Δε θα ξαναδιαβάσω παραμύθια. Ποτέ!!!! Με αυτό το βιβλίο δίνεται μια άλλη, τρομακτική διάσταση στα ασφαλή καταφύγια που μας δημιουργούσαν οι ψευδαισθήσεις των παραμυθιών όταν ήμαστε παιδιά. Είναι το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς με ήρωα τον αστυνομικό Φάμπελ (το επίθετό του ταιριάζει πολύ στην υπόθεση, Φάμπελ=μύθος) με αρκετές αναφορές στο πρώτο, τον Αιμάτινο αετό. Εδώ έχουμε έναν κατά συρροή δολοφόνο που αναπαριστά τα θύματά του όπως στα παραμύθια: Νεραϊδόπαιδο, Ραπουνζέλ, Κοκκινοσκουφίτσα, Χάνσελ και Γκρέτελ. Και ο Φάμπελ να αναρωτιέται ποιος ο συνεκτικός δεσμός μεταξύ των θυμάτων και άρα ο δολοφόνος. Κατά την εξέλιξη της υπόθεσης οι υποψίες πέφτουν σε δύο άτομα τόσο ξεκάθαρα και τόσο φυσικά αλλά δεν είναι κανείς τους ο ένοχος. Παράληλλα με τις δολοφονίες ένας συγγραφέας ξαναγράφει το παραμύθι των Γκριμ, δίνοντας τις πραγματικές τους διαστάσεις: τα παραμύθια αρχικά ήταν αντιπροσωπευτικά του φόβου και των προκαταλήψεων των ανθρώπων, γι' αυτό ήταν γεμάτα βιασμούς, βία και αίμα. Σιγά σιγά όμως και ειδικά μετά την πρώτη έκδοση, έγιναν ανάρπαστα και απλοποιήθηκαν χάριν των παιδιών για να καταλήξουν στα γλυκανάλατα κινούμενα σχέδια του Ντίσνεϋ. Έτσι έχουμε και κοινωνιολογική ανάλυση των παραμυθιών χωρίς αυτό να σε κουράζει ή να ανυπομονείς για τη συνέχεια. Και ο συνεκτικός δεσμός είναι κάτι τόσο απλό και οφθαλμοφανές που δεν πάει ο νους κανενός. Και ο δολοφόνος μαθαίνουμε ότι ήταν αιχμάλωτος μιας κακιάς μητριάς που τον ανάγκαζε να απομνημονεεύει ολόκληρα, φράση προς φράση, όλα τα παραμύθια των αδελφών Γκριμ κι αν ξέχναγε μια τόση δα λεξούλα έτρωγε πολύ ξύλο. Έτσι όταν μεγάλωσε στράφηκε στις δολοφονίες, με κορωνίδα των επιτευγμάτων του το ψήσιμο στον φούρνο της κακιάς μητριάς όλων των παραμυθιών, της δικής του. Συγκλονιστικό, ανατριχιαστικό και ανατρεπτικότατο. Θα ξενυχτήσετε για να το τελειώσετε!Στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις Bell το 2007 (Το παραμύθι του θανάτου).
Introducing the body of the (first) victim in an unusual or interesting way in any mystery-novel, helps hook the reader. But to keep this theme running and the reader hooked for the next couple of hundred pages, seems to be one of the hardest tasks for any crime-writer. Luckily, Craig Russell, while not delivering a literary masterpiece with ‘Brother Grimm’, keeps the reader racing through the pages of his 400+ paged novel. The pacing is high, the characters – thank to some done to death clichés - instantly recognizable and likeable.Set against a backdrop that for once isn’t California or any random capital in the world, we’re introduced to police detective Jan Fabel, whose on the hunt for a serial killer leaving corpses around northern German Hamburg. Brother Grimm, as the madman is referred to in the end, has a fairytale theme running through his rampages, dressing up his victims in manners associated to Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel.Hamburg and its surrounding offer a fitting modern backdrop to these gothic killings and Russell’s plain use of language makes it anything but hard to race from cover to cover. It’s a little too obvious at times that the writer would really like to see ‘Brother Grimm’ playing in the cinema’s within a couple of years, but showing his appreciation for the German culture generates just as much enthusiasm with his audience as well.An enjoyable read, though not nearly as memorable as the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
What do You think about Brother Grimm (2007)?
What an amazingly strong sequel!! I think I enjoyed this follow-up more even than the first book in the series, Blood Eagle. This may, in part, be due to my own love of fairy tales. Russell impeccably weaves the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales into this murder mystery without adding a hokey or downright silly tone to the novel at all. It’s a riveting story and the plot certainly takes some unpredictable twists. Though there are plenty of clues thrown in to help reveal the killer’s true identity, Russell manages to keep this truly hidden up until the very end. Russell’s villain here, is also impressive - not only in size and scariness, but also in the way that Russell manages to give readers at least a bit of sympathy towards this monstrous character.I am really looking forward to continuing on with the series. Russell clearly has a gift for plot, and his characters all come to life quite nicely. They have all developed over the course of these first two books in the series, and I am quite curious to see where they will go from here. Still, the focus of these books is most certainly their plots, and the originality and creativity that Russell offers up is fascinating and makes for a very enjoyable read.
—Victoria
A ideia-base está bem orquestrada. Não percebi quem era o assassino... até ter feito o que faço muitas vezes: fui ler a última página do livro, que tem apenas 6 linhas. E ali, bem visível, o nome do assassino e o desfecho da história. Escritores, a sério... há muita gente que, como eu, tem a mania de ler a última página antes de tempo. Não ponham lá os nomes dos assassinos. Tira a piada toda à coisa... Foi o que me aconteceu. Depois de ficar a saber quem era o culpado, li o resto do livro apenas com o intuito de perceber até onde a coisa ia. Breve nota sobre a tradução: mantiveram-se os nomes dos cargos policiais e das instituições que, no original, estão em alemão (já que a acção decorre na Alemanha). É extremamente confuso, são vocábulos enormes que custa ler. Atrasa a leitura e ficamos na mesma, porque não se percebe o que significa (quer dizer, tiram-se umas pelas outras, mas nada mais do que isso).Nota ainda mais breve sobre a revisão de texto: inexistente. O livro está cheio de gralhas, de erros ortográficos e de sintaxe. Cansa de tão mau que é. O preço que se paga pelos livros exige que a revisão dos textos seja cuidada e feita como deve ser. Nós, leitores, merecemos essa consideração.
—Lénia
Before I review this it's important to understand that I generally stay away from crime novels unless Sherlock Holmes is involved. This was a book the majority of our book club decided on. It was an excellent read and a re-read will only illustrate how detailed our author was. Great story - would recommend to beginners in the crime genre and for people who generally love this theme I'd say it's a beach read! I did not enjoy the German phrases, most likely because I have no knowledge or background on the language and it was so bloody annoying when I had to read 18 lettered words!!! I did research the author and found out he likes Hamburg and after all he is the storyteller so I guess we have to deal with it. :)
—Lia
