery to most of us (the other 2 books are The Curious Incident of the Dog Barking in the Night Time and The Speed of Dark)
Daniel was very well portrayed; his unique approach to life was very well described. And I learned a lot about Kierkegaard. The only problem was the description of the pastries that Daniel loved did not help my diet at all :)
January 25, 2016
I guess this book was just not my cup of tea. I really tried to get into the story. I even got half way. Yet, I found myself having a hard time staying focused on the story. There was nothing that piqued my interest with the story or Daniel. Although, I have read a few other books where the main character had Asperger's I did not get the strong sense of struggle in society that I have experienced from the other characters in the books I read. Not to say that all people with Asperger's is like this. I just am commenting on what I have experienced from the books I have read. In fact, if you were to ask me what happened in the first half of the story, I would not even tell you one focal point as it was that unmemorable to me.
January 19, 2015
A very different mystery
I've worked with many children with Asperger's, but not adults, and I've read little Danish literature or literature set there, so my knowledge of Danish culture is somewhat limited. I am in debt to Mr. Steelers for helping correct that. At first I thought this would be a somewhat standard murder mystery, just with refreshingly unique characters and setting, but the novel drew me in with unexpected twists and turns. It then surprised me further with an unexpected plot twist at the end making for a surprising yet satisfying ending. I hope to read more by this author in the future.
I've worked with many children with Asperger's, but not adults, and I've read little Danish literature or literature set there, so my knowledge of Danish culture is somewhat limited. I am in debt to Mr. Steelers for helping correct that. At first I thought this would be a somewhat standard murder mystery, just with refreshingly unique characters and setting, but the novel drew me in with unexpected twists and turns. It then surprised me further with an unexpected plot twist at the end making for a surprising yet satisfying ending. I hope to read more by this author in the future.
December 29, 2012
An intelligently written literary mystery, The Stages tells the story of Dan Peterson, an American translator (and Aspie) living in Copenhagen. When his colleague and best friend dies mysteriously and a Kierkegaard manuscript goes missing, Peterson seeks to clear his own name in the murder investigation.
With a strong setting, well-developed characters, surprising plot twists, and a solid grounding in philosophy, theology, and language, this book is heads and shoulders above most murder mysteries. Highly recommended.
(Currently only available on kindle- and a steal at 2.99!)
With a strong setting, well-developed characters, surprising plot twists, and a solid grounding in philosophy, theology, and language, this book is heads and shoulders above most murder mysteries. Highly recommended.
(Currently only available on kindle- and a steal at 2.99!)
March 3, 2021
As a mystery lover, I’m always on the lookout for a story deeper than one which simply decodes a crime. As well, I want a story driven by characters over against plot. The Stages pleased me on both counts.
The main character of the novel, Daniel Peters, is an American translator living in Denmark. He translates work of the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, from Danish to English, working at a Kierkegaard research center in Copenhagen.
Years ago Daniel was engaged to Mette Rasmussen, when they both were students in Denmark. Daniel has Asperger’s, an autism spectrum disorder, impeding his ability to socialize. Perhaps that is the reason, her family disapproved of the engagement, leading to their breaking it.
Daniel and Mette appear to have remained friends, even though Mette eventually married someone else. Mette apparently got Daniel his present job. When Mette is found murdered, Daniel is one of the suspects, though certainly not the only one.
In addition, a manuscript is missing, a recently discovered possible lost writing of Kierkegaard. However, a translation Daniel made into English remains.
The story follows Daniel’s search for answers, as we sympathize with him, each interaction influenced by his unique way of interacting with others. He also tends to look at life through his life’s work, that of Soren Kierkegaard’s writings.
A story influenced by both Daniel’s uniqueness and Kierkegaard’s philosophy makes for a most interesting crime read.
The main character of the novel, Daniel Peters, is an American translator living in Denmark. He translates work of the Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, from Danish to English, working at a Kierkegaard research center in Copenhagen.
Years ago Daniel was engaged to Mette Rasmussen, when they both were students in Denmark. Daniel has Asperger’s, an autism spectrum disorder, impeding his ability to socialize. Perhaps that is the reason, her family disapproved of the engagement, leading to their breaking it.
