Grasshopper
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Grasshopper is the tale of Clodagh's recovery from the death of her best friend and liberation from the guilt her parents have imposed on her for the pylon-climbing that led to it; it is also the tale of new mistakes, and their disastrous consequences. In the London of the late 80s, Clodagh finds her own level--and it is way above the streets, with a roof-jaunting group of disaffected young people, each with a trauma of their own. For Swedish Liv, it is the nightmare of au-pairing; for Silver, it was abduction as a small boy; for the sinister young thug Jimmy, it was sexual abuse on a massive scale. When they graduate from merely clambering around to trying to do good, and help a couple on the run from the social services with a foster child, that is when the trouble starts... The audiobook adaptation is taut and passionate; Frances Barber's range of voices and characterisations adds immediacy to the strong characterisation and never becomes a mere series of comic impersonations, she retains a sense of this story's urgency even in the chunks of back-story that punctuate the main action. Duration: 5 hours--Roz Kaveney
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Praise for Barbara Vine
"When Ruth Rendell, already the best mystery writer in the English-speaking world, launched a second byline, Barbara Vine, she actually stepped up her writing level."
-- "Time"
"Unequivocally the most brilliant mystery novelist of our times. She magnificently triumphs in a style that is uniquely hers and mesmerizing."
-- Patricia Cornwell
"Barbara Vine has transcended her genre by her remarkable imaginative power to explore and illuminate the dark corners of the human psyche."
-- P. D. James
"One of the finest practitioners of her craft in the English-speaking world."
-- Joyce Carol Oates, "New York Times Book Review"
"A writer whose work should be read by anyone who enjoys brilliant mysteries or distinguished literature."
-- Scott Turow
"When Ruth Rendell, already the best mystery writer in the English-speaking world, launched a second byline, Barbara Vine, she actually stepped up her writing level."
-- "Time"
"Unequivocally the most brilliant mystery novelist of our times. She magnificently triumphs in a style that is uniquely hers and mesmerizing."
-- Patricia Cornwell
"Barbara Vine has transcended her genre by her remarkable imaginative power to explore and illuminate the dark corners of the human psyche."
-- P. D. James
"One of the finest practitioners of her craft in the English-speaking world."
-- Joyce Carol Oates, "New York Times Book Review"
"A writer whose work should be read by anyone who enjoys brilliant mysteries or distinguished literature."
-- Scott Turow
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I purchased this book (via Amazon) about three months ago having vowed to complete my devouring of all Ms Rendell's oeuvres. I was put off from starting it a)by the sheer number of pages and b)by the negative reviews on the Amazon site. In desperation I started it, having now exhausted all other Rendell titles.
After two days I am on page 300 and dread the day when I finish it because there'll be nothing left.
It is totally absorbing (OK slightly cookey with climbing on roofs) but the point is that it burrows into the minds of its protaganists and lets us see where they're coming from and where eventually they might be going. At this stage I WANT to know where the characters are going - yes, I'm hooked! This surely is the basis for any good novel.
I might change my mind when I get to page 528, who knows, but in the meantime it's 5*.
After two days I am on page 300 and dread the day when I finish it because there'll be nothing left.
It is totally absorbing (OK slightly cookey with climbing on roofs) but the point is that it burrows into the minds of its protaganists and lets us see where they're coming from and where eventually they might be going. At this stage I WANT to know where the characters are going - yes, I'm hooked! This surely is the basis for any good novel.
I might change my mind when I get to page 528, who knows, but in the meantime it's 5*.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am generally a fan of Barbara Vine's work, so I was delighted to find that Grasshopper was rather longer than her books usually are. This was my first mistake, as bigger does not necessarily mean better.
The plot appears at first sight to be classic Vine - a London flat inhabited by various oddball and misfit characters, some of them on the edge of or actively engaged in criminality, some with dodgy pasts. Having assembled this motley crew, Vine then takes them out onto the roofs of London, intimating to us that there is something nasty in the offing. The forthcoming 'nasty' is hinted at again and again, until rather than raising tension, it simply has the effect of annoying an already bored reader. No reader of psychologial thrillers minds being toyed with, in a subtle, tension building way, but if done in a heavy handed way these constant intimations of 'something bad is just around the corner' merely irritate, while the narrator's coy refusal to tell us who she had eventually married was also a device about as subtle as a sledge hammer.
My second mistake was to stick with the book, on the assumption that the ending would be worth it. However like the entire book, the denouement relied on improbable coincidences and sloppy plotting.
