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The Lying Tongue
Relocating to Venice upon completing his university education, Adam Woods becomes the personal assistant to a famous elderly expatriate novelist, whose biography Adam secretly pens before the eccentric writer discovers him and launches a psychological contest to determine how the biography will end. A first novel. 50,000 first printing.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
10 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Wilson
15 books111 followersAbout himself:
"I'm a journalist and author. My work has appeared in the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Daily Telegraph, the Observer, the Sunday Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Daily Mail, the New Statesman and the Evening Standard magazine."
Source: http://www.andrewwilsonauthor.co.uk/d...
"I'm a journalist and author. My work has appeared in the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Daily Telegraph, the Observer, the Sunday Times, the Independent on Sunday, the Daily Mail, the New Statesman and the Evening Standard magazine."
Source: http://www.andrewwilsonauthor.co.uk/d...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
January 25, 2024
Adam Woods is een jongeman die een roman over Venetië wil schrijven. Hij krijgt een job aangeboden om daar engelse les te geven aan een jongeman, maar eenmaal in Venetië aangekomen, kan de job niet doorgaan. Maar hij krijgt iets anders aangeboden: hij kan een soort huishoudster worden bij een oude man, een schrijver, die al jaren zijn palazzo niet meer verlaten heeft en nood heeft aan iemand om voor hem en zijn woning te zorgen.
Adam krijgt de job, en heeft nog tijd over om zijn eigen boek te schrijven. Maar hij wordt zo geobsedeerd door het leven van de oude Gordon Crage, en zijn geheimzinnige leven en levensstandaard, dat hij besluit om in het geniep een biografie over Crage te schrijven.
Want Crage heeft vele eigenaardigheden. Hij heeft ooit een bestseller geschreven, maar heeft steeds geweigerd daarna nog iets te publiceren. Hij heeft zich teruggetrokken in zijn palazzo in Venetië, wil niemand zien, en wil ook niet dat Adam het huis verlaat, enkel om heel snel wat boodschappen te doen. Adam mag ook met niemand praten over wat er in het huis gebeurt of gezegd wordt.
Adam ontdekt een heel duistere kant van het leven van de oude man, en met een smoes slaagt hij er toch in een weekje terug naar Engeland te gaan, waar hij verdere research doet. Wat hij ontdekt brengt hem nog meer tot de overtuiging dat hij een biografie over Crage wil schrijven, met alle schandalen erin verwerkt. Natuurlijk zou hij pas publiceren na de dood van de voormalige schrijver.
Maar er zijn kapers op de kust. Als Adam ontdekt dat een zekere Lavinia, een journaliste, hetzelfde plan heeft opgevat, en al heel ver staat met haar onderzoek, is hij vastbesloten om stokken in haar wielen te steken.
Terug in Venetië treft hij Crace aan in een staat van opperste nervositeit. Het duurt dan niet lang of de situatie komt tot een climax.
Ik heb een groot deel van het boek met plezier gelezen, maar het einde vond ik helemaal niet goed, zelfs zo erg dat ik bij nader inzien het hele boek teleurstellend vond.
Adam krijgt de job, en heeft nog tijd over om zijn eigen boek te schrijven. Maar hij wordt zo geobsedeerd door het leven van de oude Gordon Crage, en zijn geheimzinnige leven en levensstandaard, dat hij besluit om in het geniep een biografie over Crage te schrijven.
Want Crage heeft vele eigenaardigheden. Hij heeft ooit een bestseller geschreven, maar heeft steeds geweigerd daarna nog iets te publiceren. Hij heeft zich teruggetrokken in zijn palazzo in Venetië, wil niemand zien, en wil ook niet dat Adam het huis verlaat, enkel om heel snel wat boodschappen te doen. Adam mag ook met niemand praten over wat er in het huis gebeurt of gezegd wordt.
Adam ontdekt een heel duistere kant van het leven van de oude man, en met een smoes slaagt hij er toch in een weekje terug naar Engeland te gaan, waar hij verdere research doet. Wat hij ontdekt brengt hem nog meer tot de overtuiging dat hij een biografie over Crage wil schrijven, met alle schandalen erin verwerkt. Natuurlijk zou hij pas publiceren na de dood van de voormalige schrijver.
Maar er zijn kapers op de kust. Als Adam ontdekt dat een zekere Lavinia, een journaliste, hetzelfde plan heeft opgevat, en al heel ver staat met haar onderzoek, is hij vastbesloten om stokken in haar wielen te steken.
Terug in Venetië treft hij Crace aan in een staat van opperste nervositeit. Het duurt dan niet lang of de situatie komt tot een climax.
Ik heb een groot deel van het boek met plezier gelezen, maar het einde vond ik helemaal niet goed, zelfs zo erg dat ik bij nader inzien het hele boek teleurstellend vond.
February 21, 2014
Adam Wood has just graduated from college and has arranged to go to Venice to teach a rich local English. In return he will have a place to stay and much free time in which to pursue his dream of writing a novel. That deal falls through on arrival, but he finds instead Gordon Crace (there has to be a pun on the word disgrace in there somewhere) an eccentric Brit, author of a best-seller in his 30’s, now living a Howard Hunt existence in a filth-caked house, not writing any more. In fact, that one book, seen as a great work, was his only book. Adam is to be his latest companion, housemaid, chef, assistant. It turns out that there is some mystery in Crace’s past. His novel had been about a schoolboy plan to kill for the thrill of it, and Adam begins to suspect that it may not have been entirely fictional. He sets about following leads into Crace’s past, but there is a well-known biographer who is already hot on Crace’s tail. We see a very dark side to Crace, a fondness for cruelty, punishment, pain. Later we see that Adam has some sins on his resume as well. Perhaps these two are peas in a pod. What is Gordon’s secret? What sort of person is Adam, really? Who will get the book deal? This is not earth-shaking stuff, but was a fun read, with a bit of payload about Venice and art.
