Reviews

Confession of a Murderer: Told in One Night by Desmond I. Vesey, Joseph Roth

r_musil's review against another edition

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1.0

کتاب واقعا بد است، این هایی که در مترو و اتوبوس جلوی آدم را می‌گیرند و بدون اینکه شما را بشناسند یا ازشان بخواهید خاطراتشان را تعریف می‌کنند، احتمالا درک بهتری از این موضوع دارند که دست روزگار انقدر زندگی آدم را تصادفی خط روی خط نمی‌کند. تا وقتی کتکتان نزده اند نخوانید

lisalotte's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

frankie_derwent's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.0

ghilimei's review

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1.0

Prea dostoievskian pentru mine.

hiba29's review

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emotional tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I liked the premises, how the story was told and installed in both Russia and Paris, However, the characters are not attaching at all, there is no depth about them especially when it concerns the main one. We can't relate to any of them because they are only described plainly and their actions are not logical or relatable at any point. 
This is particularly true about the main character, who is acting vainly and childishly to every little event happening to him. He seems to be very self-centered and can't get a grip on himself. The story could have been more attaching if the character was presented in a better way, if it showed some redeeming moments where not everything was about his family name and lineage. I guess that is where the author was going, showing the human being in its raw form, the consuming jealousy between brothers, the strong and yet empty desire for something, someone, only driven by lust. The foolishness we're pushed to to keep these lies up and running, until the ugly truth shows up. 
The author focuses a lot on the jealousy side and on the attraction exercised on the main character by a women, whose presenting this exotic and innocent side of life.  This women he won over his brother but still lost her at the end, for this same brother.  The problem here is that there isn't a lesson learnt gradually, there is no evolving of any kind. We get to have a brief sight of the man years later, in that Parisian bar while recounting his life, but no change is actively showed. 
The one thing that bothered me a bit, also an actual goal of the author I think, is the very little information given about Lakatos, who seemed to be interesting but whose presence was rather limited to keep the illusion of power he had over our "hero". 
This book was interesting but certainly not captivating. A bit misleading if we take the title literally.

peiman198913's review against another edition

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3.0

شخصی که در داستان نامی ندارد! در هتلی رو به روی رستوران «تاری باری» زندگی می‌کند، هر روز از پنجره به مشاهده‌ی آنجا می‌پردازد و برای صرف شام به آنجا می‌رود. در رستوران مردی را میبیند که احساس عجیبی به آن دارد، و بقیه‌ی داستان تا حدود آخر کتاب در مورد این شخص است، گالوبچیک. این مرد در اثر اتفاقاتی ماجرای زندگی خود را در یک شب تا صبح برای مشتریان کافه رستوران تعریف می‌کند. مردی که در گذشته عضو پلیس مخفی روسیه بوده و همچنین فرزند نامشروع یکی از شاهزادگان آنجا. پس از این شب تا صبح باز به مرد بی نام ابتدا بر میگردد و چند صفحه‌ای دیگر به او می‌پردازد. داستان از ابتدا با کشش و جذابیت خوبی شروع میشه اما کم کم به نظرم از جذابیت داستان کم‌ میشه و قابل پیش بینی. اما آخر کتاب باز اندکی جذاب تر میشه. به هر حال کتاب سرگرم کننده‌ای هست ولی به نظرم اونقدری که نویسنده سعی داشته راز آلود و هیجانی باشه در نیومده

mickr's review

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reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

readingisadoingword's review

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3.0

Intriguing story, spys, affairs - unexpected ending in some ways.

patsonfire's review against another edition

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3.0

3,5
Süskind's writing was great and that ending was insane, but the rest of the book was a bit slow and not as exciting as I had expected. Basically, i wanted more murder.
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