Oh, goodness. The cover of this book is gorgeous and the description of the back cover had me itching to read it: Murder? In Vienna? In 1910? Yes, please! What could be better than a mash-up of historical fiction and murder mystery? Unfortunately, my expectations must have been miscalibrated because this book totally missed the mark for me.The story follows the Inspector (who remains nameless) as he investigates the death of Dora, a young girl from a well-to-do Viennese family whose throttled body is found dumped in the Volksgarten. The Inspector uses all of the latest investigatory techniques to track down the killer (autopsy, taking shoe impressions, combing through the park and Dora's clothes methodically for forensic clues) but continually hits dead ends. The Inspector's wife, Erszebet, takes an unusual interest in the case and launches her own parallel investigation with the help of Wally, an English nanny with whom she is friends.Sounds all well and good, right? Except there were so many things that frustrated me that I don't even know where to begin. Erszebet strongly ascribes to the superstitious beliefs of old and employs them in her investigation to a maddening degree. She regularly steals evidence from her husband (such as the jarred contents of Dora's stomach or his investigation notes) and makes her own watercolors and copies of them for later use. By the time she was lovingly reproducing a photograph of a suspect's disease-ridden penis in purple and blue water colors I was ready to throw this book across the room. Her investigation with Wally seemed downright dangerously meddlesome and I kept expecting them both to be murdered in the middle of the book. Heck, I was ready to do it myself! I think none of this would have been so frustrating if I had any feel for who the characters were, but I didn't. They all seemed like cardboard, their actions and motivations maddeningly nebulous. I had no idea why the Inspector would even have married a woman like Erszebet, or how they could possibly have been in love since they seemingly had nothing in common.Another major complaint I had with this book was the pace. Because nothing. ever. happened. As soon as it seemed like the story was about to make a break and I thought, "Ok, finally, here we go!"...it didn't. It was like Jodi Shields was trying every possible way to stall the progression of her story - to what effect, I'm not sure. This book should have been marketed more as a character study instead of a zippy murder mystery, but even that would have been disingenuous because the characters are so thinly drawn. As for the ending, which others on here have also called out, it was a bit of a "WTF" moment. To put it mildly.The reason I gave it two stars instead of just one is because the writing, though choppy and unusual, still had some very elegant turns of phrase. And this book also oozed atmosphere - thanks in part to the writing style - which is something that many writers struggle with. I just wish that the story were tighter and the characters were real. I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't.On the plus side, I now know what a fiaker is because its featured on every single page. Along with coffee, cake, and cold looks.
I was so surprised to find that people hated this book with such passion since I thought it was riveting, haunting, and gorgeous! I could not put it down and would stay up late to finish reading. I loved the subtlety of Ms. Shields writing that allowed the reader to engage with this book in a read-between-the-lines kind of way. I thought it was clever that you never really got a black and white, "here's what so-and-so thought was happening and he/she was right/wrong," because then you were able to experience the hunt thought the differing thoughts and emotions of each character without that smug omniscient narrator telling you, point blank: X did it, for Y reason. Isn't that more true to life anyway - complex mishmash of influences, thoughts, and emotions that affect our actions and decisions in less than logical, sometimes vague and frightening ways? I think Freud would have delighted in the complexity of Ms. Shield's multifaceted and unpredictable characters. People are weird, irrational and complicated in real life and so are the characters in this book. Maybe people took issue with Ms. Shield's choice to forgo overt character descriptions and motivations, but her lovely narrative and complete investment in letting the bizarre and confused thoughts in the characters heads present just as they are, unedited by an all-knowing author/creator made them seem all the more real, believable, and fascinating.SPOILERAs for the hemming and hawing over the werewolf implication, it was perfectly in line with everything about the Inspector's wife. Legends of werewolves abound in Hungarian folk lore and Erszbet's well versed in her native country's traditions, clearly. It wasn't that outlandish for Ms. Shields to hint at the supernatural when Erszbet is completely absorbed in it from the start. It would be a let down if she DIDN'T continue with the Hungarian magic aspect of this character until the very end. That's why the Inspector and Erszbet are the perfect compliment for the reader: one is uber rational, following the b&w steps laid out in a Kriminilistik policing guidebook, and the other explores the more mystical explanations for our disturbing world - a viewpoint that may seen silly now (but not that silly if we consider the obsession with big foot, aliens, and the various religious stories people take very seriously) but that were probably fairly common among the peasant or country class of the age. Anyway, I had to put my two cents in here in praise of this thrilling work. Not your standard cozy mystery for sure, but I thought it was a psychological thriller that was elegantly written, viscerally experienced, and certainly memorable.