Daniel and Mette appear to have remained friends, even though Mette eventually married someone else. Mette apparently got Daniel his present job. When Mette is found murdered, Daniel is one of the suspects, though certainly not the only one.
In addition, a manuscript is missing, a recently discovered possible lost writing of Kierkegaard. However, a translation Daniel made into English remains.
The story follows Daniel’s search for answers, as we sympathize with him, each interaction influenced by his unique way of interacting with others. He also tends to look at life through his life’s work, that of Soren Kierkegaard’s writings.
A story influenced by both Daniel’s uniqueness and Kierkegaard’s philosophy makes for a most interesting crime read.
December 22, 2020
Too Much Philosophy, Too Little Suspense
If you like existential philosophy and introspection you will undoubtedly have the patience for this novel. A researcher with Asperger's becomes a suspect in the murder of the director of the foundation where he works translating the works of Danish philosopher Kierkegaard. She was also his ex-girlfriend. Pressure mounts when a rare document is found missing lending a motive for the murder.
While the Asperger's is nicely conveyed my eyes glazed over with all the philosophy and interpretation. The novel plods on. The ending did not satisfy. Not bad but definitely not for those who like taut suspense and intricate plotting.
If you like existential philosophy and introspection you will undoubtedly have the patience for this novel. A researcher with Asperger's becomes a suspect in the murder of the director of the foundation where he works translating the works of Danish philosopher Kierkegaard. She was also his ex-girlfriend. Pressure mounts when a rare document is found missing lending a motive for the murder.
While the Asperger's is nicely conveyed my eyes glazed over with all the philosophy and interpretation. The novel plods on. The ending did not satisfy. Not bad but definitely not for those who like taut suspense and intricate plotting.
March 27, 2025
I grabbed this out of my “to read” pile and immediately thought WHY? Why did I get this? It was hard to get into for me although one reason is I didn’t like the typeface 🙄. I got into the story, tho, and it turned out to be a pretty good read. I loved the Asperger stuff, very interesting to learn how differently the mind can work. Was also interesting how characters would react to him. At the end, there’s a lot going on. I’m not quite sure how I liked the end — didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it. I guess some aspects I liked and others either weren’t explained enough or I just didn’t like.
October 20, 2019
The Stages was an excellent read from among books with a protagonist on the Autism spectrum. Similar in some aspects to “The Curious Incident…” but I really thought this was much better. Daniel Peters is a leading translator of Soren Kierkegaard’s work. He works for an institute under an ex-girlfriend, who was his one and only love. When she is murdered and a new work of Kierkegaard’s goes missing, Daniel must solve her murder to clear his own name. The writing here flowed and story moved along evenly. Daniel’s frustrations and thoughts come through clearly and feel authentic.
June 18, 2021
3.5/5 Fun little mystery novel with a Kierkegaard translator as the main character. Maleta somehow found this in a bookstore in Waco.
September 18, 2024
I enjoyed the book but felt the ending left too many things unresolved. It is a good, quick read though and I enjoyed learning more about Copenhagen and Søren Kierkegaard.
February 15, 2025
Interesting idea to have a narrative from someone with Asperger's, and a clever mystery. But too much philosophy and the plot did not hold my attention.
January 5, 2016
In his remarkable debut novel, THE STAGES, Thom Satterlee has set himself a major challenge. The book is told entirely from the perspective of Daniel Peters, a middle-aged man with Asperger’s Syndrome. Daniel is an American ex-pat in Denmark, and was in his late thirties before his Asperger’s was recognised by his friend, colleague, mentor and one-time lover, Mette Rasmussen. At the start of the book, Mette is murdered, apparently during the theft of a valuable manuscript, recently discovered writing by Kierkegaard, including poems, the only poetry Kierkegaard ever wrote.
Daniel works at an institute devoted to the work of the Danish philosopher, as a translator of Kierkegaard’s complex writing, and an interpreter of his complex mind. Mette’s murder deprives Daniel of his main support, but he is unable to feel grief, much as he wants to. He is also closely linked to the investigation, not just as a witness, but as a suspect, the last known person to see Mette alive.
