I am not an especial lover of the mystery genre, but a friend has sung the praises of Boris Akunin once too often for me to pass by "Winter Queen" when I had the opportunity to pick it up in the local library.
The story itself is as old as dirt - callow policeman is thrown into mysterious situation, manages to make his way out and catch the thugs but at what cost? - and the plot twists are apparent to anybody who's ever read this sort of novel before (or knows anything about foreshadowing). However, Akunin keeps the plot going at a good clip, and the unfamiliar setting (1870s Tsarist Russia) keeps things fresh as well. It's impossible not to like scenes of decadent aristocrats playing "American roulette" to prove their nihilist credentials. And there are ghosts! Definitely am going to read the next one - apparently it involves cross-dressing revolutionaries who can't resist our hero's imperialist booty.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
Aww, it makes me feel cheery that you enjoyed it :-) The thing that's most interesting about Boris Akunin is the way that he uses these very tired plotlines to make really exciting new stories. You'll have to keep us posted on what you think of the others!
Post a Comment