Customer Reviews

Rounding the Mark

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I've read all eight of Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano novels currently available in English translation and preordered _Patience of the Spider_, so I guess I'm a fan. Salvo Montalbano is an enviable character--he may be bummed at getting old, but in the meantime he has gorgeous women crawling all over him and eats like a king--yet never gets fat! The carefully described meals are just one example of the many details that make readers feel at home in the wacky imaginary Sicilian city of Vigàta. This is definitely fiction with a strong sense of place, like that by Carl Hiaasen. In using his knowledge of the local ways (and thus passing them on to the reader), Montalbano is a little like the Joe Leaphorn of Hillerman's earlier novels (like _Dance Hall of the Dead_).

_Rounding the Mark_ is maybe a little less integrated than some of the novels--the novel begins with Montalbano's disgust at the corruption of his fellow cops to the point where he is about to resign, and it seems that corruption and the resignation will be a big deal, but they are pretty much forgotten as the plot gets underway. Other reviewers have complained that there's not enough fast-paced action in Camilleri's works, but this one heats up better than most by the end.

Camilleri is a master at characterizing people through their dialects. I wouldn't have thought that could come out in translation, but Sartarelli gets it across. And the endnotes are a godsend, especially in making clear just how much money is involved so as to clarify its motivating power. Then, too, there are lovely local customs like "goat-tying" explained. Sicily is a scary place!

I've read them all....all the Montalbano mysteries by Andrea Camilleri that is, and Inspector Montalbano's penchant for justice, his appetite for homespun Sicilian cuisine, and his argument with the ever present absurdities and corruption of modern Italian/Sicilian life are exquisite. While his subject matter is often brutal I always feel that I'm in the company of a humanitarian champion. Camilleri makes me laugh out loud and I cheer him on with his wildly improbable plots because they take on the issues of the gravest importance. Child abduction and slavery, immigration, and bribery, are only a few of the issues that Camilleri tackles. If you're a mystery fan, Camilleri is not to be missed. I've read several of his books twice for the shear joy of the language. These mysteries are the best and the translations by Stephen Sartarelli are top notch. Go for it!

Inspector Montalbano was having yet another treacherous night; drifting, jolting awake and then lying back down, things had been weighing on his mind of late, mainly anger and disappointment. Livia his long time girlfriend had tried to pacify and focus him again but the current government revelation had brought things to the surface, Montalbano was feeling betrayed by the people he trusted most. False evidence had been planted against a group of political protesters in order to justify their detention but this wasn't coming from violent beat cops, the fabrications were from commissioners and vice-commissioners, inspectors and captains, Montalbano blood had now reached boiling point his decision had been made, he was ready to resign.

Before turning in for work Montalbano needs to clear his head, he decides to take a long swim in the sea, it might be relaxing, lost in thought and all too late he had swam too far, beginning to struggle he flips on his back just to catch his breath. Shortly thereafter he accidentally bumps into another swimmer he apologises but was getting no reply he quickly discovers to his horror the body was actually a corpse. Later that week when the autopsy report comes back the death of the unidentified man was listed as an accidental drowning; Montalbano knew better, something about this floating body didn't feel right.

With the body case chewing at his insides just to top his worst week Montalbano gets a call to take control of another boatload of illegal immigrants landing on their Sicilian shores. Montalbano sets about getting some organization in place, he notices a little African boy making a break from his family and gives chase; he takes the boy tightly by his hand and lively returns the boy to his mother the boy looks terrified. A few days later the same boy is caught in a hit and run accident, out of guilt Montalbano takes it upon himself to investigate. Within hours both cases turn into a web of coincidence this could only mean one thing...... his resignation was on the back burner.

Andrea Camilleri has written a wonderful Montalbano mystery series, what I love about this series would be the charactisations and language the usage of dialogue in conversation it's all been kept real it's got sharp wit and ironic comic moments. The sly comments on Italian life and culture keep things amusing and interesting.

Montalbano is just a fantastic leading character and for this book a very troubled soul his job begins to weigh him down can he fight corruption from all directions still when in doubt he quotes favourite authors' lines picking himself up from the gloom and his clearly well read.

Women of all ages find Montalbano attractive, none more so than the beautiful Swede, Ingrid Sjostrom she's highly dangerous company for him and he knows it, she can get frisky, but in spite of much temptation he remains faithful to his long time girlfriend Livia who's happy to adjust her schedule and hop on the next plane to Palermo from Genoa to calm and comfort him in his time of need. Montalbano loyal chaotic comical team are just fantastic, no matter what he throws there way they continue to support him even through all his own faults and unruly tactics.

The whole series has a timeless feel about them; I took a whole batch of this series on a vacation and was not disappointed by any. All Montalbano mysteries start in comedy but end in horror and melodrama but it done with lots of human interest in every plot, It clearly deserves to be read from the beginning.

A special mention to poet Stephen Sartarelli, for the clear translation of each book and for the informative notes given at the back on wording. Thank you.

A wonderful read.

