- Hardcover: 208 pages
- Publisher: W&N; First English Edition edition (28 April 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0297847791
- ISBN-13: 978-0297847793
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13.6 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 602,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Review
"an odd, disturbing novel, haunted by ghosts, the victims of crimes that are long past but ever present. .. a page turning whodunnit with a subtle after taste." (KATE CHISHOLM SUNDAY TELEGRAPH )
"a masterpiece... a beautifully written and mesmeric study of individual and collective guilt." (DAILY MAIL )
"a masterpiece... a beautifully written and mesmeric study of individual and collective guilt." (DAILY MAIL )
KATE CHISHOLM, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
"an odd, disturbing novel, haunted by ghosts, the victims of crimes that are long past but ever present. .. a page turning whodunnit with a subtle after taste."
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The story revolves around the murder of a local young girl in a small French village, near the front line, during the First World War. The story is told in retrospect by the original investigator of the murder case. As the events of the past are re-told he attempts to reconcile his own conduct during the investigation of the case and the affect the verdict had on his own life. There are plenty of twists throughout the book as the investigator recollects his life throughout this turbulent period and also of those around him. There are some poignant episodes within the story and the character portrayal is extremely good. I really enjoyed Grey Souls and found it to be a thought provoking book. I would willingly recommend it.
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A well-polished little diamond of a novel. Set in a small French town during World War 1 a detective looks back on his part in the investigation of the murder of an angelic young girl. Especially considering this is translated from the original French - it is incredibly well-written. There doesn't seem to be a wasted word and the overall effect is a haunting melancholy that stays with you well after you've finished reading.
Basically, a stunning piece of writing that is my favourite read of recent years. Tres, tres Bon!!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This novel, written about a hundred years after the event (some of the happenings and dates there are from the 1890's although the story takes place a little later), by a great writer, son of an old continent, is a reflection of the Grey Soul of Europe now, in 2006, a tired old continent, tired of wars, tired of philosophy, observing the time and flowing with it doing nothing, like one of the protagonists (end of chapter 4)who eventually was so caught up with time, loving it, that sometimes he could watch it pass on without doing nothing, just sit behind a window on a wicker chair and watch.
This is a sad book that does not provide the energy of joy nor the spirit to fight and should not be read by melancholic people.
This is a sad book that does not provide the energy of joy nor the spirit to fight and should not be read by melancholic people.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Nihilististic
From the beginning to the end the gloom remains unrelieved. The narrative voice is world-sick and its owner is hanging by a thread over the abyss. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Manx 49
A haunting and beautiful book
A young girl is found murdered close to a northern French village during the First World War. The detective assigned to the case looks back, years later at the investigation and... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Genly Ai
beware - two titles, two translations
Grey Souls was published in America under the title of By A Slow River (why I have no idea as the French title is Les Ames Grises), and I mistakenly bought both thinking they were... Read more
Published on 28 May 2010 by D. J. Keyworth
Life (and Death) is Suffering
I've always found the idea of crime in the midst of a war rather interesting, and so this French novel about a murder during World War I caught my eye. Read more
Published on 18 May 2009 by A. Ross
Incroyable
One of the best books I've ever read. The monochrome tone is lit all too briefly by the appearance of Mademoiselle Verhaeren is masterful. Read more
Published on 2 Oct 2007 by Sam Weaver
Exquisite writing
This is the story of an investigator looking back at the people and circumstances involved in his investigation of the murder of a ten-year-old girl during the first World... Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2007 by Aguycalledbruce
Not a whodunnit
Don't read this book if you are looking for a thriller. It certainly isn't that. It's something much more etherial. Read more
Published on 27 Mar 2007 by F. Caldwell
Mixed Feelings
I found this novel well written and very engaging. The very end of the book, however, I found a complete surprise, upsetting and spoiled my experience of reading it.
Published on 15 Sep 2006 by Kevin
Quite beautiful
This is a deft and quite beautiful book, written in the way that so few French books seem to be written, that is, without abstractions (cf. Houllebecq et al.). Read more
Published on 18 July 2006 by Veronica
A haunting story brilliantly told....
I've had a proof of this book sitting on my bookshelf for months. Yesterday, suffering literary indigestion from too many huge, overlong, inflated novels I picked it up. Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2006
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