August 20, 2008
In old Venice, in the days before refrigeration, wine was kept in cool, shadowy places where the sun never penetrated (caves being out of the question, of course, in that water-logged city). In The Lying Tongue, Andrew Wilson mentions this arcane fact, perhaps because it is just such places in modern Venice that he has used for the setting of his novel.
This book is aptly described as a "psychological thriller." Sneaking a letter out of a mailbox, a furtive phone call--these aren’t generally the stuff of high drama. However, in the hands of this author, such incidents have approximately the same effect as creaky noises in a deserted house. Small, apparently harmless lies begin to add up to a lurking sense of evil. Images of leaves rotting on the ground, shattered glass, a mocking question mark of a river--as the book progresses, details like these begin to chip away at the reader's sense of security. The structure of the novel, without chapter breaks, adds to the relentless increase of tension as it builds toward an unforeseeable conclusion.
Andrew Wilson must have had a lot of fun writing this book, and I had a lot of fun reading it. What more can you ask?
This book is aptly described as a "psychological thriller." Sneaking a letter out of a mailbox, a furtive phone call--these aren’t generally the stuff of high drama. However, in the hands of this author, such incidents have approximately the same effect as creaky noises in a deserted house. Small, apparently harmless lies begin to add up to a lurking sense of evil. Images of leaves rotting on the ground, shattered glass, a mocking question mark of a river--as the book progresses, details like these begin to chip away at the reader's sense of security. The structure of the novel, without chapter breaks, adds to the relentless increase of tension as it builds toward an unforeseeable conclusion.
Andrew Wilson must have had a lot of fun writing this book, and I had a lot of fun reading it. What more can you ask?
July 24, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this duplicitous and might I say, quite creepy, psychological thriller.
December 5, 2009
I only read about this novel last Friday. The cover photograph caught my eye. Then I read what the book was about and that the author is the acclaimed biographer of Patricia Highsmith - a favorite. I knew I had to read it. I rushed out and found a copy and devoured it over the weekend.
Recently graduated from University, would be novelist Adam Woods can't believe his good fortune in landing a position as personal assistant to the reclusive writer Gordon Crace. Crace is an enigmatic figure. Forty years ago he published a phenomenally popular novel of murder at a boys school called "The Debating Society" before retreating into seclusion. An intensely private man, Crace wants nothing more than to be left alone with only the skeletons in his closet for company. However, one rarely gets what one wants - or deserves. Sensing an opportunity to exploit Crace and the mystery of his self-imposed isolation, Woods sets out to discover all he can about the man's past. As you can well imagine, what he finds isn't pretty.
Andrew Wilson has done Ms. Highsmith proud. His is truly a novel of suspence, equal parts "The Aspern Papers" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley." I could only put it down reluctantly. Rarely have I found a work of fiction as compelling. His writing is graceful and fluid. There isn't a word or phrase out of place. Each idea, character and situation is presented clearly and succinctly. My only regret is that I read it too fast.
Recently graduated from University, would be novelist Adam Woods can't believe his good fortune in landing a position as personal assistant to the reclusive writer Gordon Crace. Crace is an enigmatic figure. Forty years ago he published a phenomenally popular novel of murder at a boys school called "The Debating Society" before retreating into seclusion. An intensely private man, Crace wants nothing more than to be left alone with only the skeletons in his closet for company. However, one rarely gets what one wants - or deserves. Sensing an opportunity to exploit Crace and the mystery of his self-imposed isolation, Woods sets out to discover all he can about the man's past. As you can well imagine, what he finds isn't pretty.
Andrew Wilson has done Ms. Highsmith proud. His is truly a novel of suspence, equal parts "The Aspern Papers" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley." I could only put it down reluctantly. Rarely have I found a work of fiction as compelling. His writing is graceful and fluid. There isn't a word or phrase out of place. Each idea, character and situation is presented clearly and succinctly. My only regret is that I read it too fast.
January 30, 2009
I did not enjoy this novel. Though the basic plot line is intriguing, Andrew Wilson does little to dazzle the reader. His characters all speak with the same diction and rhythm making the dialogue monotonous. Wilson makes it impossible for the reader to sympathize with any of the characters because their actions are not admirable or redemptive in any way. This would not be a serious flaw if it were obvious that Wilson had intended for his characters to appear as creepy and jaded however, to me, it never seemed clear whether Wilson himself identified with or detested Adam Woods and Gordon Crace. I do NOT recommend this book! Oh and also - no suicide note sounds like that!
February 20, 2020
Throwaway read, pretty well written but not really my thing overall.
February 10, 2010
"Wherever I went I saw a question mark at the heart of the city."
