You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
This was my favorite out of the random 5 books I picked up at the library the last time I was there. An intriguingly complex murder mystery set in South Africa in the 1950's, I felt this novel gave me the most insight into another culture, country, and history than any of the other books so far in my Books From Around the World challenge. There was never a moment I got bored or felt the story to be in a lull period. I also enjoyed the writing style of [a:Malla Nunn|1288231|Malla Nunn|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1288565696p2/1288231.jpg]. Sophisticated yet smoothly paced, there was just something 'natural' to reading this one. I never felt as though I were forcing myself to get through another X number of pages (which I feel like I've done a lot of recently.)
[b:A Beautiful Place to Die|8416874|A Beautiful Place to Die|Malla Nunn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275961579s/8416874.jpg|3022332] also brought attention to the inequalities and extreme, complicated racial prejudices and segregation in South Africa at the time, without 'shoving it down your throat' so to speak. It was there always, racial tensions a constant factor in everything, which drove me mad and added a whole other level to the novel instead of just another murder mystery/crime novel. The backgrounds of several characters, the protagonist Detective Emmanuel and the Old Jew mainly, were also frequently hinted to but always kept in shadow. I am intrigued and want to know more about how the Jewish Doctor came to be living in South Africa after WWII and who this Scottish Sergeant-Major's presence in Emmanuel's subconscious is.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading [b:A Beautiful Place to Die|8416874|A Beautiful Place to Die|Malla Nunn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275961579s/8416874.jpg|3022332] and look forward to reading more by [a:Malla Nunn|1288231|Malla Nunn|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1288565696p2/1288231.jpg].
[b:A Beautiful Place to Die|8416874|A Beautiful Place to Die|Malla Nunn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275961579s/8416874.jpg|3022332] also brought attention to the inequalities and extreme, complicated racial prejudices and segregation in South Africa at the time, without 'shoving it down your throat' so to speak. It was there always, racial tensions a constant factor in everything, which drove me mad and added a whole other level to the novel instead of just another murder mystery/crime novel. The backgrounds of several characters, the protagonist Detective Emmanuel and the Old Jew mainly, were also frequently hinted to but always kept in shadow. I am intrigued and want to know more about how the Jewish Doctor came to be living in South Africa after WWII and who this Scottish Sergeant-Major's presence in Emmanuel's subconscious is.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading [b:A Beautiful Place to Die|8416874|A Beautiful Place to Die|Malla Nunn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275961579s/8416874.jpg|3022332] and look forward to reading more by [a:Malla Nunn|1288231|Malla Nunn|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1288565696p2/1288231.jpg].
This is 3 and a half for me due to a few of the details in the plot that I found unnecessary, superfluous, and detracking from the story. But the details of life in South Africa of the time were interesting, and the main character Emmanuel Cooper, sufficiently interesting to read further books by this author.
This book offers mystery upon layer of mystery, and a haunted lead character that's still recovering from WWII while trying to solve the case. Throw in racial, religious and societal differences, and a little communism and torture and that'll add some spice to the mystery. Yes, I found the story dragging on in a couple of places, but once I started reading I couldn't put it down. The author also did a good job of introducing the beginning of apartheid in the South African society. The characters needed some more development, but they were entertaining nonetheless. I will probably pick up the next on in the series.
3.5 stars. The one thing I really liked about this book was the sense of being in South Africa. Nunn really brought out the place and the political culture. Cooper is an extremely complex character. The mystery was satisfying too.
I read this book as a teenager and it really had a profound impact on me. I plan on rereading it and leaving a better review but even after 15ish years the book truly stands out in my mind from the 1000s of books I’ve read in my lifetime.
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Colonisation
I love mysteries and this one set in 1950s South Africa is a good one.
Not sure how to rate this one. The author recreated the world of South Africa as apartheid was beginning. South Africa’s history with is something I’m aware of, but like so many other eras of history I don’t know nearly as much as I should. The book immerses the reader in what it was like for people of different races at that time in a way that simply reading dry fiction would not. The prose also painted the countryside, the climate, the people in a way that you could visualize everything, but without diving into flowery language.
The mystery also unfolded well. I did not suspect who committed the murder, but I didn’t feel like the author had somehow cheated me by not giving me the facts.
* Spoilerish comment*
What I didn’t like is that the mystery and other aspects of the story tied back to sexual violence. It’s just not something I need to read about. Yes, it happens. But there are other ways to build a story and I’d rather read stories built in other ways.
This is why I am waffling in my rating. I really enjoyed the author's writing, but I dislike that line of storytelling. 4 for writing, 3 for story.
The mystery also unfolded well. I did not suspect who committed the murder, but I didn’t feel like the author had somehow cheated me by not giving me the facts.
* Spoilerish comment*
What I didn’t like is that the mystery and other aspects of the story tied back to sexual violence. It’s just not something I need to read about. Yes, it happens. But there are other ways to build a story and I’d rather read stories built in other ways.
This is why I am waffling in my rating. I really enjoyed the author's writing, but I dislike that line of storytelling. 4 for writing, 3 for story.
Didn't love it, didn't hate it. I definitely wanted to keep reading to find out whodunnit though. The 1950s south African setting made an interesting addition to this mystery, but it was a very unpleasant time and place.