Customer Reviews

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

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3 star:		(1)
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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

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.

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.

This was the first book I've read by Akunin. His work came highly recommended by a blogger I know who is very into mysteries in translation, Russian mysteries in particular.

As I put the book down, I wasn't terribly impressed. I've liked it better and better ever since. The form is a bit looser than many mysteries, a few too many quotations and asides. It made the book distracting to read, but I'm discovering it makes it rather charming to remember (if that makes any sense at all).

I enjoyed the Dostoevsky references-- partly because I'd recently read The Possessed. I have the feeling quite a few other literary references went sailing over my head, but that's okay.

I'm planning to read further in the series.

I very much enjoyed this delightfully old-style mystery, filled with vivid imagery and memorable characters (Sister Pelagia, with her red hair and freckles, is a charmer). O.K., the book is a bit too long and convoluted; there are too many subplots and loose ends; it's sometimes difficult to suspend disbelief; and Boris Akunin's style is rather jittery -- sort of a hand-held camera approach. But "Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk" is entertaining and diverting, and head and shoulders above most contemporary mystery fiction. Try it, you'll like it.

I have read all of the Boris Akunin mysteries available, loving particularly the Erasmus Fandorin series. The White Bulldog was perfectly fine but a bit disappointing. It didn't seem to have the wit or humanity of Special Assignments or Death on the Leviathan. Sister Pelagia and the Black Monk has completely changed that assessment the author's new protagonist. Perhaps Akunin was just finding his character or perhaps I was not receptive to changing heroes.

Whatever the reasons, The Black Monk is my new benchmark in historical mysteries. Clever, literate, poignant and rich in character and history. It is a real treat--the sort of book that makes you annoyed to be called to dinner, and tired from staying up too late at night. In short, all you can ask for from a good mystery!

Boris Akunin first made a name for himself in the West with his Erast Fandorin series of detective novels set in 19th century Russia. He has shelved Fandorin for Sister Pelagia, a young nun stationed in a provincial Russia capital who serves the Bishop Mitrofanii.

The Black Monk picks up, literally, where Akunin's first Sister Pelagia book ended. Thus, first things first, no one should read this book without having read Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog: A Mystery.

A frightened monk roars into town proclaiming that Saint Basilisk has returned to a provincial religious retreat and is haunting the town. The religious retreat consists of two islands: on the smaller island is St. Basilisk's Hermitage now inhabited only by three hermits; on the larger island, an ambitious abbot (archimandrite) has turned the monastery into a thriving spiritual tourist attraction. Mitrofanii dispatches one investigator after another, but each meets with some ill turn or another. Inevitably, Pelagia goes to the island in her disguise as a Muscovite lady.

With The Black Monk, Akunin has moved beyond the realm of genre or pulp fiction and into literature on a plane with Umberto Eco (one of his influences). But don't worry! Akunin still sets us a good mystery - or two or three - and combines that with compelling psychological studies of his characters' motivations and compulsions and a clash of mysticism with science - not to mention some funny if implicit commentary on commercialism in modern Russia.

Akunin works under the spell of Dostoevsky and Chekov to name only two. Indeed, the book's title comes from a Chekov short story of the same name (See Chekhov, The Selected Stories of). One of Akunin's characters is reading Dostoevsky's The Possessed (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics) (also known as The Devils) and lends it another character, an actor who fully absorbs himself into his roles and who also happens to be an inmate at the open air psychiatric clinic on the island! What could possibly go wrong?

Highest recommendation.

This is the second book in a proposed trilogy, and it is as good a read as was the first one. Actually, it begins directly after the first book ends, and continues from there. Once again Sister Pelagia must don secular clothing to seek out the truth behind the appearance of the ghost of St. Basilisk, the "black monk" of the title.There is plenty of action, multiple red herrings, and a sad, but satisfying ending. Mr. Akunin is a master at setting a scene and giving the reader details of a way of life in Russia that has vanished long ago. I eagerly await the next Sister Pelagia book.

Admittedly, I read this in French (purchased from Amazon.fr)with an occasional glance at the Russian, but I loved it. It is full of relevant references to Russian literature and history, but I'm sure it would be fun even if you miss many of them. Akunin/Akounine manages to keep you guessing to the very end.

Boris Akunin is becoming a great writer, and rising above the potboiler sensationalism of his earlier stuff. This book not only has the density of ideas of classic works of fiction (which it engages with a light touch), but is also very original, and an absolute pleasure to read. It also has the very rare feature of a female protagonist who actually has a subjectivity, and not some kind of condescending neurosis in its place, and who is amazingly charming -- which might be a first.