This first sentence is intriguing, but don't let that fool you. There isn't much intriguing in this novel. I chose it because we're headed to Venice next month, and I wanted to read a novel set there. The idea of the plot is fine. Adams Woods is a young English man who arrives in Venice to teach English to an Italian couple's son. When that falls through he gets another job as personal assistant to a British writer, Gordon Crace. Adam thinks the job will be easy, and he will have time to begin a novel. Before long he learns that Crace is a famous author whose only book was a sensation years before, and he has not written anything since. Adams decides to learn why, and his research leads him to dig up the dirt on his employer. Things go downhill for everyone from that point. I had to force myself to finish. Wilson's strength is in his descriptions of Venice. His ability to write believable dialogue is not as strong, and his general writing style is heavy-handed and ridden with cliches. In addition, both his main characters are vile. To me a villain can be interesting, but only if I can understand his motivation, and see him as well-rounded. Neither Woods nor Crace fit that description. Thumbs down.
This first sentence is intriguing, but don't let that fool you. There isn't much intriguing in this novel. I chose it because we're headed to Venice next month, and I wanted to read a novel set there. The idea of the plot is fine. Adams Woods is a young English man who arrives in Venice to teach English to an Italian couple's son. When that falls through he gets another job as personal assistant to a British writer, Gordon Crace. Adam thinks the job will be easy, and he will have time to begin a novel. Before long he learns that Crace is a famous author whose only book was a sensation years before, and he has not written anything since. Adams decides to learn why, and his research leads him to dig up the dirt on his employer. Things go downhill for everyone from that point. I had to force myself to finish. Wilson's strength is in his descriptions of Venice. His ability to write believable dialogue is not as strong, and his general writing style is heavy-handed and ridden with cliches. In addition, both his main characters are vile. To me a villain can be interesting, but only if I can understand his motivation, and see him as well-rounded. Neither Woods nor Crace fit that description. Thumbs down.
September 16, 2023
If Patricia Highsmith rewrote The Aspern Papers, it might look something like this book.
Psychological suspense novel about Gordon Crace, a famous reclusive British writer living in Venice and the young man, Adam, he hires as an assistant. Adam is an aspiring writer, so when he finds out that Crace has forbidden any books written about his life Adam sees his golden opportunity for publishing fame. Planning to write a biography, he secretly begins delving into Crace's past, but what he finds is starting to look disturbing. Is Crace all that the public thinks he is? And is Adam all that the reader thinks he is?
Psychological suspense novel about Gordon Crace, a famous reclusive British writer living in Venice and the young man, Adam, he hires as an assistant. Adam is an aspiring writer, so when he finds out that Crace has forbidden any books written about his life Adam sees his golden opportunity for publishing fame. Planning to write a biography, he secretly begins delving into Crace's past, but what he finds is starting to look disturbing. Is Crace all that the public thinks he is? And is Adam all that the reader thinks he is?
November 7, 2017
I read it to the end but as each page turned I found something else to question. Characters who know things about each other that they have no right to know. Things that are accomplished when there is no time to do them. An over-expository suicide note. Two people who live on top of each other yet have space to spy on each other's most secret possessions.
Unbelievable!
Unbelievable!
Read
December 21, 2010This is a tightly-packed and surprising murder mystery. The main chanracter fools us. The wrong people seem to die. You don't really know who to believe. And, the writing sytle makes all this happen. I read it through the weekend, wish lots of "O No!" and "It can't be" coming out of my brain. I read one page and I was hooked!
February 21, 2013
a suspensful book..but the ending left something to be desired. not really sure how crace knows everything adam has done. but a good read.
May 18, 2017
(τρία και μισό, το μισό υπέρ του συγγραφέα...)
Αυτό το χαϊσμιθικό μυθιστόρημα ήταν μια πολύ ευχάριστη έκπληξη - και μια ιδανική συνέχεια, θεματικά, κατά κάποιον τρόπο, των Αναμνήσεων μιας κυρ��ας του Ρονκαλιόλο, που είχα διαβάσει αμέσως πρίν, καθώς από ένα βιβλίο με θέμα έναν επίδοξο συγγραφέα που γράφει τη βιογραφία μιας ηλικιωμένης αριστοκράτισσας βρέθηκα σε ένα βιβλίο με θέμα έναν επίδοξο συγγραφέα που αποφασίζει να γράψει τη βιογραφία ενός εκκεντρικού γερου συγγραφέα. Κι ως κερασάκι στην τούρτα, η λεπτομέρεια ότι ο Γουίλσον, συγγραφέας της Ψεύτρας γλώσσας, έχει γράψει ο ίδιος τη βιογραφία της Πατρίσια Χάισμιθ - όλα κάνουν (περίεργους) κύκλους τελικά.
Αυτό το χαϊσμιθικό μυθιστόρημα ήταν μια πολύ ευχάριστη έκπληξη - και μια ιδανική συνέχεια, θεματικά, κατά κάποιον τρόπο, των Αναμνήσεων μιας κυρ��ας του Ρονκαλιόλο, που είχα διαβάσει αμέσως πρίν, καθώς από ένα βιβλίο με θέμα έναν επίδοξο συγγραφέα που γράφει τη βιογραφία μιας ηλικιωμένης αριστοκράτισσας βρέθηκα σε ένα βιβλίο με θέμα έναν επίδοξο συγγραφέα που αποφασίζει να γράψει τη βιογραφία ενός εκκεντρικού γερου συγγραφέα. Κι ως κερασάκι στην τούρτα, η λεπτομέρεια ότι ο Γουίλσον, συγγραφέας της Ψεύτρας γλώσσας, έχει γράψει ο ίδιος τη βιογραφία της Πατρίσια Χάισμιθ - όλα κάνουν (περίεργους) κύκλους τελικά.