Daniels life is tied to routines and patterns. If he can’t do, from day to day, the things he usually does, he loses his anchors to the world. He is happy translating Kierkegaard, he is buying and eating hot dogs from a stand in the Town Hall Square, he is happy wearing his chequered hat with flaps that come down over his ears for warmth.
Satterlees’ depiction of Daniel’s perspective is convincing and persuasive, showing us a mna who is often at odds with the world and who often sees it from a perspective that makes the book an exercise in Viktor Shklovsky’s defamiliarisation. Daniel’s world is strange to the non-Asperger’s world, but those who observe it begin to understand more about Daniel’s world, and more about their own.
Ingrid Bendtner, a detective investigating Mette’s murder, tries to decode Daniel’s world, both to find out whether he is the killer, or if he is simply one of their most important witnesses. She also recruits Daniel as her person on the inside, the one who can get information for her about his colleagues and Mette’s colleagues. Daniel, drawn into a closer relationship that he struggles to interpret, tries to help. He believes the solution to the murder lies with the stolen manuscript, and his Asperger’s perspective leads him to take the simplest route towards carrying out this task: he asks his own prime suspect, and is them perplexec=d when she is hurt and offended, a reaction he takes some time to interpret correctly.
Daniel is portrayed in turn as intelligent, shrewd, vulnerable and naive, but by the end of the book, he has made further progress in reaching out inot a social world he struggles to understand, but also makes it clear that within his own world, he is an adult who is capable of living a life that for him, is fulfilling and in its own way, happy.
This is a book with humour as well as darkness. Satterlees’ touch is deft. He draws the reader into Daniel’s world but he never makes him an object of pity. The humour comes from the small details of Daniel’s life – the fact that he lives in a luxuriously appointed flat provided for him by Mette, but lives like an aesthete, not using the beautiful objects that surround him, not drinking the bottles of vintage wine that lie in the wine rack, replacing, meticulously, anything that gets broken. Daniels’ touch on the world, apart from when it involves the writing of Kierkegaard, is light.
Daniel’s world view is so well-depicted that the mystery around which the story revolves sometimes takes second place. Mette’ death is not the only death, and there is tragedy at the heart of the book, but the reader is distanced from this, because Daniel cannot feel the grief and horror that these tragedies should evoke. The solution to the mystery is both convincing and surprising – Satterlee plays no tricks and doesn’t cheat, but at the heart of this remarkable debut is the brilliantly created character Daniel Peters.
More, please.
Daniel works at an institute devoted to the work of the Danish philosopher, as a translator of Kierkegaard’s complex writing, and an interpreter of his complex mind. Mette’s murder deprives Daniel of his main support, but he is unable to feel grief, much as he wants to. He is also closely linked to the investigation, not just as a witness, but as a suspect, the last known person to see Mette alive.
Daniels life is tied to routines and patterns. If he can’t do, from day to day, the things he usually does, he loses his anchors to the world. He is happy translating Kierkegaard, he is buying and eating hot dogs from a stand in the Town Hall Square, he is happy wearing his chequered hat with flaps that come down over his ears for warmth.
Satterlees’ depiction of Daniel’s perspective is convincing and persuasive, showing us a mna who is often at odds with the world and who often sees it from a perspective that makes the book an exercise in Viktor Shklovsky’s defamiliarisation. Daniel’s world is strange to the non-Asperger’s world, but those who observe it begin to understand more about Daniel’s world, and more about their own.
Ingrid Bendtner, a detective investigating Mette’s murder, tries to decode Daniel’s world, both to find out whether he is the killer, or if he is simply one of their most important witnesses. She also recruits Daniel as her person on the inside, the one who can get information for her about his colleagues and Mette’s colleagues. Daniel, drawn into a closer relationship that he struggles to interpret, tries to help. He believes the solution to the murder lies with the stolen manuscript, and his Asperger’s perspective leads him to take the simplest route towards carrying out this task: he asks his own prime suspect, and is them perplexec=d when she is hurt and offended, a reaction he takes some time to interpret correctly.
