Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk: A Novel (Mortalis) [Paperback]

Boris Akunin (Author), Andrew Bromfield (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Mortalis | Publication Date: May 13, 2008

In the middle of the night, a disheveled and badly frightened monk arrives at the doorstep of Bishop Mitrofanii of Zavolzhsk, crying: “Something’s wrong at the Hermitage!” The Hermitage is the centuries-old island monastery of New Ararat, known for its tradition of severely penitent monks, isolated environs, and a mental institution founded by a millionaire in self-imposed exile. Hearing the monk’s eerie message, Mitrofanii’s befuddled but sharp-witted ward Sister Pelagia begs to visit New Ararat and uncover the mystery. Traditions prevail–no women are allowed–and the bishop sends other wards to test their fates against the Black Monk that haunts the once serene locale. But as the Black Monk claims more victims–including Mitrofanii’s envoys–Pelagia goes undercover to see exactly what person, or what spirit, is at the bottom of it all.

Fans of Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog, the first book in Akunin’s Pelagia trilogy, will be instantly mesmerized–and frightened–by this latest foray into Zavolzhsk’s spiritual underworld.

Praise:

“For all his status as a globe-circling bestseller, Akunin keeps faith in his sleekly engineered and allusive whodunnits with the classical virtues of Russian prose. . . . That polish lends his books a peculiar charm.”
–The Independent (London)

“Readers can hear echoes of Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Anton Chekov in whodunits that, because of their literary overtones, can be guiltlessly consumed as entertainment.”
–Los Angeles Times

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Akunin, best known for his Erast Fandorin series (Special Assignments, etc.), has created another memorable sleuth in Sister Pelagia, a 19th-century Russian nun whose insights into human nature and curiosity will remind many of G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown. In this excellent second installment (after 2007's Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog), Pelagia's superior, Bishop Mitrofanii of Zavolzshsk, dispatches a series of emissaries to investigate the horrifying apparition of a black monk that's haunting the monastery of New Ararat on the shores of the Blue Lake, a locale as creepy as the moors of The Hound of the Baskervilles. When all end up victims of the ghostly figure, Pelagia defies the bishop and travels to the remote community to pursue the case. Readers will savor Akunin's distinctive narrative voice as well as the artful blend of humor and horror with such elements of traditional detective fiction as cleverly concealed clues and numerous false solutions. (May)
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From Booklist

In the sequel to Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog (2007), the ghost of a centuries-old “black monk,” Saint Basilisk, is apparently terrorizing the island monastery of New Ararat. After a series of investigators all meet with unusual ends, Bishop Mitrofanii allows Sister Pelagia to go undercover to see if she can unearth the truth: Is the ghost behind the eerie goings-on, or is there a more prosaic explanation? Akunin, a Russian essayist and novelist (his Erast Fandorin mysteries are increasingly popular), is heavily influenced by Chekhov and Dostoyevsky, both of whom are reflected in the novel’s atmospheric prose, its nineteenth-century-Russia setting, its social commentary, and its exploration of ethics and the nature of evil. The book reflects a marked shift in tone, if not in subject matter, from the Fandorin novels, which feel like light, almost campy comedies compared to the Pelagia series. But that is not criticism: this is a very good novel, deep and dark and rich in flavor, and though it may not please Fandorin fans, it should find its own audience. --David Pitt

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812975146
• ISBN-13: 978-0812975147
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,414 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical amateur sleuth (, May 17, 2008

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Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk: A Novel (Mortalis) (Paperback)

In the late nineteenth century in Zavolzhsk, Russia late at night a terrorized monk arrives at the abode of Bishop Mitrofanii shouting and weeping simultaneously as he struggles to explain that something has gone terribly wrong at the Hermitage. The Bishop seeing his distraught and unkempt monk becomes concerned as New Ararat Monastery is on the isolated Spartan island as well as an asylum built by a wealthy exile.

The Bishop sends aids to Hermitage to investigate, but those who step forth on the island go insane. With several homicides already, Bishop Mitrofanii is unsure what to do beyond praying. Sister Pelagia wants to go investigate, but females are banned from setting foot on the island. However, when others fail, Sister Pellagia decides to break custom to by going undercover to learn the truth especially about the so called Black Monk who apparently is behind the terror at the hermitage.

The second Sister Pelagia historical amateur sleuth (see SISTER PELLAGIA AND THE WHITE BULLDOG) is an engaging mystery once the heroine takes over the investigation, which comes after the essential background is established as to the players and the locale. Sister Pellagia is a wonderful protagonist who risks everything by violating the Hermitage taboo re females to uncover the truth as she quickly learns nothing or no body including people she has known for a long time are quite like she thought. This is radically different than Boris Akunin's Erast Petrovich Fandorin series but readers will appreciate the Sister's inquiries into the mundane and spiritual shortcomings of her late nineteenth century church.

Harriet Klausner

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining but a tad disappointing, August 4, 2009

By 

Rajeev Rajagopalan "Rajeev" (Bangalore, India) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk: A Novel (Mortalis) (Paperback)

Compared to the stellar standard set in the previous novel in the series this one was a let down. The characters tend to be difficult to relate to, the plot moves in fits and starts and some of the occurences seem downright contrived. The beginning is intriguing, dovetailing into the previous tale very well. The intriguing end of Sister Pelagia and the white bulldog is the beginning of the current part with a dishevled monk bringing in frightening tidings from the hermitage , which is an island off the town of New Ararat. There have been sightings of the ghost of the saint Basilisk seeming to place a curse on the hermitage. Our beloved reverend Mitrofanii seeks to intervene and appoints the rather mischievous Alexei Stepanovich to look into the matter. Stepanovich as we learn is the equivalent of an Ivy League drop out who has rather reluctantly turned to religion and dutifully lands up in an asylum at New Ararat post which the reverend is forced to send another trusted henchman to the task who in turn lands up murdered. Sister Pelagia contrives to work herself into the scheme of things. The asylum at New Ararat contributes a series of interesting individuals to the cast, and is run by a philanthrophist. Needless to say the ending does stitch together these rather confusing set of events, but it leaves a lot of unanswered questions too. Nevertheless there is a good twist to the tale for fans of the series.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Miss this Author, May 13, 2008

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Gift Cardholder "Beeden" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk: A Novel (Mortalis) (Paperback)

Boris Akunin is a very fine writer, this second in the Sister Pelagia series is another thoroughly enjoyable read, whether for the insights into Russian history, the musings on religion and society, the adventures of the heroine, or the twisting and turning of the storyline. A great mystery that engrosses and engages the reader through the surprising exploits. Boris Akunin's books are a joy to read, always intriquing and never afraid to surprise the reader careless enough to build up expectations of the direction of the novel. Enjoy all his rivetting works.