November 22, 2017
Utter rubbish. Read 40 pages, NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENS. Bored to
tears.
tears.
December 2, 2018
read long ago wilson's first novel after many biographies, among which one of patricia highsmith - this one was definitely inspired by ms. highsmith'ripley
July 7, 2020
Mysterieus verhaal, beetje gothic getint ! Beetje creepy, suspense ! Geheimzinnig verhaal ! Kon dit boek wel smaken !
October 29, 2013
A thriller with a gothic feel about it (even the cover of this edition gives off a kind of gothic atmosphere) that flits between London, Venice, London and Venice again.
For various reasons, some of which become clear later in the book, Adam Woods wanted to get away from London and applied for a job as an English teacher to an Italian family. However, it fell through but the family recommended that he try for a job with a one-time author Gordon Crace, who was looking for a general factotum having just lost his previous person.
In somewhat unusual circumstances Woods eventually gets the job and thus begins a relationship that is intriguingly strange but for what reason one does not immediately know.
Crace is a recluse, never leaves his home and despises the fact that Woods does so, mainly to acquire shopping but on other occasions to please himself in Venice. The relationship develops but it is obvious there is something unsaid as Crace, a once-famous author who had written nothing since his one bestseller many years earlier, is evasive about his past and his previous relationships.
Woods begins to investigate and uncovers some very bizarre and sometimes unpleasant facts. He even returns to London to further his investigations and while there he meets a lady author who is planning a biography of the writer. He manages to manipulate her research from her with extremely dire consequences.
He returns to Venice and there is confronted by Crace in a very different mood and matters come to a head in a thrilling climax.
One critic likened the writing to that of Patricia Highsmith and it is easily seen as there is very definitely undertones of Mr Ripley running through the story.
For various reasons, some of which become clear later in the book, Adam Woods wanted to get away from London and applied for a job as an English teacher to an Italian family. However, it fell through but the family recommended that he try for a job with a one-time author Gordon Crace, who was looking for a general factotum having just lost his previous person.
In somewhat unusual circumstances Woods eventually gets the job and thus begins a relationship that is intriguingly strange but for what reason one does not immediately know.
Crace is a recluse, never leaves his home and despises the fact that Woods does so, mainly to acquire shopping but on other occasions to please himself in Venice. The relationship develops but it is obvious there is something unsaid as Crace, a once-famous author who had written nothing since his one bestseller many years earlier, is evasive about his past and his previous relationships.
Woods begins to investigate and uncovers some very bizarre and sometimes unpleasant facts. He even returns to London to further his investigations and while there he meets a lady author who is planning a biography of the writer. He manages to manipulate her research from her with extremely dire consequences.
He returns to Venice and there is confronted by Crace in a very different mood and matters come to a head in a thrilling climax.
One critic likened the writing to that of Patricia Highsmith and it is easily seen as there is very definitely undertones of Mr Ripley running through the story.
January 6, 2019
The Lying Tongue by Andrew Wilson is one of first books that our book club chose to read when we started our club and it certainly generated a lot of discussion about the characters and the plot.
The Lying Tongue is a psychological thriller about an aspiring novelist, Adam Wood, who becomes the personal assistant to a reclusive writer, Gordan Crace in Venice, Italy. Throughout the book the author slowly reveals true motivations as characters try to outwit each other up to the very end and have us questioning what we think is going on and which character actually wrote the words that we are reading. I liked this type of book that keeps you guessing. Remember, the title of the book is The Lying Tongue…and there is a lot of lying going on in this book.
No one in our book club could empathize with any of the characters in this book, but the suspense of what was going to happen next made it very hard to put this book down, so it rated well.
I personally think Wilson could have taken the book even further than he did by having one of the characters take on the identity of the other. He should consider writing a sequel so that we can see the full outcome. Wilson’s ending is left a little open-ended for one of the characters.
If you like a psychological thrill, then find your quiet place and start reading or listening to this one.
The Lying Tongue is a psychological thriller about an aspiring novelist, Adam Wood, who becomes the personal assistant to a reclusive writer, Gordan Crace in Venice, Italy. Throughout the book the author slowly reveals true motivations as characters try to outwit each other up to the very end and have us questioning what we think is going on and which character actually wrote the words that we are reading. I liked this type of book that keeps you guessing. Remember, the title of the book is The Lying Tongue…and there is a lot of lying going on in this book.
No one in our book club could empathize with any of the characters in this book, but the suspense of what was going to happen next made it very hard to put this book down, so it rated well.
I personally think Wilson could have taken the book even further than he did by having one of the characters take on the identity of the other. He should consider writing a sequel so that we can see the full outcome. Wilson’s ending is left a little open-ended for one of the characters.
If you like a psychological thrill, then find your quiet place and start reading or listening to this one.
August 26, 2008
I really enjoyed this novel - really enjoyed it. Which makes it all the more disturbing as the narrator was one of the more loathsome characters I'd ever read. *shudders* It was a very astute decision of the author to gradually express by degrees the true nature of the narrator. He was a flaming sociopath!!! There were so many times while reading this book I just wanted to call the cops. Just gave me the creeps. It was a very accurate portrayal of the reasoning and thinking process of a sociopath.