Daniel is portrayed in turn as intelligent, shrewd, vulnerable and naive, but by the end of the book, he has made further progress in reaching out inot a social world he struggles to understand, but also makes it clear that within his own world, he is an adult who is capable of living a life that for him, is fulfilling and in its own way, happy.
This is a book with humour as well as darkness. Satterlees’ touch is deft. He draws the reader into Daniel’s world but he never makes him an object of pity. The humour comes from the small details of Daniel’s life – the fact that he lives in a luxuriously appointed flat provided for him by Mette, but lives like an aesthete, not using the beautiful objects that surround him, not drinking the bottles of vintage wine that lie in the wine rack, replacing, meticulously, anything that gets broken. Daniels’ touch on the world, apart from when it involves the writing of Kierkegaard, is light.
Daniel’s world view is so well-depicted that the mystery around which the story revolves sometimes takes second place. Mette’ death is not the only death, and there is tragedy at the heart of the book, but the reader is distanced from this, because Daniel cannot feel the grief and horror that these tragedies should evoke. The solution to the mystery is both convincing and surprising – Satterlee plays no tricks and doesn’t cheat, but at the heart of this remarkable debut is the brilliantly created character Daniel Peters.
More, please.
March 26, 2014
Daniel Peters is an American working as a translator at the Soren Kierkegaard Center in Copenhagen. He becomes embroiled in a murder case when his boss and former lover, Mette Rasmussen, is murdered, and a recently discovered Kierkegaard manuscript is stolen.
Daniel begins to pursue her killer, in his own unique fashion. You see, he has Aspergers and has a tendency to fall down stairs. He’s even a suspect in the case, as foot prints at the scene match his shoes, and he admits breaking a railing at the scene.
Many won’t recognize the name Kierkegaard. He was a philosopher/theologist who is sometimes called the “father of existentialism”. I took philosophy as a general in college, and I read Will Durant’s STORY OF PHILOSOPHY, or I wouldn’t know who he was either. The Danes seem to be obsessed with him. Not only is there a Kierkegaard Center, but there are several collections in various libraries Peters visits while helping the police find the killer. Peters himself is all too ready to accept the new manuscript as the real thing, despite the fact that Kierkegaard despised poetry. It’s not even good poetry, according to one of the philologists at the center. Kierkegaard was one strange dude. He wrote his books under assumed names, and Peters has trouble telling if Kierkegaard is being ironic during his translations. Kierkegaard seems to be toying with the reader. He also liked to pretend to be a slacker, although he was one of the hardest working writers of his time. He never married, although he was engaged, breaking off the wedding at the last minute. The poems are supposed to be about his fiancée. Mette believe that Kierkegaard himself suffered from Aspergers. Peters can be funny at times, although unintentionally. He asks the female police officer, who reminds him of Mette, if he can kiss her. She rejects him on the grounds that it would be unprofessional. We can hear an audible “Phew” from Peters, as he almost immediately regrets asking her. He doesn’t even like to be touched.
Peters’ background is important to the story. Mette Rasmussen’s family, one of the richest in Denmark, didn’t think he was good enough for her and broke up the marriage. When she dies, he can’t bring himself to grieve for her, although he wants to. We’re not sure if people with Aspergers even can grieve, which brings us to the end of the book. Peters is crying. The ending is also inconclusive in my mind. Did the person blamed for Mette’s murder actually do it? There seems to be a more likely suspect with more of a motive.
Daniel begins to pursue her killer, in his own unique fashion. You see, he has Aspergers and has a tendency to fall down stairs. He’s even a suspect in the case, as foot prints at the scene match his shoes, and he admits breaking a railing at the scene.
