El juego de Ripper (Vintage Espanol) (Spanish Edition) (vuoden 2014 painos)

When I saw the various reviews of this book I put it back on the shelf. While Isabel Allende is one of my favorite authors was put off my some of the comments. Finally I have read it! And, can understand how the comments and ratings are all over the place. If nothing else, Isabel Allende is a superb story teller and has woven a very interesting story of the around some of the unique individuals one can find in San Francisco. This in itself can be rather off putting. However, if you sit back and relax you can find she presented the reader with some characters that you wont find anywhere else. So many of her stories are driven by unique individuals and this is what has drawn me to her over the years. She does not give cardboard figurines to fill a space or because someone is need at a specific point in the story. Like life so often is those who play a small passing part in it often are those remembered at some specific point and that is how she writes. There is no dead space but every word every event is presented in it fullest to enrich the experience of reading her story. She does not write a bare bones story and that is what makes her such and enjoyable read.

Whether this is a thrilled (big disappointment it isn't thrilling) or a crime story or a mystery (to me there is no mystery in the story) is not relevant. What is relevant is it is a very different experience crafted by a gifted story teller. Obviously this is not a book for everyone but those who enjoy something different and appreciate an interesting story with unique characters woven throughout this should be on their list to read.
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Per Amanda e i suoi amici Ripper era solo un gioco. Ma quando San Francisco è scossa da una serie di misteriosi omicidi, Amanda sembra l’unica in grado di risolvere l’enigma. Brillante e introversa, appassionata lettrice, dotata di un eccezionale talento per le indagini criminali, si diletta a giocare a Ripper, un gioco online ispirato a Jack the Ripper, Jack lo Squartatore, in cui bisogna risolvere casi misteriosi. Quando la città è scossa da una serie di efferati omicidi, Amanda si butta a capofitto nelle indagini, scoprendo, prima della polizia, che i delitti potrebbero avere un legame fra loro.

Allende’s sweeping literary style that suits her so well does not suit a modern murder mystery. The pacing and character development are just off, and while I was engaged with the first half, the second half sort of falls apart. If you like Allende for the style she’s known for, like I do, skip this one. ( )

A mystery novel by Isabel Allende set in San Fransisco ( )

As always, I enjoyed Isabel Allende's writing . However, the theme seemed exciting when I picked up this book but soon left me cold.. I am not a huge murder mystery fan so not really my thing. ( )