Customer Reviews

The Naked Madonna (Harvill Panther)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found the subject matter to be interesting. The author deftly handled his ideas about beauty, love and evil. The ending, however, was unsatisfactory. I thought that Wiese was leading me to an ending that would be almost thrilling. But in the end, he seemed to have left several strands hanging. Maybe, it was Wiese's way of telling us that evil is a mysterious, unknowable thing, much like love and beauty. I am not sure, except to say that I wanted and expected more.

I was 16 years old the first time I read this book. It is the kind of book you take out of the bookshelf again and again to redescover it's beauty, and to discover something new. Just beautiful... Jan Wiese I take my hat off for you!

Having had the opportunity to read the book in its original language, may be the review should have been written in the same one....

A book is good because it is possible to identify with the persons in it and acknowledge sides of one self, true sides. Not always pleasant, but thrilling, sometimes chilling. This book does it for me - I am a man. My daughter was gobsmacked - just wonder what she recognised? I don't dare to ask. We agreed, no more questions asked....

A star among the five stars.

This is probably one of the best books I've ever read!!!
It's just like a small golden gift box and inside there is a real diamond.
By this time I've read it at least 5 times and it just gets better and better....
Jan Wiese writes about love, hate, envy and all thoose emotions like one of the best writers of this century.
There is a certain atmosphere in this book that's just one of a kind.
The story is beautyful. Simple and still complex.
I recomend this book to everyone and I promise you that it's a book you'll never forget.

Wiese runs into a problem here: the first twenty or thirty pages are so incredibly intense, rich, and captivating that it's hard to live it up. For the most part, he succeeds, but lets it get a little out of his hands. Overall, this is well worth picking up: I read slowly and yet didn't put it down until I was done. He manages to fit a lot of different themes and topics into a small, yet great read. And the opening is just pure excellence at work. Five years and two degrees in English Lit hasn't found much that rivals this opening

Your world is transformed for a day as you will not be able to put this book down.

What makes a decent girl undress herself in the middle of a plaza in 14th century Italy? She stands right in front of the man she loves and his love for her will never die. It could have been Shakespeare, but it is written in Norway in this century. The power of love AND evil are evident throughout this books, and makes it clear that these themes are eternal, in litterature and in life. A wonderful book!