Review of Death and the Maiden by

I thought it would be fun to read a book with a blind hero, lots of music appreciation, and a good mystery. That would be one star for each category and a fourth if the story was compelling.

I rated Death and the Maiden two stars for music commentary alone. Elias's knowledge and interpretation of Schubert's work of the same name was enjoyable and rewarding.

I liked the idea of Jacobus, my age and blind with a remarkable concert violinist career behind him, but found his character contrived and not very believable. Why must the 70 year old age group be portrayed as less than remarkable in personality, forever grumpy, secretly worried about and dreading the future, and unfriendly to a fault? It isn't funny and it didn't ring true to me.

The members of the fictional New Magini String Quartet were less than lukewarm. And of course, a blind man must have a side-kick. There was so much opportunity for remarkable writing here. Instead, the author went awry presenting what he must have thought of as other kinds of food for thought.

The Peruvian detective was more or less developed. There was some fun there. I wondered why the reader or Jacobus needed a back-up sleuth, on top of the proverbial and ever-present chief of detectives, but Oro would have made a fine main character. Perhaps another mystery series?

The Russian conversations, toasts, and antics were fun but didn't add to the story like a little good plot-related action might have.

As for the mystery itself, I couldn't get into it. I hate for the work to hinge on explanations that were presented poorly in the plot. I, the reader had no suspects, unnteresting clues, no action, no exciting turns and twists, and in short, nothing invested. I never even got my head around it.           

Welcome! Retirement Living Petty Gulf Style!

Visit me here at Lake Petty Gulf! Something is going on all the time, whether it be in the kitchen, the garden, the photo lab, the exercise room, or on the bookshelf. It could be as simple as music...as complicated as a healthy new bread to bake.

Lake Petty Gulf Lifestyle is all about GOOD RESULTS for happy and healthy retirement living! Staying always in the moment, there is no other time, but right now, to insure that life is a best-quality, most-interesting, and completely rewarding experience.

I will be featuring book reviews and sharing lots of samples of what I am busy writing myself. I want to show you some pictures of my retirement life in Tallahassee, tell you about my grandchildren, and introduce you to my pets.

Together, we can develop some recipes for the good life (low fat and local produce) and have a lot of fun doing it. Cooking and eating well are a whole different ballgame for the retirement group. I want to drag out that cookbook I've been developing and share it with you.

I'll take you on an adventure with me this winter while we photograph and write about the historic churches of Tallahassee. It was in my summer plan but I'm glad that I waited until now to get started.

When I'm on my soapbox, I'll warn you in advance by entitling those posts My Three Legged Stool. Original works will be featured under the headings of  Caroline's Notebook or CallieSlide Writes! If a poem falls out of my head, I'll just throw it into the pot unannounced.

Tell you what! I'll just get started and we'll see what we can see. Maybe I can enrich your retirement, give you some ideas, or help you plan for the near or even distant future. Five years into this lovely state of living and I still feel like a kid who went into an ice cream store and found so much to choose from that she is still savoring something new - every single day.