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Product Description
Observer
'A masterly work, concise, stylistically bold and full of surprises'
Time Out
'A jagged riff on the vagaries of chance'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Vanishing is a very short, concise book, but the effect of the story stays with you and really plays on your mind.
The story of a man whose girlfriend mysteriously vanishes whilst they are holidaying in France may not seem that original, but with the creation of the emotionless, monstrous sociopath Lemorne, Krabbe takes the book into fascinating and genuinely chilling territory. The documentation of his gradual progression from detached intellectual observer into twisted murderer is unforgetable, all the while as calm and removed as the character himself.
The only flaw is that at times, the phrasing and the abundance of exclamation marks grates, perhaps due to its translation from the original Dutch, hence three rather than four stars.
The story of a man whose girlfriend mysteriously vanishes whilst they are holidaying in France may not seem that original, but with the creation of the emotionless, monstrous sociopath Lemorne, Krabbe takes the book into fascinating and genuinely chilling territory. The documentation of his gradual progression from detached intellectual observer into twisted murderer is unforgetable, all the while as calm and removed as the character himself.
The only flaw is that at times, the phrasing and the abundance of exclamation marks grates, perhaps due to its translation from the original Dutch, hence three rather than four stars.
Format:Paperback
I'll not write too much of a review because being such a thin book (nearer a short story than a novel) I don't want to give too much away.
Well, this is the relatively famous story about murder which was filmed twice. The first kept to the original narrative the second, I think designed for the American market, didn't preferring a happy ending (missing the entire point of the book). A young couple Rex and Saskia stop at a service station in France (we're given no dating for the events but Rex uses a Polaroid camera so probably contemporary of its year of authorship 1984) and whilst waiting, his girlfriend is kidnapped never to be seen again - years later the deranged abductor gives the youth the chance to end his anguish of not knowing and experience the girl's fate.
This is a well written subtle tale which quickly arrives at its conclusion. Though you'll enjoy the book especially if you liked either film, I did find it far too short - I just wanted to know more, and most importantly I thought Rex's obsession could have been significantly elaborated on. The abductor's family home life was there to expand too. I think my biggest criticism is that the abductor does so much (despite repeatedly being aware not to) suspicious things (loitering at service stations, fake slings etc) - somehow I feel the police would have had so much to `go on' in tracing the girl. Oh well 3 stars.
A quote "He thought about the pros and cons, always with the dark sense that it was already certain he would jump"
Well, this is the relatively famous story about murder which was filmed twice. The first kept to the original narrative the second, I think designed for the American market, didn't preferring a happy ending (missing the entire point of the book). A young couple Rex and Saskia stop at a service station in France (we're given no dating for the events but Rex uses a Polaroid camera so probably contemporary of its year of authorship 1984) and whilst waiting, his girlfriend is kidnapped never to be seen again - years later the deranged abductor gives the youth the chance to end his anguish of not knowing and experience the girl's fate.
This is a well written subtle tale which quickly arrives at its conclusion. Though you'll enjoy the book especially if you liked either film, I did find it far too short - I just wanted to know more, and most importantly I thought Rex's obsession could have been significantly elaborated on. The abductor's family home life was there to expand too. I think my biggest criticism is that the abductor does so much (despite repeatedly being aware not to) suspicious things (loitering at service stations, fake slings etc) - somehow I feel the police would have had so much to `go on' in tracing the girl. Oh well 3 stars.
A quote "He thought about the pros and cons, always with the dark sense that it was already certain he would jump"
Format:Paperback
I read this in one sitting and quite easily too. The book has a good, quite fast pace and kept me wanting to read on. It did seem to have quite a disturbing effect, even if it didn't ever go into great detail. The sense of tension was there and I enjoyed reading from the view points of two characters. A good plot with a somewhat ambiguous but impacting ending. Worth a read.
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