Many won’t recognize the name Kierkegaard. He was a philosopher/theologist who is sometimes called the “father of existentialism”. I took philosophy as a general in college, and I read Will Durant’s STORY OF PHILOSOPHY, or I wouldn’t know who he was either. The Danes seem to be obsessed with him. Not only is there a Kierkegaard Center, but there are several collections in various libraries Peters visits while helping the police find the killer. Peters himself is all too ready to accept the new manuscript as the real thing, despite the fact that Kierkegaard despised poetry. It’s not even good poetry, according to one of the philologists at the center. Kierkegaard was one strange dude. He wrote his books under assumed names, and Peters has trouble telling if Kierkegaard is being ironic during his translations. Kierkegaard seems to be toying with the reader. He also liked to pretend to be a slacker, although he was one of the hardest working writers of his time. He never married, although he was engaged, breaking off the wedding at the last minute. The poems are supposed to be about his fiancée. Mette believe that Kierkegaard himself suffered from Aspergers. Peters can be funny at times, although unintentionally. He asks the female police officer, who reminds him of Mette, if he can kiss her. She rejects him on the grounds that it would be unprofessional. We can hear an audible “Phew” from Peters, as he almost immediately regrets asking her. He doesn’t even like to be touched.
Peters’ background is important to the story. Mette Rasmussen’s family, one of the richest in Denmark, didn’t think he was good enough for her and broke up the marriage. When she dies, he can’t bring himself to grieve for her, although he wants to. We’re not sure if people with Aspergers even can grieve, which brings us to the end of the book. Peters is crying. The ending is also inconclusive in my mind. Did the person blamed for Mette’s murder actually do it? There seems to be a more likely suspect with more of a motive.
February 1, 2016
Reviewed by Marissa
Book provided by the publisher for review
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
I love reading books that take a different view of life, such as through the eyes of someone in a foreign country or from someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. It’s a plus that this book delivers both.
Daniel has a very straight-forward outlook on the world. It’s not convoluted by excess emotions or worrying about what other people are feeling. At the same time, he doesn’t comprehend facial expressions and has a hard time knowing if someone is happy with him or upset.
I also admire his take on some of the things we, as a human race, do which don’t always make a lot of sense. After the death of his boss, he sees folded notes on her office door and wonders, “Why leave notes to the dead only to have them read by the living?” He eschews modern technology and seems much happier for it. At one point he is forced to plug in his eighteen-year-old phone so he fully reads the instruction manual and makes sure he knows what each part of the phone is and does before plugging it into the wall.
I also loved his translation process, as thought out in relation to another problem he was having.
It’s not enough to know what a particular word means; I must also understand what the word means in the context of others. I must consider diction, whether all the words in a sentence are equally formal or informal. I must listen closely to the sounds the words make together, and not just neighboring words, but also words from, so to speak, the other end of the street, even from different streets in the same town. I must, sometimes, study a passage over and over, waiting for comprehension to reveal itself, much like walking through a foreign landscape and getting lost enough times to finally know your way around.
I was in Copenhagen years ago and found it beautiful. While reading, I kept trying to place certain buildings and streets – which is very hard 20 years later – but Satterlee made them jump out of the book and back into my head. Now I want to go back and walk along the Strøget and Nyhavn and tour Christiansborg Palace and Tivoli Gardens.
The Stages is a wonderful mystery full of interesting characters and intriguing back-story. Satterlee brought a foreign city to life in my mind and I learned more about Kierkegaard than I thought I would ever know. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Daniel and being able to get a glimpse of his view of life.
Book provided by the publisher for review
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
I love reading books that take a different view of life, such as through the eyes of someone in a foreign country or from someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. It’s a plus that this book delivers both.
Daniel has a very straight-forward outlook on the world. It’s not convoluted by excess emotions or worrying about what other people are feeling. At the same time, he doesn’t comprehend facial expressions and has a hard time knowing if someone is happy with him or upset.
I also admire his take on some of the things we, as a human race, do which don’t always make a lot of sense. After the death of his boss, he sees folded notes on her office door and wonders, “Why leave notes to the dead only to have them read by the living?” He eschews modern technology and seems much happier for it. At one point he is forced to plug in his eighteen-year-old phone so he fully reads the instruction manual and makes sure he knows what each part of the phone is and does before plugging it into the wall.
I also loved his translation process, as thought out in relation to another problem he was having.
It’s not enough to know what a particular word means; I must also understand what the word means in the context of others. I must consider diction, whether all the words in a sentence are equally formal or informal. I must listen closely to the sounds the words make together, and not just neighboring words, but also words from, so to speak, the other end of the street, even from different streets in the same town. I must, sometimes, study a passage over and over, waiting for comprehension to reveal itself, much like walking through a foreign landscape and getting lost enough times to finally know your way around.