Gordon Crace, on the other hand, I had been expecting to be very sinister. He may have been a little repulsive at first. But whereas the narrator became more loathsome with time, Crace became less so. In the end, I just found myself pitying him. Even though he had some less altruistic qualities, he did seem to be a much more redeeming character.
The plot twist at the end was delightful. I should've expected something like that. After all, at no point do we ever see the narrator actually think too far ahead. Plus, Crace has lived so much longer that we should never have accepted that the narrator could fool him that easily. What it really reminded me of were those Twilight Zone episodes narrated by Rod Serling.
Gordon Crace, on the other hand, I had been expecting to be very sinister. He may have been a little repulsive at first. But whereas the narrator became more loathsome with time, Crace became less so. In the end, I just found myself pitying him. Even though he had some less altruistic qualities, he did seem to be a much more redeeming character.
The plot twist at the end was delightful. I should've expected something like that. After all, at no point do we ever see the narrator actually think too far ahead. Plus, Crace has lived so much longer that we should never have accepted that the narrator could fool him that easily. What it really reminded me of were those Twilight Zone episodes narrated by Rod Serling.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2016
This is not a bad book, but by the end I just wanted it to be over. The first part was intriguing, and I was excited to find out more about the central mystery, but then the main character started to creep me out. He has a very disturbing lack of conscience, which may be literarily interesting, but by the end left me wanting to take a shower and hoping I wouldn't have nightmares.
Hopefully this is the last in my unfortunate recent trend of reading interesting mysteries with characters I can't stand.
Hopefully this is the last in my unfortunate recent trend of reading interesting mysteries with characters I can't stand.
November 1, 2011
This book was a descriptive great mystery ala hitchcock set in Venice. It has all the great elements with wonderful plot twists at the end, some art history thrown in and english boarding school antics to boot. I wouldn't say it's the best read ever, but I will say that I couldn't put this book down and was hooked till the END.
The author is a huge fan of Patricia Highsmith and it shows---in fact, he's even written a biography on her and I think that's next on the list.
The author is a huge fan of Patricia Highsmith and it shows---in fact, he's even written a biography on her and I think that's next on the list.
August 6, 2019
Great novel. Great amount of suspense. Kind of cat and mice game. Lots of references to old Italian masters and writers. An must for history buff, essentially if the one loves Venice or Italian masters. Not really goody goody book trough.
December 29, 2010
Big build-up for not much of an ending. Totally unsympathetic characters.
December 16, 2022
"Поднимаясь в свою комнату, я задумался о нравственной стороне вопроса. Если я передам деньги шантажисту, разве я не стану такой же мразью, как он? Меня затошнило при мысли о том, что я могу испачкать руки, замараться, якшаясь с подобными Шоу типами. Ведь я как человек гораздо лучше, порядочнее."
Кому-то эта книга напоминает Кристи или Бэнкса, а мне вот напомнила Достоевского. Эдакого гипертрофированного Достоевского для бедных, так как мрачный романтизм Фёдора Михайловича здесь отсутствует, но вот герой, герой…
Вообще то, что книга будет неординарной, я поняла с первых страниц благодаря стилю. Возможно мне только показалось, что автор попытался совместить классический романтизм с декадансом нашего времени, но в любом случае получившиеся описания вышли крайне странными. Примером может служить вот этот абзац с первых страниц книги (обратите внимание на последнее предложение):
«Я отворил деревянную дверь и ступил в церковь. Там было сумрачно и прохладно. У одной из скамеек стояла на коленях пожилая женщина. Склонив голову и закрыв глаза, она беззвучно шептала молитву. Ее тонкие, как папиросная бумага, веки трепетали и подергивались, будто она, не совсем еще проснувшись, только что встала с постели. Я обошел по кругу церковь и остановился перед шедевром Беллини «Мадонна со святыми». Изучая историю искусств, я часто видел этот алтарный образ в учебниках. Теперь я достал монетку и опустил ее в щель автомата. Искусственный свет залил картину, озарив ангела, играющего на струнном инструменте у ног восседающей на троне Девы Марии с младенцем Иисусом. Тот, подняв маленькую ладошку, благословлял четырех святых — святого Петра, святую Екатерину, ученого святого Иеронима и святую Лючию. У святого Петра в руках были ключи от врат рая и книга; у святой Екатерины — сломанное колесо; облаченный в красное святой Иероним тоже держал толстый фолиант, а святая Лючия — сосуд, в котором предположительно находились ее глаза, вырванные из ее глазниц Диоклетианом. Я представил плавающие в соленой воде маленькие шарики с расширенными зрачками, в которых застыли смятение и страх».
Но странности стиля резко забылись на середине книги, когда стал раскрываться главный герой. С одной стороны такая категоричная смена амплуа сбивает с толку: вроде бы ̶Р̶о̶д̶и̶о̶н̶ ̶Р̶а̶с̶к̶о̶л̶ь̶н̶и̶к̶о̶в̶ Адам Вудс является протагонистом, читатель уже начал ему сопереживать, как он преподносит ряд сюрпризов, которые вызывают сплошное недоумение. Но с другой стороны такой прием заставил меня искренне симпатизировать книге: мало где в современной литературе встретишь такое постепенное раскрытие и изменение героя, которое интригует не хуже сюжета.
