Voltaire’s Calligrapher
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- 49,00 kr
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- 49,00 kr
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An elegant and atmospheric literary thriller that will delight fans of The Interpretation of Murder and The Shadow of the Wind
Eighteenth century France: the Age of Enlightenment.
Dalessius is 20 when he takes a job as the philosopher Voltaire's messenger and spy. Soon he's entangled in a web of secrets and intrigue, leading from the courts and scaffolds of Toulouse to Paris, and a mysterious fortified monastery where Abbot Mazy guards a horrific secret.
Assisted by an executioner and the beautiful, marble-like daughter of an automaton maker, Dalessius faces sinister clergymen, inventive henchmen and poisonous fish in his quest to uncover the truth behind the Abbot's machinations. It will take amazing courage on Dalessius's part – as well as Voltaire's unique cunning and wit – if they are to survive.
Reviews
Praise for ‘The Paris Enigma’:
‘It had me purring with pleasure’ Daily Telegraph
‘An entertaining read, moving at a clip towards a pleasingly unpredictable conclusion… there are some fine ideas, a rich sense of unfolding history and some nicely judged moments of philosophical whimsy and dry wit… amusing’ Time Out
‘A smooth translation… exciting’ TLS
‘Discriminating general readers as well as whodunit fans will enjoy this outstanding puzzler… de Santis conjures up a veritable Justice league of master sleuths… intelligent and entertaining’ Publishers Weekly
‘A beguiling historical whodunit’ New York Times
‘Murder and mayhem… colourful characters and cases create a hazy atmosphere of intelligent escapism’ Washington Post
‘A complex whodunit that provokes thought as well as entertainment’ San Francisco Chronicle
About the author
Pablo De Santis was born in Buenos Aires, studied Literature at the Universidad de Buenos Aires and subsequently worked as a journalist and comic-strip creator, becoming Editor-in-Chief of one of Argentina’s leading comics magazines, Fierro. De Santis is also the author of a number of books for young adults. He lives in Buenos Aires.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Set in 18th-century France, this brief, rambling novel from Argentine author De Santis will disappoint those expecting another sparkler like his 2008 mystery, The Paris Enigma. At age 20, Dalessius, who's trained as a calligrapher, travels to Ferney, near the Swiss border, where the philosopher Voltaire hires him as a file clerk. The job is a second chance for the young man, who substituted a blank page for the verdict sheet in a capital case, a stunt that prevented a murderer's execution. Voltaire dispatches Dalessius to Toulouse to prepare documents needed for the execution of a man convicted of the crime of hanging his son, who was on the verge of converting from Calvinism to Catholicism. While the author provides social insights into Enlightenment-era France, the murky plot developments make for a less than gripping read.