A.Bowhill

Andrea Camilleri provides another interesting stemwinder mystery, starring an aging and reflective Commissioner Salvo Montalbano. These tales of crime, corruption and daily life in Sicily are always intelligent and enjoyable, and "Rounding the Mark" is not an exception in this series. Beyond the obligatory murders and ancillary sordid criminal activity (trafficking in third world children) that the intrepid Montalbano sorts through here, the reader also shares the hero's ruminations about the pervasive corruption and cynicism that apparently mark the ebb and flow of Italian political, commercial and social life.

Montalbano has seen it all, but remains shockable and outraged when he comes across the vileness of immigrant smuggling and child trafficking. Montalbano is also struggling with the physical changes that come with middle-age. He's not happy with any of this, but plugs on and steadfastly and cleverly routs the bad guys and more or less stays true to his personal moral code.

A good read. And if you like Camilleri's Montalbano series, you might also enjoy Donna Leon's Inspector Brumetti and Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen. These are also wonderful stories about life and crime in Italy.

Rounding the Mark is a tragedy with lots of comedy to soften it. The darkness in this book comes from the pits of hell. Dante would have recognized the evil doers.

Ultimately, the lesson this story teaches is that we need to see ourselves more objectively and have a good laugh at what we see. That's a message that many won't be ready for as they consider the evil that men do to one another.

As the book opens, Inspector Salvo Montalbano is upset by instances of misbehavior by the police. The core of his self-worth is so affronted that he cannot bear to remain part of the police. Then, in a series of comedic turns, events conspire to delay his decision. This upset leads him to take a long swim . . . during which he has a most unusual surprise. That surprise immediately has burlesque consequences that will keep you laughing.

Next, a continuing gag line is established when Montalbano receives a call from Deputy Commissioner Riguccio who needs to borrow some glasses. While delivering the glasses, Montalbano unknowingly steps into moral quicksand . . . and lives to have nightmares about the consequences. From there, Montalbano finds that he can always count on his colleague, Torretta, to provide whatever is needed.

The affront to Montalbano's self-esteem is so severe that he pursues a one-man private investigation to right a wrong. In the course of that investigation, he learns a lot about his limits. Others, it turns out, are more aware and assist in unexpected ways.

In Rounding the Mark, Andrea Camilleri moves beyond the limits of the mystery and police procedural genres to movingly display the ambiguous position that the police play in serving the public while needing to address their own fears, prejudices, and feelings. For that purpose, the comedy in the book is too strong. Those interludes feel like clowns from the circus running across the stage in the middle of Macbeth.

But if you have enjoyed the earlier books in the series, you'll be moved by this one. It will strike you as a more serious and depressing book than most of the others. The contact with mortality is more visceral and personal here, and you'll feel it deeply.

Rounding the Mark is a fabulous addition to the collection of mystery stories set in Sicily penned by the delightful Andrea Camilleri. The stories are topical and complicated and you get to know the characters so weel over the arc of the series that you feel like you know them, as if you could sit down and have an espresso with any of them in the small town of Vigata. This story is sad and deals in the corruption of human trafficking. No whitewashing here. Camilleri is nothingi if not brutally honest. His detectives are flawed, but also true to form. If you are familiar with life in Italy, the series is worthwhile. If you are not familiar with life in small town Sicily, don't fear, you will be comfortable soon. These books are popular in Italy as well as in the U.S. and have even been made into TV movies in Italy. Maybe we'll get lucky and someday those movies will be released here, but until then you have to be content to imagine what the characters look like and sound like. Camilleri gives you enough rich details that the characters walk off the pages.

this author is so good. One should read the whole series. What a wonderful combination of good food, great, great writing, mystery and scenery of Sicily. And did I mention humor? All of that in one small book.

Good "beach reading" - fast-paced, yet also very descriptive of place and local foods. Characters are often amusing. Scenes change quickly, which one might need to get used to, but once done, Camilleri is very fun to read. Lead detective, Montalbane, is very likable, a distant "cousin" of Columbo.

I try to read every Adnrea Camilleri book that is translated to English and enjoyed them all, but this time I believe he wrote his most humorous tale to date. The book begins with Inspector Salvo Montalbano accidently discovering a corpse floating about in the sea and tries to bring it to shore. That scene alone, and what follows immediately, is worth the price of the book, but Montalbano has another death that must be examined. Could they be connected? The story is quite timely as it deals with the trafficking of humans, a growing crime problem world-wide. But this time Montalbano is at his cynical peak. He is even considering leaving his job. Added to all the mystery is Camilleri tempting us with the flavors of Sicilian food, a temptation I gave into and which I found to be the best reason to take a break from reading the text. Should you wish to try reading him in Italian, be warned: many of the words are Sicilian, not Italian, and I found it necessary to buy a Sicilian dictionary to struggle through another of his works: "L`Odore della notte" or "The Smell of the Night." I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.

I have long been a fan of Mr. Camilleri's series tracking the life and work of Inspector Montalbano. This latest installation does not disappoint, with the usual murder and intrigue in Sicily. My only complaint is that the usual side focus on southern Italian cuisine was a bit lacking. Montalbano is relegated to invalid food or chooses not to eat on a couple of occasions (to my despair). In a few other instances, a dish is mentioned by the author, but not explained by the translator, Mr. Sartarelli. I relish enjoying the local foods vicariously, and this book only barely whetted my appetite.