Кстати о сюжете: он на удивление хорош. Интрига держится до самого конца, книга не отпускает и заставляет лихорадочно перелистывать страницы в желании найти ответ на вопрос «А что дальше?». Да и сюжетные повороты довольно неожиданные и оригинальные.
А вот аннотация в книгу не вписалась совсем. Мне в это году «везет» на такие «правильные» резюме издателей. Знаю, это претензия уже не к самому произведению, но тем не менее отмечу этот факт: не верьте! Книга совершенно о другом!
Итог: весьма и весьма неплохой современный триллер, который не грех и прочитать. Может все дело в том, что я ожидала от книги гораздо меньшего, но факт остается фактом: мне понравилось!
Кому-то эта книга напоминает Кристи или Бэнкса, а мне вот напомнила Достоевского. Эдакого гипертрофированного Достоевского для бедных, так как мрачный романтизм Фёдора Михайловича здесь отсутствует, но вот герой, герой…
Вообще то, что книга будет неординарной, я поняла с первых страниц благодаря стилю. Возможно мне только показалось, что автор попытался совместить классический романтизм с декадансом нашего времени, но в любом случае получившиеся описания вышли крайне странными. Примером может служить вот этот абзац с первых страниц книги (обратите внимание на последнее предложение):
«Я отворил деревянную дверь и ступил в церковь. Там было сумрачно и прохладно. У одной из скамеек стояла на коленях пожилая женщина. Склонив голову и закрыв глаза, она беззвучно шептала молитву. Ее тонкие, как папиросная бумага, веки трепетали и подергивались, будто она, не совсем еще проснувшись, только что встала с постели. Я обошел по кругу церковь и остановился перед шедевром Беллини «Мадонна со святыми». Изучая историю искусств, я часто видел этот алтарный образ в учебниках. Теперь я достал монетку и опустил ее в щель автомата. Искусственный свет залил картину, озарив ангела, играющего на струнном инструменте у ног восседающей на троне Девы Марии с младенцем Иисусом. Тот, подняв маленькую ладошку, благословлял четырех святых — святого Петра, святую Екатерину, ученого святого Иеронима и святую Лючию. У святого Петра в руках были ключи от врат рая и книга; у святой Екатерины — сломанное колесо; облаченный в красное святой Иероним тоже держал толстый фолиант, а святая Лючия — сосуд, в котором предположительно находились ее глаза, вырванные из ее глазниц Диоклетианом. Я представил плавающие в соленой воде маленькие шарики с расширенными зрачками, в которых застыли смятение и страх».
Но странности стиля резко забылись на середине книги, когда стал раскрываться главный герой. С одной стороны такая категоричная смена амплуа сбивает с толку: вроде бы ̶Р̶о̶д̶и̶о̶н̶ ̶Р̶а̶с̶к̶о̶л̶ь̶н̶и̶к̶о̶в̶ Адам Вудс является протагонистом, читатель уже начал ему сопереживать, как он преподносит ряд сюрпризов, которые вызывают сплошное недоумение. Но с другой стороны такой прием заставил меня искренне симпатизировать книге: мало где в современной литературе встретишь такое постепенное раскрытие и изменение героя, которое интригует не хуже сюжета.
Кстати о сюжете: он на удивление хорош. Интрига держится до самого конца, книга не отпускает и заставляет лихорадочно перелистывать страницы в желании найти ответ на вопрос «А что дальше?». Да и сюжетные повороты довольно неожиданные и оригинальные.
А вот аннотация в книгу не вписалась совсем. Мне в это году «везет» на такие «правильные» резюме издателей. Знаю, это претензия уже не к самому произведению, но тем не менее отмечу этот факт: не верьте! Книга совершенно о другом!
Итог: весьма и весьма неплохой современный триллер, который не грех и прочитать. Может все дело в том, что я ожидала от книги гораздо меньшего, но факт остается фактом: мне понравилось!
December 15, 2017
A psychological and gothic thriller that (deliberately) owes a lot to Henry James’ The Aspern Papers and to the world of Patricia Highsmith (Wilson, after all, has written her biography), The Lying Tongue is a fast-paced, entertaining, yet, in my eyes, ultimately frustrating and unsatisfying novel. It’s sometimes compelling, but only now and then, and it’s never as beguiling as it could have been. All this doesn’t mean I didn’t have a fairly good time reading it – I actually devoured it in two days, which says something about Wilson’s ability to grip the reader’s attention and to construct an elaborate suspense. The plot focuses on the relationship between an old, mysterious recluse writer who lives in Venice, Italy, and a young, ambitious but troubled wannabe-novelist: it is convoluted enough to keep the reader guessing, which is important. It even, to some degree, manages to not be too much hampered by the clichés of the genre it belongs too. I didn’t really have any problem with the tangled story. It is enjoyable. My disappointment is mostly the result of the way Wilson treats his own story and implements the necessary twists, and of his uneven writing. A big part of the novel takes place in Venice, yet very rarely is Wilson able to convey the magical, very unique, and sometimes eerie atmosphere that is specific to the city and that could (should) have played a much bigger and more effective role in the narrative: Wilson's descriptions are minimal and seem mostly lifted from a tourist guide. Similarly, Wilson’s most daring choice is to make his narrator a more unreliable and bizarre character than expected: it is truly interesting, but he can’t quite pull it off because, well, despite his efforts, Wilson isn’t Highsmith, who was a master at creating complex, shadowy, and divided personalities. Adam, Wilson's main character, lacks psychological subtlety and isn’t very well written. As the story evolves, he becomes more and more a bit of a caricature and less and less believable. There’s also something heavy-handed about some of Wilson's choices. That erodes the story’s credibility and underlines the artificiality of some of the plot’s devices that should sustain the suspense. The prose itself is serviceable but unexceptional: it never seems able to enhance the intriguing aspects of the complicated tale, and it does not fully deliver the old-fashioned charms that can make gothic suspense novels so addictive. As I was reading The Lying Tongue, I kept thinking: this is one of those so-so novels which has enough potential to become a terrific - and much better - movie.