I was in Copenhagen years ago and found it beautiful. While reading, I kept trying to place certain buildings and streets – which is very hard 20 years later – but Satterlee made them jump out of the book and back into my head. Now I want to go back and walk along the Strøget and Nyhavn and tour Christiansborg Palace and Tivoli Gardens.
The Stages is a wonderful mystery full of interesting characters and intriguing back-story. Satterlee brought a foreign city to life in my mind and I learned more about Kierkegaard than I thought I would ever know. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Daniel and being able to get a glimpse of his view of life.
February 25, 2016
The Stages by Thom Satterlee is a mystery first and foremost. Additionally it provides a glimpse into the world/mind of an adult with Asperger's. It also gives some information on, and is even structured a bit on, Soren Kierkegaard and his philosophy. These three elements are woven together into a coherent whole, no small feat there. Satterlee succeeds on all three endeavors and as a result engages the reader both emotionally and intellectually.
The mystery is perhaps a little slow to develop early but this is also where we begin to grasp the dual mystery facing the narrator/protagonist, namely the murder and his attempts to understand the people he is now forced to deal with. As the novel steams ahead it becomes a page turner and ultimately concludes with a wonderful twist.
I don't know a lot about adults with Asperger's but asked a friend who works in this area a few questions based on scenes from the book and she said they seemed realistic. As with any condition there is no single presentation but what I asked appeared to her to be within the realm of realistic. I'll take her word for it and just add that it certainly added to my enjoyment of the book.
Kierkegaard used to be an area of study for me so I enjoyed what there was about him and think there may have been some structural concepts, in addition to the stages, that might have been a nod to Kierkegaard. I hope to reread the book with Kierkegaard's works next to me sometime soon. By the way, if anyone enjoyed this aspect of the novel may I recommend Walker Percy's novels. Kierkegaard made a huge impact on his life and Percy incorporates both explicit references as well as incorporating many of Kierkegaard's ideas into his works.
I would readily recommend this book to any fan of mystery as well as readers with an interest in how an adult with Asperger's navigates the world.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
The mystery is perhaps a little slow to develop early but this is also where we begin to grasp the dual mystery facing the narrator/protagonist, namely the murder and his attempts to understand the people he is now forced to deal with. As the novel steams ahead it becomes a page turner and ultimately concludes with a wonderful twist.
I don't know a lot about adults with Asperger's but asked a friend who works in this area a few questions based on scenes from the book and she said they seemed realistic. As with any condition there is no single presentation but what I asked appeared to her to be within the realm of realistic. I'll take her word for it and just add that it certainly added to my enjoyment of the book.
Kierkegaard used to be an area of study for me so I enjoyed what there was about him and think there may have been some structural concepts, in addition to the stages, that might have been a nod to Kierkegaard. I hope to reread the book with Kierkegaard's works next to me sometime soon. By the way, if anyone enjoyed this aspect of the novel may I recommend Walker Percy's novels. Kierkegaard made a huge impact on his life and Percy incorporates both explicit references as well as incorporating many of Kierkegaard's ideas into his works.
I would readily recommend this book to any fan of mystery as well as readers with an interest in how an adult with Asperger's navigates the world.
Reviewed from a copy made available through Goodreads First Reads.
May 24, 2016
This was a Goodreads giveaway. It took me a couple of chapters to get into this book as I had a hard time relating to Daniel Peterson who has Asperger’s and can’t understand why his mentor and ex-girlfriend’s death should interfere with his daily routine, even if he was the last one to see her alive. He’s forced to step outside his routine and comfort zone to clear his name, find out who killed his mentor, and stole a valuable Soren Kierkegaard manuscript. He’s worked at the Soren Kierkegaard Research Center as a translator for over a decade and realizes that he doesn’t know any of his co-workers because he’s focused on his work and has difficulty recognizing social cues. Chapter three hooked me and I needed to find out if Daniel survived his ambitious co-workers, the police, whoever murdered Mette, and I’m looking for the bus station Mohammad. I also liked the descriptions of Copenhagen, its lifestyle, and the places that Daniel travels to in search of answers.
