Reviews

Nero Wolfe e sua figlia by Rex Stout, Alfredo Pitta

Only show reviews with written explanations

dennyb1's review

4.0

Essendo Nero Wolfe un uomo pachidermico, sedentario, dedito alla buona cucina e alla cura delle sue orchidee, allora si potrebbe pensare che i romanzi di cui è protagonista siano lenti e pesanti da leggere. Non si potrebbe mai essere più lontani dalla verità perché i romanzi di Rex Stout sono agili, ritmati, con gente che va ed esce dallo studio di Wolfe come se fosse il palco di un teatro.

Dopo essermi reso conto, in maniera alquanto spiacevole, che a chi è venuto in mente di titolare il libro Nero Wolfe e sua figlia ha in pratica spoilerato una delle rivelazioni sul passato/presente dello stesso (e dovrebbe essere quantomeno multato), l’inchiesta me la sono goduta con piacere crescente, e nelle pagine finali, oltre ad avere la prova che dentro il corpo di Nero Wolfe batte un cuore, si assiste a un violento episodio del tutto inaspettato, che getta una luce nuova sul personaggio: se lo attacchi, Nero Wolfe si difende con la freddezza di un cobra.

gossamerwingedgazelle's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

As expected, this book was quite good. Sometimes, they drag while everyone is looking for clues, but this time, it went along pretty quickly. Also, we got some more backstory on the characters, which is always nice.

markk's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

When a young woman from Montenegro arrives at Nero Wolfe’s brownstone, the matter seems trivial enough, as she requests nothing more than help with a friend accused of stealing some diamonds. Though Wolfe declines her case, the subsequent arrival of a federal agent leads to the discovery of a document the young woman left behind empowering the bearer to negotiate valuable Bosnian forest concessions. It is the second document the young woman brings on a return trip, however, that leads Wolfe to involve himself in the case – one that is offered as proof that the friend accused of theft is none other than the famous detective’s long-lost adopted daughter.

This revelation soon launches Wolfe and his right-hand man Archie Goodwin on an adventure involving murder and international intrigue. After the last couple of novels, Too Many Cooks and Some Buried Caesar, it’s a return to form, with the legendary homebody working from the comfort of his brownstone while Goodwin runs across Manhattan doing the legwork. What’s new to the series is the political element, one that reflects the shadow of events under which Rex Stout wrote his novel. This does more than anything in his previous books to situate the work in a particular time and place, and adds to the stakes involved. What's new is the introduction of the international intrigue, with the author proving as adept in blending a little spy fiction into his standard mystery format, and without diminishing the latter one bit in the process.

a_ab's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This is a fast paced story with international intrigue and suspects unusually close to Nero Wolfe himself. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though the casual pervasive misogyny I know to expect from this series is here in full force. (Historical context or authorial personal beliefs, I wonder — probably a portion of both)

jofish's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous fast-paced

4.25

andgineer's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Очень люблю книжки Стаута - детективы в абсолютном вакууме, т.е. по всем законам жанра ситуация максимально изолирована, характеры героев предельно функциональны.
Легкие шутки, очень нетривиальный ангийский (книги Стаута заставляют раздуваться стопки карточек для запоминания в Anki.. читая обычные триллеры вообще ни одного незнакомого слова не встречаю).
Но конкретно эта история чуть хуже среднего - тут как-то очень все завязано на попытку создать Вульфу прошлое.. что по моему вообще недопустимо делать, он должен оставаться абстракцией.
Но как всегда изящно и с необычными поворотами сюжета.