March 9, 2018
Andrew Wilson is journalist en schrijver van biografieën. Nu heeft hij zich gewaagd aan een roman. Uiteraard over een biograaf. Althans, iemand die dat heel graag zou worden.
Adam Woods is pas afgestudeerd in kunstgeschiedenis en vertrekt naar Venetië. Hij heeft een baan gekregen als leraar Engels. Bij zijn aankomst krijgt hij echter te horen dat de baan niet doorgaat. Gelukkig hebben de mensen waar hij zou gaan werken wel een ander goed idee: Gordon Crace, eens wereldberoemde auteur, woont ook in Venetië. Hij werd destijds beroemd met zijn boek 'De debatingclub', maar heeft daarna niets meer geschreven. Hij zoekt toevallig iemand die hem een beetje in het huis kan helpen. Adam gaat op sollicitatiegesprek en wordt onmiddellijk aangenomen. Gordon is intussen een heel oude man geworden, met eigenaardige gewoonten. Zo mag Adam nooit te lang weg om boodschappen te doen, en mag hij vooral met niemand over zijn werk praten. Opgewekt begint Adam aan het werk, maar al snel komt bij hem het plan boven om een biografie van Gordon te schrijven. Iets waar de oude auteur het beslist niet mee eens is.
De beklemmende stoffige sfeer in het palazzo van Crace, die zo in tegenspraak is met de jeugd en het enthousiasme van Adam, is door Wilson fraai neergezet. Zodra Adam dingen doet die Crace niet toestaat, zoals graven in zijn verleden om te proberen een biografie te schrijven, gaat het verhaal trekjes vertonen van het beroemde 'The talented Mr Ripley'.
Adam gaat namelijk door roeien en ruiten om zijn zin te krijgen, en deinst zelfs niet terug voor pertinente leugens, bedrog en uiteindelijk moord. Dat hij in Gordon Crace echter een uiterst bekwame tegenstander heeft, die ook door roeien en ruiten gaat om het geheim van zijn verleden te verbergen, wordt langzaam maar zeker duidelijk.
Een mooie wending in de plot aan het einde van het boek maakt het feit goed dat er hier en daar wat onhandig omgegaan wordt met de dingen uit het verleden van Adam, die ook niet brandschoon blijkt te zijn. Het geheel is vlot geschreven, vlot vertaald en lekker vlot te lezen.
Adam Woods is pas afgestudeerd in kunstgeschiedenis en vertrekt naar Venetië. Hij heeft een baan gekregen als leraar Engels. Bij zijn aankomst krijgt hij echter te horen dat de baan niet doorgaat. Gelukkig hebben de mensen waar hij zou gaan werken wel een ander goed idee: Gordon Crace, eens wereldberoemde auteur, woont ook in Venetië. Hij werd destijds beroemd met zijn boek 'De debatingclub', maar heeft daarna niets meer geschreven. Hij zoekt toevallig iemand die hem een beetje in het huis kan helpen. Adam gaat op sollicitatiegesprek en wordt onmiddellijk aangenomen. Gordon is intussen een heel oude man geworden, met eigenaardige gewoonten. Zo mag Adam nooit te lang weg om boodschappen te doen, en mag hij vooral met niemand over zijn werk praten. Opgewekt begint Adam aan het werk, maar al snel komt bij hem het plan boven om een biografie van Gordon te schrijven. Iets waar de oude auteur het beslist niet mee eens is.
De beklemmende stoffige sfeer in het palazzo van Crace, die zo in tegenspraak is met de jeugd en het enthousiasme van Adam, is door Wilson fraai neergezet. Zodra Adam dingen doet die Crace niet toestaat, zoals graven in zijn verleden om te proberen een biografie te schrijven, gaat het verhaal trekjes vertonen van het beroemde 'The talented Mr Ripley'.
Adam gaat namelijk door roeien en ruiten om zijn zin te krijgen, en deinst zelfs niet terug voor pertinente leugens, bedrog en uiteindelijk moord. Dat hij in Gordon Crace echter een uiterst bekwame tegenstander heeft, die ook door roeien en ruiten gaat om het geheim van zijn verleden te verbergen, wordt langzaam maar zeker duidelijk.
Een mooie wending in de plot aan het einde van het boek maakt het feit goed dat er hier en daar wat onhandig omgegaan wordt met de dingen uit het verleden van Adam, die ook niet brandschoon blijkt te zijn. Het geheel is vlot geschreven, vlot vertaald en lekker vlot te lezen.
