Scan barcode
rlgreen91's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm honestly not sure how to think of this book quite yet. It's a spy novel, sorta, which is interesting. It's very introspective, which is a plus for me. The plot doesn't seem to move at all, really, for large portions of the book, which somehow feels fine.
Jaime or Jacobo or Jacques or whatever he goes by at the moment is a man with a lot of thoughts. Yes, he did have a stint as an Oxford professor, so stereotypes would assume that he's long-winded, but this truly takes the cake. It's a level of introspection that manages to both feel profound in terms of content while also like surface-level chatter to avoid deeper consideration of one's self.
At its core, this novel is about a man that is part of a small group of people with the ability to determine if a person is lying and predict their future actions/dispositions based on a single conversation. That same man is also dealing with a self-imposed exile to a foreign country after the dissolution of his marriage. Because we only see things from Jaime's point of view, it's hard to tell if the other group members have this level of introspection, or if it's just Jaime's way of perhaps avoiding something. I guess I'll find out in Dance and Dream.
Edit: I should add that, as always with books set somewhere outside of the U.S., I am learning a lot of history reading this. Definitely did not know that Franco's regime lasted until the 70s. I always assumed that, as a contemporary of Hitler and Mussolini, his regime was toppled in the 40s/50s.
Jaime or Jacobo or Jacques or whatever he goes by at the moment is a man with a lot of thoughts. Yes, he did have a stint as an Oxford professor, so stereotypes would assume that he's long-winded, but this truly takes the cake. It's a level of introspection that manages to both feel profound in terms of content while also like surface-level chatter to avoid deeper consideration of one's self.
At its core, this novel is about a man that is part of a small group of people with the ability to determine if a person is lying and predict their future actions/dispositions based on a single conversation. That same man is also dealing with a self-imposed exile to a foreign country after the dissolution of his marriage. Because we only see things from Jaime's point of view, it's hard to tell if the other group members have this level of introspection, or if it's just Jaime's way of perhaps avoiding something. I guess I'll find out in Dance and Dream.
Edit: I should add that, as always with books set somewhere outside of the U.S., I am learning a lot of history reading this. Definitely did not know that Franco's regime lasted until the 70s. I always assumed that, as a contemporary of Hitler and Mussolini, his regime was toppled in the 40s/50s.
jakebittle's review
Maybe the world’s most abstract spy novel—the whole thing is one insanely digressive job interview between the narrator and the guy who wants to recruit him into the spy agency, with a 100-page interlude on the Spanish Civil War. I loved it so much, gonna get the second volume soon.
kingkong's review
5.0
this book is really clutch and I felt good reading it because of how obscure it is
blackoxford's review
4.0
Not Smiley's People
Four themes in different keys. The question is whether there is harmony or discord.
Opening with an over-scrupulous Proustian introduction, the protagonist, Deza, considers the disintegration of his marriage. He tries to formulate a theory of the case, to name the cause, as it were. He declares that "things only exist once they have been named." But names, particularly proper names, are an issue for him. Deza is variously Jaime, Jacobo, Jacques, and Jack depending on the company he keeps. The reader is forewarned that "A very thin line separates facts from imaginings...because imaginings are already facts." It's not a surprise therefore that Deza muses “...no one should trust me either."
Deza observes himself (apparently) rather critically, but he also has the capacity for prophetic judgement of others. Thus his Holmesian ability to suss out the bona fides of a variety of people for the mysterious figure of Tupra who is the central pillar of the second theme. Tupra's business interests aren't at all clear to Deza but not obviously shady enough to scare the latter off. Sherlock without the integrity.
The third story is a mystery involving the disappearance of a (real) Spanish Communist and the assassination of Deza's uncle during the Spanish Civil War. These events are also linked to the unexplained betrayal of his father in Franco Spain. Much is made of the connection with the James Bond figure of Ian Fleming's From Russia With Love, in which book there appear to be significant references to at least the first event.
Finally, there is the tale of Wheeler, the emeritus Oxford don, who, like a character out of Le Carre's Smiley's People, is an old hand in the British Secret Service. Wheeler also has some problems with name-stability. He, too, has had some vague involvement with the Spanish Civil War but on whose side and to accomplish what end?
The title comes from a comment half-way through made by Deza in an attempt to explain his father's betrayal. "How can I not know today your face tomorrow...?" he says. In other words: Isn't the real character of a person obvious long before he acts? Shouldn't one be able to see betrayal before any overt act to betray? One might assume therefore that this is the central theme that brings the four complex threads together.
