- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Piatkus Books; New edition edition (11 Sep 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0749933348
- ISBN-13: 978-0749933340
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,051,832 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Praise for Blood: 'Stylishly, modishly erotic thrilling first novel' Publishers Weekly 'Patricia Traxler plunges the reader into a world both familiar and eerie. Seldom have the twin obsessions of love and art been more vividly or intelligently portrayed. What an elegant and suspenseful debut' Margot Livesey
Product Description
'Though It's true there's a killing in my story, its principle violence is, I think I'd have to say, the violence of love' Blood red is the favourite hue of painter Norrie Blume, who at 36 wins a prestigious Larkin Fellowship at Radcliffe College. She's excited to leave her job as a commercial graphic designer and take up the artist's life. But she's also in the middle of an obsessive love affair with Michael, a married man, an affair that is threatening to consume both their lives. With her fellowship comes accommodation, an apartment in a college building, and it is here that she meets her neighbours - the far too intense Chilean journalist Clara and the beautiful, serene Indian poet Devi. Norrie finds Clara intrusive but is entranced by Devi, who she instinctively feels she has more in common with. But Clara is jealous of any other demands on Norrie's time. Having almost got used to deceiving people to cover her affair with Michael, Norrie is distressed that she's now having to tell more lies - to Clara about Devi and Devi about Michael. She's also beginning to find Clara's definition of friendship a little unnerving...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mysterious, Erotic and Compelling,
By A Customer
This review is from: Blood (Paperback)
This novel has so much to offer the reader. It is both an intruiging mystery and a study of the dynamics of relationships, and in particular, obsession.Norrie, a painter, is having a highly intense affair with Michael, a married man. Her neighbour, Clara, is excessively protective of Norrie to the point of obsession. Norrie befriends Devi, a beautiful Indian poet and Clara's jealousy reaches new heights. The cycles of obsession and jealouy eventually have enormous consequences for all parties. I found it hard to put down 'Blood' once I'd started. The writing is beautifully descriptive, but this does not slow down or detract from the plot in any way. There are quite a few explicit sex scenes, but they are written so well that it never comes across as corny or excessive. The characters are all very well depicted and I found myself identifying people I know with the characters (although not to quite the same extremes!). The theme of the book is essentially obsession and how destructive it can be, but it is the style of writing and the fine balance of the erotic and mysterious which make this novel so compelling. My only gripe would be that the resolution of the 'whodunnit' storyline was a bit rushed and, in my opinion, never satisfactorily explained. All in all though, this is a great read and I can highly recommend it.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.1 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews) 8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A n unusual but fascinating mystery,
By Harriet Klausner - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Blood (Hardcover)
From the very first page there is a foreshadowing of blood and tragedy, but thirty-five years old Norrie is the happiest shes been in her life. She is thrilled to have been awarded the Larkin Fellowship at Radcliff where they pay her for one year to paint in a studio of her own and relocate her to an apartment in Harvard Housing where she intends to do the brunt of her painting. Her lover, Michael, an accomplished writer, is married but he seems ready to leave his wife and children for her. Having her own apartment, (her last one she shared with a roommate) allows Norrie and Michael to spend a lot of quality time together there. The only fly in the ointment is Clara, Norries next door neighbor, whose possessiveness turns Norrie against her. When one of the Larkies who happens to be Norries best friend is murdered, everyone on campus thinks Clara did it even though there is no evidence linking her to the crime. BLOOD is an erotic, dark and foreboding work that is more about different relationships than a typical murder mystery. The first person narrative makes the action up close and personal while allowing the audience an insightful view into Norries thought processes. The action, though theres not a lot of it, is pivotal to the story line. Patricia Traxler is a very talented writer who exposes the dark side of the human psyche to the audience. Harriet Klausner 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautifully descriptive & poetic from the first sentence.,
By Mr. Fergus Mccarthy "Gussymac" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Blood (Hardcover)
I've always said that with good food, the best part was the taste in your mouth between bites & the same was true with this. That is as least until I got to the final quarter, which was finished today in one go. Entertaining & thought provoking throughout. I may not have always agreed with Norrie's beliefs on how life should be lived but I relished taking my time to reflect on what she had to say. Beautifully descriptive & poetic from the first sentence. *****
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly good!,
By K. J. Callaway "katzmusik" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Blood (Paperback)
I bought this book on a whim, something I rarely do. I picked it up and flipped through the pages, and something about the dialogue and tone of the author's voice caught me, so I figured what the heck?
I am so glad I did - this book was one I found I could hardly put down. There were several times when the cleverness of the dialogue made me laugh out loud, and other times the descriptions of emotions made me want to weep. Being an artist myself (music and photography), I could thoroughly appreciate Norrie's struggle to be creative, how panicked she felt at the thought of that creativity deserting her and how obsessed she was once it got hold of her again. There may have been some loose ends here and there, but I'm not a book critic - I just know this particular story spoke to my heart in a way that hasn't been done in a long time, and I hope Ms. Traxler graces us with more books before too long. |
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