May 31, 2023
Слушала аудиоверсию, книга длится 10 с небольшим часов. Прослушала 4 часа (первые 4 главы) и дальше не смогла. Сама идея главного героя тайком написать биографию человека, который представил ему работу, дом, еду, когда у него не осталось ничего, уже звучала сомнительно. После одного телефонного звонка я стала подозревать, что Гордон Крейс догадывается об этом неприглядном плане Адама Вудса, и решила, что сейчас начнётся интересная битва умов: кто кого перехитрит. Также хотелось побольше узнать о прошлом Гордона и о подробностях написания его единственного романа. Всему этому не суждено было сбыться, потому что фигура рассказчика к середине книги заняла всё пространство повествования, и мне стало противно до тошноты. Оказалось, что я не в состоянии слушать, как автор романа копается в голове своего главного героя, чья социопатия граничит с каким-то психическим расстройством. Хотелось, чтобы жизнь его наказала за все разрушения, которые он сотворил. Перешла сразу к последней главе, поняла, что вроде как моё желание в какой-то мере исполнилось, но, поскольку я не слушала половину книги, я не смогла оценить по достоинству финальный твист (что-то про "Я начал читать книгу, которую написал сам"). С одной стороны, я очень рада, что бросила и не стала погружаться в сточные воды разборок двух главных героев, с другой - интерес к некоторым деталям по инерции сохранился. Если кто-нибудь в комментариях напишет мне, что же там было в прошлом Крейса и что значит последняя фраза романа, буду очень благодарна! В юности я как-то проще находила любую информацию, а сейчас не смогла найти краткое содержание книги, только туманные отзывы здесь.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2023
Britanicul Adam Woods, după ce a finalizat o facultate în Istoria Artei, în ciuda tatălui său care îți dorea pentru el o pregătire cu mai multe foloase materiale, pleacă la veneția pentru a fi profesor de engleză unui puști răsfățat și de bani gata. Stupoare! Puștiul răsfățat și de bani gata a făcut-o lată, lăsându-și iubita însărcinată, drept urmare este expediat de părinți la New York.
Cum e clar că lui Adam nu i-a picat prea bine această veste, familia Gondolini îl trimite spre un alt post și anume de asistent personal al unui bătrân și izolat scriitor, Gordon Crace. Ceea ce găsește în casa bătrânului e demn de emisiunea aceea „Curat-murdar”. Printre alte treburi se numără și sortarea corespondenței, moment în care Adam descoperă niște scrisori ce-l pun pe gânduri și îi dau strălucita (sau nu) idée de a scrie biografia bătrânului Gordon Crace, celebru pentru singurul lui roman Societatea de dezbateri. Pornind în căutarea informațiilor despre trecutul lui Crace, Adam descoperă ceva uluitor despre fostul chiriaș al lui Gordon; mai mult, toată această vânătoare de informații cu scopul de a obține faimă, îl transformă pe Adam într-un personaj pe care nu-l mai recunoaștem. Adam va face lucruri îngrozitoare doar pentru a pune mâna pe niște informații vitale și pe un manuscris, al lui Crace, încă nepublicat.
Cum e clar că lui Adam nu i-a picat prea bine această veste, familia Gondolini îl trimite spre un alt post și anume de asistent personal al unui bătrân și izolat scriitor, Gordon Crace. Ceea ce găsește în casa bătrânului e demn de emisiunea aceea „Curat-murdar”. Printre alte treburi se numără și sortarea corespondenței, moment în care Adam descoperă niște scrisori ce-l pun pe gânduri și îi dau strălucita (sau nu) idée de a scrie biografia bătrânului Gordon Crace, celebru pentru singurul lui roman Societatea de dezbateri. Pornind în căutarea informațiilor despre trecutul lui Crace, Adam descoperă ceva uluitor despre fostul chiriaș al lui Gordon; mai mult, toată această vânătoare de informații cu scopul de a obține faimă, îl transformă pe Adam într-un personaj pe care nu-l mai recunoaștem. Adam va face lucruri îngrozitoare doar pentru a pune mâna pe niște informații vitale și pe un manuscris, al lui Crace, încă nepublicat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2020
A very entertainingly sinister novel which rattles along in Venice, London & rural Dorset, telling the story of Adam Woods, a disgruntled & disturbed graduate in Art History who becomes entwined with a one-book wonder writer & his long silence from the late 60s events that altered his life...& will alter other lives too...
It has some bizarre moments but generally reads well; its climax is very gothic & very unexpected, & its atmosphere is very Patricia Highsmith - Wilson wrote a well-received biography of the famous psychologically-acute writer, & I was reminded of the Ripley novels in this homage to misfiits & obsessives.
It has some bizarre moments but generally reads well; its climax is very gothic & very unexpected, & its atmosphere is very Patricia Highsmith - Wilson wrote a well-received biography of the famous psychologically-acute writer, & I was reminded of the Ripley novels in this homage to misfiits & obsessives.
July 6, 2018
A very well-written story with beautiful descriptive language. The book was slow in sections but then picked up the pace in others. I got a bit bored during the slow sections, but in retrospect I can see why it was drawn out in order to build up the plot, teasing out information from the backstories, and building up the suspense and the creepy interactions between the two main characters. Disturbing but playful. I enjoyed how all wasn’t as it seemed and I was constantly second-guessing the true natures of the two main characters.
Even though it was slow at first, I enjoyed it more than I expected to when I started it. I’m glad I stuck with it because I really enjoyed the conclusion.
Even though it was slow at first, I enjoyed it more than I expected to when I started it. I’m glad I stuck with it because I really enjoyed the conclusion.
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