But Marias then throws a rather hefty body blow to the reader who might be struggling with his complexity. "There is nothing worse than looking for a meaning or believing there is one." Deza says about two-thirds through. Not all that encouraging is it?
Clearly Marias is an accomplished stylist. This shows even in translation. He can roam from Proustian meditation to Bond-like adventure. But the shifts can become somewhat disconcerting and ultimately even tedious.
Definitely Schoenberg rather than Elgar.
Four themes in different keys. The question is whether there is harmony or discord.
Opening with an over-scrupulous Proustian introduction, the protagonist, Deza, considers the disintegration of his marriage. He tries to formulate a theory of the case, to name the cause, as it were. He declares that "things only exist once they have been named." But names, particularly proper names, are an issue for him. Deza is variously Jaime, Jacobo, Jacques, and Jack depending on the company he keeps. The reader is forewarned that "A very thin line separates facts from imaginings...because imaginings are already facts." It's not a surprise therefore that Deza muses “...no one should trust me either."
Deza observes himself (apparently) rather critically, but he also has the capacity for prophetic judgement of others. Thus his Holmesian ability to suss out the bona fides of a variety of people for the mysterious figure of Tupra who is the central pillar of the second theme. Tupra's business interests aren't at all clear to Deza but not obviously shady enough to scare the latter off. Sherlock without the integrity.
The third story is a mystery involving the disappearance of a (real) Spanish Communist and the assassination of Deza's uncle during the Spanish Civil War. These events are also linked to the unexplained betrayal of his father in Franco Spain. Much is made of the connection with the James Bond figure of Ian Fleming's From Russia With Love, in which book there appear to be significant references to at least the first event.
Finally, there is the tale of Wheeler, the emeritus Oxford don, who, like a character out of Le Carre's Smiley's People, is an old hand in the British Secret Service. Wheeler also has some problems with name-stability. He, too, has had some vague involvement with the Spanish Civil War but on whose side and to accomplish what end?
The title comes from a comment half-way through made by Deza in an attempt to explain his father's betrayal. "How can I not know today your face tomorrow...?" he says. In other words: Isn't the real character of a person obvious long before he acts? Shouldn't one be able to see betrayal before any overt act to betray? One might assume therefore that this is the central theme that brings the four complex threads together.
But Marias then throws a rather hefty body blow to the reader who might be struggling with his complexity. "There is nothing worse than looking for a meaning or believing there is one." Deza says about two-thirds through. Not all that encouraging is it?
Clearly Marias is an accomplished stylist. This shows even in translation. He can roam from Proustian meditation to Bond-like adventure. But the shifts can become somewhat disconcerting and ultimately even tedious.
Definitely Schoenberg rather than Elgar.
joth1006's review
4.0
Väldigt träffsäker och välskriven "spionroman" som jag hoppas blir översatt till svenska. Marías har gjort sig känd som en essayist, och här blir det väldigt tydligt varför: ämnen broderas ut i oändlighet, ältas och upprepas, utan att fördenskull kännas långdragna. Jag stryker den femte stjärnan dock, eftersom jag tycker att Mariás kvinnoporträtt bitvis är platta på ett sätt som inte kan förlåtas en modern författare.
OBS: huvudkaraktären är densamme som i [b:Alla själar|23166282|Alla själar|Javier Marías|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410117997s/23166282.jpg|1650254], så läs den först om du vill läsa denna.
Uppdatering: jag har säker källa på att denna kommer i svensk översättning under 2017!
OBS: huvudkaraktären är densamme som i [b:Alla själar|23166282|Alla själar|Javier Marías|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410117997s/23166282.jpg|1650254], så läs den först om du vill läsa denna.
Uppdatering: jag har säker källa på att denna kommer i svensk översättning under 2017!
adt's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly engaging and intriguing
Fascinating. Digressions and recursive trains of thoughts and conversations are surprisingly engaging. How could I not consider going on to volume of the trilogy?
Fascinating. Digressions and recursive trains of thoughts and conversations are surprisingly engaging. How could I not consider going on to volume of the trilogy?
whatmaartjeread's review against another edition
3.0
I loved parts of this. I hated others. So 3 stars it is.