What has happened to the genius who penned A Dark Adapted Eye?
The plot appears at first sight to be classic Vine - a London flat inhabited by various oddball and misfit characters, some of them on the edge of or actively engaged in criminality, some with dodgy pasts. Having assembled this motley crew, Vine then takes them out onto the roofs of London, intimating to us that there is something nasty in the offing. The forthcoming 'nasty' is hinted at again and again, until rather than raising tension, it simply has the effect of annoying an already bored reader. No reader of psychologial thrillers minds being toyed with, in a subtle, tension building way, but if done in a heavy handed way these constant intimations of 'something bad is just around the corner' merely irritate, while the narrator's coy refusal to tell us who she had eventually married was also a device about as subtle as a sledge hammer.
My second mistake was to stick with the book, on the assumption that the ending would be worth it. However like the entire book, the denouement relied on improbable coincidences and sloppy plotting.
What has happened to the genius who penned A Dark Adapted Eye?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this book about ten years ago. Barbara Vine books can generally be read more than once, and between library visits, I took this one down from my shelves. I could not remember any real detail about it, so it was in some ways like reading it for the first time. The reviews here are on the whole negative, and one can fully see why: the irritating characters, no one ever has a job, the silly roof climbing, the lack of any real explanation for the characters actions.
Yet I still wanted to follow the story- despite the endless Vine habit of "But that was then. Later I found out....", despite the boringly dull, utterly tedious roof climbing- most of which I recommend skimming, it does not bear detailed reading-despite the many drawbacks, well signposted in reviews here, I found it interesting, and the ending, when at least I felt the irritating Clodah had grown up and become less stupid, was in its way moving.
As with Vine/Rendell, the descriptions of districts of London, and the various dwellings the characters inhabit were well drawn, and vivid. The motley and wholly unbelievable cast of young people did at least remind me of student days.
The book is far too long, (roof climbing could be cut by 70%) and the events all most unlikely.
But still worth reading.
Yet I still wanted to follow the story- despite the endless Vine habit of "But that was then. Later I found out....", despite the boringly dull, utterly tedious roof climbing- most of which I recommend skimming, it does not bear detailed reading-despite the many drawbacks, well signposted in reviews here, I found it interesting, and the ending, when at least I felt the irritating Clodah had grown up and become less stupid, was in its way moving.
As with Vine/Rendell, the descriptions of districts of London, and the various dwellings the characters inhabit were well drawn, and vivid. The motley and wholly unbelievable cast of young people did at least remind me of student days.
The book is far too long, (roof climbing could be cut by 70%) and the events all most unlikely.
But still worth reading.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing writing from a great writer
This is a rather disappointing novel which was a slow and somewhat boring read. It lacks direction and focus, being neither an intense psychological study of Clodagh's... Read more
Published on 3 July 2009 by Script Angel
Don't listen to those who 'diss' this book
I have never read any Barbara Vine or Ruth Rendell novels before this one but I loved it. It is a while since I read it but the memorable characters and rich plot are etched on my... Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2008 by K. Jordan
opinions seem to be divided on this one
but I am glad I went with those who gave high star rating.This is classic Vine with lots of detail and good characterisation and clever plot with the essential surprises. Read more
Published on 27 May 2007 by C. Menzies
Grasshopper by Barbara Vine
Normally I can't wait to read any book by Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell), so perhaps it was secretly telling me something that I had had this one sitting around at home for... Read more
Published on 2 April 2006 by S. Hapgood
Putdownable!
I did not enjoy this book at all and each time I came to the end of a chapter I seriously contemplated calling it a day. But I ploughed on until the end but it got no better. Read more
Published on 1 Feb 2004
original, haunting, brilliant!
Because of the accident on the pylon, Clodagh has been banished to the city, to a dingy basement flat below the large house of one of her parents’ friends. Read more
Published on 16 Nov 2003 by RachelWalker
A let down !
I so looked forward to reading Grasshopper following the reputation of international bestselling author Ruth Rendell's world class reputation. Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2002
Good story. Good characterisations.
This was my first Barbara Vine and I was worried before I started it to learn of the Ruth Rendell connection. I shouldn't have worried. Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2001 by John Maddock
Jump Over This One
In my opinion, a good psychological thriller draws you into the lives of one or more of the characters. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2001 by D. Kaplan
Flourishing Vine
Not only have Ruth Rendell's non-Wexford novels improved remarkably in recent years, but her work as Barbara Vine continues to impress. Read more
Published on 13 Sep 2001 by M. D. Smart
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