Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
When I need a little break from the normal ebb and flow of crime fiction, I know I can always turn to the irascible Inspector Salvo Montalbano and his team. Not only do I get to enjoy a mental vacation in Sicily with its memorable landscape and mouth-watering food, but I also learn about the area's political machinations. That I also get to laugh is mere icing on the cake.
I love watching Montalbano put the pieces of a puzzle together. In some ways, he reminds me of Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police because he knows the local people he serves so well. It also doesn't hurt that Montalbano's knowledge of the mafia and local politics is encyclopedic.
In each book, the grumpy crime-solving maestro usually has something to say about the world at large with which I find myself in total agreement. In A Voice in the Night, it's an observation about intolerance: "Why so much mutual intolerance? Why was it that nobody could any longer stand his neighbor, his coworker, or even his schoolmate?" It certainly does seem to be that way, doesn't it?
Two more things that I love about this book and the entire series are Stephen Sartarelli's wonderful translations and Camilleri's sense of humor. Montalbano may be grumpy and have a short fuse, but Camilleri knows how to make us laugh about it. This time around, Montalbano starts having trouble remembering names which makes him worry that he's turning into Catarella. Long-time fans of the series love Catarella, who's usually the butt of jokes. But Camilleri has waved his magic wand over this character and made him someone who's not just the source of laughs but also someone who does have special talents and can even make us cry from time to time. A Montalbano book without Catarella is a book without its zest.
If you love learning about other countries, their landscapes, their culture, their food, and how things work, by all means, make your acquaintance with Salvo Montalbano and his team. You'll find yourself laughing and learning through the entire series. I'm looking forward to the next time I visit the inspector.
I love watching Montalbano put the pieces of a puzzle together. In some ways, he reminds me of Martin Walker's Bruno, Chief of Police because he knows the local people he serves so well. It also doesn't hurt that Montalbano's knowledge of the mafia and local politics is encyclopedic.
In each book, the grumpy crime-solving maestro usually has something to say about the world at large with which I find myself in total agreement. In A Voice in the Night, it's an observation about intolerance: "Why so much mutual intolerance? Why was it that nobody could any longer stand his neighbor, his coworker, or even his schoolmate?" It certainly does seem to be that way, doesn't it?
Two more things that I love about this book and the entire series are Stephen Sartarelli's wonderful translations and Camilleri's sense of humor. Montalbano may be grumpy and have a short fuse, but Camilleri knows how to make us laugh about it. This time around, Montalbano starts having trouble remembering names which makes him worry that he's turning into Catarella. Long-time fans of the series love Catarella, who's usually the butt of jokes. But Camilleri has waved his magic wand over this character and made him someone who's not just the source of laughs but also someone who does have special talents and can even make us cry from time to time. A Montalbano book without Catarella is a book without its zest.
If you love learning about other countries, their landscapes, their culture, their food, and how things work, by all means, make your acquaintance with Salvo Montalbano and his team. You'll find yourself laughing and learning through the entire series. I'm looking forward to the next time I visit the inspector.
