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drskaninchen's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Racism
Moderate: Violence, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexism, War, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Grief
olia_k21's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Gore
margotkavall's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
fallona's review against another edition
3.0
I have basically two impressions here that are almost distinct from one another.
As a novel read for pleasure: this is a very plot-driven story. The pacing picks up quite a lot in the second half, and it really did surprise me through some of its twists and turns. Lupin himself doesn't turn up until fairly late in the story, and unfortunately the characterization of many of the other characters is... less than stellar, ranging from the overtly racist to the merely strange. This includes the functional protagonist, Patrice Belval--who reads as by turns surprisingly childish, casually cruel, infatuated, and strangely unaffected by things that seem like they ought to inspire some kind of emotional reaction. He's not a particularly bright protagonist, sometimes frustratingly so, but this is undoubtedly in part to permit Arsène Lupin t0 shine (when he finally shows up). Coralie seems to lose a lot of her personality as the novel progresses, though somehow this serves to make the romance feel less forced.
More interesting, really, is reading the book as an adventure story set in 1915 and published in 1917--it's not precisely a war story, though the war is taking place in the background and is vital to the characters' histories. Patrice Belval is a wounded French officer, Coralie a nurse tending to wounded soldiers. Arsène Lupin, in wartime, is trying to use his talents for the good of France. Read as a novel featuring a popular character that was published during the First World War and set during it, it's really a very fascinating look at balancing a popular adventure story with a wartime message for a French audience on patriotism, the perception of disabled veterans, and contributions to the war effort even outside of active soldiering.
As a novel read for pleasure: this is a very plot-driven story. The pacing picks up quite a lot in the second half, and it really did surprise me through some of its twists and turns. Lupin himself doesn't turn up until fairly late in the story, and unfortunately the characterization of many of the other characters is... less than stellar, ranging from the overtly racist to the merely strange. This includes the functional protagonist, Patrice Belval--who reads as by turns surprisingly childish, casually cruel, infatuated, and strangely unaffected by things that seem like they ought to inspire some kind of emotional reaction. He's not a particularly bright protagonist, sometimes frustratingly so, but this is undoubtedly in part to permit Arsène Lupin t0 shine (when he finally shows up). Coralie seems to lose a lot of her personality as the novel progresses, though somehow this serves to make the romance feel less forced.
More interesting, really, is reading the book as an adventure story set in 1915 and published in 1917--it's not precisely a war story, though the war is taking place in the background and is vital to the characters' histories. Patrice Belval is a wounded French officer, Coralie a nurse tending to wounded soldiers. Arsène Lupin, in wartime, is trying to use his talents for the good of France. Read as a novel featuring a popular character that was published during the First World War and set during it, it's really a very fascinating look at balancing a popular adventure story with a wartime message for a French audience on patriotism, the perception of disabled veterans, and contributions to the war effort even outside of active soldiering.
idkhello's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve got completely lost with the continuity?? But anyways - nice, it was a long tale of “lupin helping young couples in love”:) Some theatric lines from Lupin, stupid main character and war from a perspective of a person who wrote during the event
omanik's review against another edition
5.0
Ein typischer Arsène Lupin: Mysteriös, verworren, unzählige Sackgassen, aus denen unverhofft neue Türen aufgehen. Spannend bis zur letzten Seite. Da stört auch die mitunter etwas gar zu schmachtvolle Liebesgeschichte, die den roten Faden durch das Buch bildet, wenig. Für alle, die mit dem Helden von Maurice Leblanc vertraut sind, ein Genuss. Für Leser, die den charmanten, amüsanten und klugen Meisterdieb noch nicht kennen ist dieses Buch aber nicht unbedingt als Einstieg empfohlen.
Die mir vorliegende Ausgabe aus dem Belle Époche Verlag ist allerdings eine Zumutung: Tausende von Druck- und Rechtschreibefehlern, Wortdoppelungen und eine schreckliche Interpunktion machen das Lesen teilweise wirklich schwierig.
Die mir vorliegende Ausgabe aus dem Belle Époche Verlag ist allerdings eine Zumutung: Tausende von Druck- und Rechtschreibefehlern, Wortdoppelungen und eine schreckliche Interpunktion machen das Lesen teilweise wirklich schwierig.
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