January 6, 2016
I loved this book - and such an odd book it is. A mystery on many levels - yes, there is a murder as well as the disappearance of a recently discovered manuscript of Soren Kierkegaard's - there is the mystery of translation from one language to another - and the mystery of the mind of an individual with Asperger's Syndrome. The setting is Copenhagen and the protagonist is a translator at an institute devoted to Kierkegaard's life and writing. The story is told from the viewpoint of someone who is in this world, but not of this world; who works daily with colleagues who find him difficult to know or understand; who is brilliant in his chosen work, and can function successfully in most situations, but cannot find his niche within the social order of his environment. The connection between him and the investigator assigned to the murder case is touching in its patience and trust. I applaud the author for his presentation of a variety of themes - all extremely well-done.
December 23, 2016
I was extremely disappointed by this book.
It started out fine, with an intriguing protagonist who has Asperberg's syndrome, to a literary exposition on Kierkegaard and what promised to be a good story. But about three quarters into the story it just stopped and there was nothing but pages and pages of poetry which didn't interest me in the least, and the story itself was never resolved! What happened to Daniel Peters? Did he take his lawyer's advice and prevent his employer from screwing him over? Did he get to keep his apartment? Did he find his daughter? The story has no ending!!!
This was a Kindle version and I wonder if somehow the end of the book was left out. Anyway, I wanted to throw the Kindle across the room, because there was no ending to the story. I feel really ripped off, actually. The three stars are for the promise of the first three quarters of the book.
It started out fine, with an intriguing protagonist who has Asperberg's syndrome, to a literary exposition on Kierkegaard and what promised to be a good story. But about three quarters into the story it just stopped and there was nothing but pages and pages of poetry which didn't interest me in the least, and the story itself was never resolved! What happened to Daniel Peters? Did he take his lawyer's advice and prevent his employer from screwing him over? Did he get to keep his apartment? Did he find his daughter? The story has no ending!!!
This was a Kindle version and I wonder if somehow the end of the book was left out. Anyway, I wanted to throw the Kindle across the room, because there was no ending to the story. I feel really ripped off, actually. The three stars are for the promise of the first three quarters of the book.
October 23, 2015
This is a very well written mystery set in Denmark. The present tense narrator is an American translator who has Asperger syndrome which makes things interesting as the reader experiences things as he does. He is obsessed with the Danish philosopher Kierkegaard whose life in many ways is like his own. The director of the institute that the narrator works for (and who he was briefly engaged to) is murdered. A safe deposit box is willed to the narrator. In it is a clue for unraveling what happened.
It is a quick read at 200 some odd pages that holds the reader's attention throughout it. The author was also kind enough to gift me a copy of this in a giveaway on Goodreads. My rating and review were not influenced by that as I am always honest in rating books.
It is a quick read at 200 some odd pages that holds the reader's attention throughout it. The author was also kind enough to gift me a copy of this in a giveaway on Goodreads. My rating and review were not influenced by that as I am always honest in rating books.
May 19, 2013
3.5. I enjoyed some parts of this more than others. The story telling of dealing with Aspergers was what kept me interested and i was somewhat disappointed it didn't go into more depth. The story of Kierkegaard and his work lost my interest a lot of times and the poems at the end were totally lost on me, however i did not see the twist coming at all and was pleasantly surprised and pleased with the twist! Worth reading, in fact i am sure someone with more intellect than me will thoroughly enjoy this!
March 13, 2014
The latest trend seems to be stories where the protagonist has Asperger's. In this case Daniel Peters, an American living in Copenhagen, translates Kierkegaard manuscripts and a new one surfaces but is stolen and the head of the center where Daniel works is murdered. Daniel under suspicion works with the police to get to the truth. This is an intelligent "read" and was fun to boot!
November 24, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The narrator has Asperger's and his perspective added a different twist to the mystery. I'm not that familiar with Kierkegaard either, so the information on him was interesting. They mystery itself had some twists I didn't anticipate. It was nice not to be able to figure out the solution half way through the book.
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