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Chargement... Gun Before Butter (1963)par Nicolas Freeling
Chargement...
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The writing style is interesting. Freeling was English but lived much of his life in Europe, and his phrasing somehow has the slightly quaint feeling that sometimes comes across in translations. There are some lovely images, for example: The Frans van Mieris is a dreary street, rather typical of the district. Quiet, ponderous buildings, full of velvet curtains and too much over-polished furniture [...] Van der Valk enjoyed the gloomy dignity, as though the street were drunk and wore a wig. Appartient à la sérieVan der Valk (3) Appartient à la série éditorialeLa Cua de Palla (68) Vampiro (229) Prix et récompensesDistinctionsListes notables
Police Inspector Piet van der Valk becomes involved in an extraordinary case when he crosses the path of a pretty daughter of a famous dead conductor. Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
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Google Books — Chargement... GenresClassification décimale de Melvil (CDD)823.914Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999Classification de la Bibliothèque du CongrèsÉvaluationMoyenne:
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I quite liked this story. Van der Valk is grumpy and opinionated in a way I find amusing; he has little patience for officialdom, even as he represents officialdom in the form of the police. He is interested in justice in a way that goes beyond mere arresting and sentencing. He chastises himself for getting too absorbed in a case with so little payoff, but at the same time is compelled to continue. I liked that he is happily married (and laughed because his wife’s name is Arlette; I have an Arlette in my family). The story had a kind of Maigret feel to me, although Van der Valk is lower in rank than Maigret. This is even mentioned in the book, that Van der Valk’s boss is at Maigret level. I don’t know whether that means Maigret actually exists in the Van der Valk universe… hope so!
As for its setting, the atmosphere, pacing, and use of language really brought the Netherlands, Germany, and France to life, or at least enough for this North American. Actual residents of the above-mentioned countries may have a different experience.
It’s a shame that Freeling’s books don’t seem to be readily available; hopefully with the new Van der Valk series on PBS Masterpiece in summer 2020, they’ll get reprinted. I’d read more. ( )