5wamp_creature's review
3.0
It takes a while to get used to the parenthetical/introspective/historical asides. The writing is dense but not difficult to read. I wanted to like it more, but as the book wore on I kept thinking of how little happened in between the monologues. Characters give l o n g speeches that just don't happen in any conversation I've had. But I digress. Lately I have read a lot of thrillers, crime, mystery and sci-fi. In these books STUFF HAPPENS almost constantly with description for atmosphere. Fever and Spear is the opposite. Description and back story happen while action is incidental.
There is a tantalizing undertone in the (few) mysterious events that occur. That's what kept me going.
Nevertheless, I will probably read part II this year.
Recommended for the patient ones.
There is a tantalizing undertone in the (few) mysterious events that occur. That's what kept me going.
Nevertheless, I will probably read part II this year.
Recommended for the patient ones.
mturnau's review against another edition
3.0
After reading "Heart so white" I had really high expectations and I got disappointed. The author keeps the same "oh, btw, there is something mysterious about the whole thing but don't worry about it now" vibe as in "Heart.." but here the "mysterious thing" seems not very interesting and at some point it's getting boring how slowly the action is moving forward. In the end of the book I was like "really, that was it, that's what I learnt by reading all those pages, monologues, history fragments?" And don't get me wrong - I LOVE books that "nothing" is happening, that the action seems non -existing. But only when a) the style is amazing, b) at some point you get "wow, that is what it was all about!". Here I found the style a bit boring and when the main character is fascinated by his professor's story and spends all night reading stuff in the library... well it doesn't seem "true" to me at all. I found the professor arrogant and showing off his deep knowledge and his attempts to "challenge" his friend kinda childish. And I didn't get the "wow" effect at all.
I still liked the book, enjoyed reading it to some extent. Just don't feel captivated or motivated to continue the series yet.
I still liked the book, enjoyed reading it to some extent. Just don't feel captivated or motivated to continue the series yet.
thebobsphere's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first taste of the world of Javier Marias and I was greatly impressed.
Your Face Tomorrow is the first part of a trilogy chronicling the exploits of Jacques Deza. As Deza relocates himself to England, due to a messy divorce he discovers that his powers of perception are better than the average person. This catches the attention of his former lecturer Peter Wheeler, who introduces Deza to Bertram Tupra, the head of an espionage unit. After cajoling both Tupra and Wheeler persuade Deza to joint this unit so that they can get information on government traitors. During this process Deza begins to learn that things are not exactly as they seem and makes some surprising discoveries about his new colleagues.
You could say this Fever and Spear is merely an introduction. Throughout the novel we learn about characters and, of course Deza’s (and his father’s) life before his move to London. Already we are sucked into a very complex situation, filled with twists and turns where nothing is as it seems. Part spy thriller, part biography Fever and Spear could have stood alone as a single novel, if not Marias inserted a cliffhanger which leads to Deza’s first case.
Marias is a very delicate writer and although one gets the impression that he meanders too much, there is a reason why he does for he ties everything up. Marias is not interested in chronological order and any biographical information is scattered within the book. The language (or translation) is a bit too flowery at times but don’t let it put you off the book itself. All I can say now is that the second part, Dance and Dream should prove to be very interesting.
Your Face Tomorrow is the first part of a trilogy chronicling the exploits of Jacques Deza. As Deza relocates himself to England, due to a messy divorce he discovers that his powers of perception are better than the average person. This catches the attention of his former lecturer Peter Wheeler, who introduces Deza to Bertram Tupra, the head of an espionage unit. After cajoling both Tupra and Wheeler persuade Deza to joint this unit so that they can get information on government traitors. During this process Deza begins to learn that things are not exactly as they seem and makes some surprising discoveries about his new colleagues.
You could say this Fever and Spear is merely an introduction. Throughout the novel we learn about characters and, of course Deza’s (and his father’s) life before his move to London. Already we are sucked into a very complex situation, filled with twists and turns where nothing is as it seems. Part spy thriller, part biography Fever and Spear could have stood alone as a single novel, if not Marias inserted a cliffhanger which leads to Deza’s first case.
Marias is a very delicate writer and although one gets the impression that he meanders too much, there is a reason why he does for he ties everything up. Marias is not interested in chronological order and any biographical information is scattered within the book. The language (or translation) is a bit too flowery at times but don’t let it put you off the book itself. All I can say now is that the second part, Dance and Dream should prove to be very interesting.