What do You think about The Fig Eater (2001)?
Ahh Dora, not the explorer my mind assosciates with the name. Unfortunately I didnt know much about Freud's Dora (other than what I quickly read on Wikipedia). But as my college years will prove, Wikipedia was enough to get by and appreciate Shield's imagined tragic end for Dora - again not the explorer, unless you count sexually exploring older gentlemen and possible ladies too?Anywho, it was a somewhat intriguing mystery, with a race between the inspector and wife (unbeknownst to them) to discover the murderer. It felt like an old fashioned mystery and I enjoyed reading about Vienna during the early 1900s. However, at times I felt lost and confused and in the end disappointed with the ending. However, Dora and i have one thing in common, in order for me to eat a fig, it would have to be forced down my throat before death.
—Ally Wampler
Fascinating premise: an inspector investigates the murder of a young woman found dead in a park in turn-of-the-century Vienna. While he investigates using conventional methods (interviews, police reports, autopsy reports), his wife, who is Hungarian and is descended from gypsies, conducts a parallel investigation, following more ethereal clues that include her intuition, "vibes" from items that belonged to the girl, tarot card readings, etc. All of this warrants a unpredictable, shocker of an ending, which is not delivered. I was so caught up in the plot that I nearly missed the scene when the murder is identified, and then I thought, "What? Who?" A good read up until that point.
—Nicole
The main thing I have to say about this book is: WTF! Let me tell you, there WILL be a SPOILER ALERT so if you have any interest in actually reading this book...stop here.I am not the kind of person who likes to give out the ending of books or movies...but, the ending was just so out of left field...its the only reason I have anything to say.Basic premise: A woman, Dora, is murdered in turn of the century Austria. The history of Austria and the descriptions are good...the writing itself is fine and I was actually intrigued by the book until the last quarter to third of it.Ok...so, the Inspector (he's never given a name) is investigating Dora's murder through latest criminology techniques of the day...while his WIFE, who is Hungarian and believes in spells and superstitions, decides to investigate on her own...by listening to him talk of the case, reading his notebook without his knowledge...and through gypsy folklore, tarot card, superstitions, etc. You never really have a clear reason why she is investigating...or why she is hanging out with an 18 year old English nanny who is helping her investigate. It's all really rather odd...but, not bad writing at this point.The book is called The Fig Eater because a fresh fig is the last thing Dora eats before she is murdered. The entire book the wife Erzsebet and her friend Wally are looking for a fig tree that is not native to Austria. They feel if the find the tree...they will find the killer...yet in the last part of the book when the find the tree...it is never mentioned again as to how she got the fig...who gave it to her or anything...whether it has anything to do with the murder????......it's just dropped like a hot potato!Also some of the supporting characters interact with suspects without ever telling the police. Other plot lines are just left dangling as if the author forgot what the hell she was writing about and just left it...though none are as glaring as the friggin fig!OK...so, here's the REALLY odd part and the big SPOILER: When the killer is identified by Erzsebet and Wally...they take him to a park where he confesses that he accidentally killed Dora when she began to act crazy and attack and bite him. So, Erzsebet says "go on, run ahead of us...we'll give you to the count of ten." And he says "so it's my turn then"? And they chase after him in the woods and the inspectors wife, Erzsebet, "unleashes a rage upon him" tearing at him and basically he falls and hits his head and dies... and then she lets out maniacal screams and laughter.There is an intimation that she may believe she is a werewolf...or possibly is a werewolf...or they are just effing crazy...or maybe I'm crazy.I just know this is the one of the most bizarre books I have ever read...and ONLY because the ending come so far out of left field.I actually went online to see if anyone had made sense out of this crap...and found nothing. Whatever enjoyment I did have from this book was totally ruined by the ridiculous ending.I almost want someone to read this just so they can tell me if I've gone insane.
—Terri Garrett
