The Minotaur
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
7 stars: Good.
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From the back cover: Swedish nurse Kerstin Kvist arrives at the vine covered Lydstep Old Hall to care for John Cosway, a former mathematical genius. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is now kept under heavy sedation by his iron willed mother and four obsessive sisters. Initially beguiled by the sisters' raucous and entertaining social life, Kvist soon comes to believe their motivations may be more sinister. John is the sole heir of the immense Cosway estate, and as he takes his daily walks or sits quivering in the labyrinthine library, Kvist believes the rest of the family may be plotting their own ways of coming into the fortune.
The Minotaur is an elegant and gripping new novel that masterfully combines psychological suspense and Gothic horro. It is classic Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell)--an absolutely enthralling tale that keeps twisting and turning until the very last page.
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Barbara Vine is the pseudonym for Ruth Rendell when she writes psychological mysteries. This one was a good page turner, with many twists. Ultimately about people in a drudging, dead end life, desperate for a change... and one commits a crime to make that change. As with mysteries of this type, the build up is the entire book--the crime doesn't happen until the last few pages, and its barely discussed afterwards.
This was a good, but not great, story. Autism is treated as something unusual; I recognize it was not as well known at that time, but it still did not feel authentic in the story line.
A few quotes I liked:
"No milk either." I had stopped her just in time. The habit of putting milk into an infusion of [tea] leaves has always struck me as bizarre. I watched with relief as she passed me a large saucerless mug of neat brown tea, clear as the water of the Colne was in those days.
Since then I have learned that people marry for status, for security, for escape, because they have got into it and would find it very awkward and embarassing to get out of, and of course for money.
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From the back cover: Swedish nurse Kerstin Kvist arrives at the vine covered Lydstep Old Hall to care for John Cosway, a former mathematical genius. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is now kept under heavy sedation by his iron willed mother and four obsessive sisters. Initially beguiled by the sisters' raucous and entertaining social life, Kvist soon comes to believe their motivations may be more sinister. John is the sole heir of the immense Cosway estate, and as he takes his daily walks or sits quivering in the labyrinthine library, Kvist believes the rest of the family may be plotting their own ways of coming into the fortune.
The Minotaur is an elegant and gripping new novel that masterfully combines psychological suspense and Gothic horro. It is classic Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell)--an absolutely enthralling tale that keeps twisting and turning until the very last page.
------------
Barbara Vine is the pseudonym for Ruth Rendell when she writes psychological mysteries. This one was a good page turner, with many twists. Ultimately about people in a drudging, dead end life, desperate for a change... and one commits a crime to make that change. As with mysteries of this type, the build up is the entire book--the crime doesn't happen until the last few pages, and its barely discussed afterwards.
This was a good, but not great, story. Autism is treated as something unusual; I recognize it was not as well known at that time, but it still did not feel authentic in the story line.
A few quotes I liked:
"No milk either." I had stopped her just in time. The habit of putting milk into an infusion of [tea] leaves has always struck me as bizarre. I watched with relief as she passed me a large saucerless mug of neat brown tea, clear as the water of the Colne was in those days.
Since then I have learned that people marry for status, for security, for escape, because they have got into it and would find it very awkward and embarassing to get out of, and of course for money.
Journal Entry 2 by PokPok at Goodwill (donation) would not do well as wild rel. in Vista, California USA on Sunday, August 16, 2015
Released 8 yrs ago (8/16/2015 UTC) at Goodwill (donation) would not do well as wild rel. in Vista, California USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Welcome to BookCrossing!
Thank you for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry on the BookCrossing site (www.bookcrossing.com) to let me know that this book has found a good home with you. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (its free). If you join, please consider indicating that you were referred by PokPok. I hope you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you’ve finished reading. Whenever you’re ready to send it on its way, make release notes if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.
Thank you for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry on the BookCrossing site (www.bookcrossing.com) to let me know that this book has found a good home with you. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (its free). If you join, please consider indicating that you were referred by PokPok. I hope you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you’ve finished reading. Whenever you’re ready to send it on its way, make release notes if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.
