The latest Sicilian investigation featuring the inimitable Inspector Montalbano
The Wings of the Sphinx (Montalbano 11)
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Amazon Review
The best foreign crime fiction writing is as much to be found in the idiomatic prose of the field as it is in the exotic settings we are taken to. Both of these elements are delivered with the panache that is Andrea Camilleri’s signature in The Wings of the Sphinx. We are back in the company of Camilleri’s wily Sicilian copper Salvo Montalbano (he of the hyper-analytical mind, and endlessly indulged gourmet tastes). And we’re back on Commissario Montalbano’s stamping ground: the exquisite, sleepy territory of Vigata.
In the new book, the detective is going through a distinctly rocky patch with his long-distance lover, Livia, and he has other concerns: he is uneasily conscious of anno domini and the dispiriting effect of the violence that is such an omnipresent part of his job. At the same time, a gruesome discovery is made – the body of a young woman is found; half of her face has been blown away. The only clue to the dead woman’s identity is a tattoo – not of a dragon, but of another mythical creature: a sphinx – and she shares this mark with three other young women, Russian immigrants to Italy. All three are involved with the sex trade – and all three are missing.
All of this is authoritatively handed, and The Wings of the Sphinx (translated, as usual, by Stephen Sartarelli) will please Camilleri admirers. The Montalbano books follow certain pre-arranged patterns, but they are none the worse for that. Readers will be intrigued by Montalbano's disturbing professional case here – and the detective’s attempts to salvage his damaged relationship with his lover. --Barry Forshaw
Review
'Andrea Camilleri's latest is the 11th delightful adventure of the attractively irascible Inspector Salvador Montalbano, lover of food (provided its Sicilian) and of Livia (provided he doesn't have to commit.) As he gets older he is becoming sadder and wisser, and the books a little darker and more serious - though without losing their effervescent wit and general mood of bonhomie.' --The Times
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By Persephone
Format:Hardcover
In Wings of the Sphinx, Camilleri returns to the things I enjoy about the Montalbano series: the food, the Sicilian ambience and the (by now) well-known characters (Mimi, Cat and Livia), and especially of course, the irrascible Montalbano. Montalbano's reflections on the impact of the Passage of Time on his profession, on his personal relationships and on his body all ring true. The engrossing plot is a trip through Sicily to meet some of its more colorful citizens. But all this chuminess is balanced (for instance)by Camilleri's sadly all-too-true observations about the way Sicilians have thrown garbage all over the uspeakably lovely Sicilian landscape. As usual, Stephen Sartarelli's translation notes are a joy. And! Wings of the Sphinx contains an actual recipe (given to Montalbano by another character), which I immediately copied out and tried, and as they say in Brooklyn, it's so good "Your brains'll fall out." Wings of the Sphinx is delicious, too. Buy it, read it, tell your friends.
39 of 41 people found the following review helpful
By zeev wolfe
Format:Paperback
Probably since book three, these books are not about solving mysteries, but enjoying Salvo Montalbano's look on life. He's just as cynical as Michael Dibdin's Zen or Donna Leon's Brunetti, but he has a totally different way of looking at life in Italy (well actually Sicily, which isn't truly Italian). While Zen is always looking at the dark side, and Brunetti is more philosophical in his Venetian bastion, Montalbano lives life openly an without apology.
But at 56 the Inspector is beginning to feel that the sands are running out in the hourglass (terrible cliche, but true) and he wants to have more 'substance' to his life. He may complain about Mimi constantly being away from work because of his 'little one' but in ways he is jealous of him. He knows he doesn't want to be alone at the end of his life, but he can't come to a conclusion of how to hold onto Livia without changing his lifestyle.
In the side story of a faked kidnapping, we see Salvo judging the man who ran off with his mistress for a vacation, while his wife was up in arms that the Police were doing nothing to find him. In the main story we have four Russian girls (all with sphinx moth tattoos on the left shoulder blade), who in one way or another are mixed up in something illicit due to being in love or being loved.
Montalbano, who is the only brain in the whole book, enjoys baiting his superiors, belittling his co-workers and sating his appetite as much as any glutton. Every one else in the book is there to be used by Salvo, to either perpetuate the story or give him some one to mock. But it seems that this is all becoming stale and Salvo wants more permanence in his life. One wonders if this has anything to do with the ninety year old author!
I'm looking forward to the translations of the next three books, and hopefully at some point Camilleri will retire our Inspector, so that the series will have a 'real' ending and not just an end.
Zeev Wolfe
But at 56 the Inspector is beginning to feel that the sands are running out in the hourglass (terrible cliche, but true) and he wants to have more 'substance' to his life. He may complain about Mimi constantly being away from work because of his 'little one' but in ways he is jealous of him. He knows he doesn't want to be alone at the end of his life, but he can't come to a conclusion of how to hold onto Livia without changing his lifestyle.
In the side story of a faked kidnapping, we see Salvo judging the man who ran off with his mistress for a vacation, while his wife was up in arms that the Police were doing nothing to find him. In the main story we have four Russian girls (all with sphinx moth tattoos on the left shoulder blade), who in one way or another are mixed up in something illicit due to being in love or being loved.
Montalbano, who is the only brain in the whole book, enjoys baiting his superiors, belittling his co-workers and sating his appetite as much as any glutton. Every one else in the book is there to be used by Salvo, to either perpetuate the story or give him some one to mock. But it seems that this is all becoming stale and Salvo wants more permanence in his life. One wonders if this has anything to do with the ninety year old author!
I'm looking forward to the translations of the next three books, and hopefully at some point Camilleri will retire our Inspector, so that the series will have a 'real' ending and not just an end.
Zeev Wolfe
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
When I first discovered the Inspector Montelbano stories I didn't much care for them but they have grown on me and now I am totally hooked.
A dead body of a young woman is found in a dump with half her face shot off. Her indentity is at first unknown but then a tattoo of a sphinx moth on her shoulder links her with three other girls bearing the same mark, all recent Russian immigrants to Italy. Montelbano solves it all in his usual cavalier style while seemingly placing the demands of his stomach above all else and trying to deal with his long term lover Livia with whom he is having difficulties. Rattling along at a great pace, lots of humour and featuring, as always, the wonderful Catarella who mangles names and numbers and forgets messages, adores Montalbano and who keeps telling him that he has a visitor 'poissenly in poisson'. Wonderful and this latest is well up to standard and kept my glooms at bay for another day.
A dead body of a young woman is found in a dump with half her face shot off. Her indentity is at first unknown but then a tattoo of a sphinx moth on her shoulder links her with three other girls bearing the same mark, all recent Russian immigrants to Italy. Montelbano solves it all in his usual cavalier style while seemingly placing the demands of his stomach above all else and trying to deal with his long term lover Livia with whom he is having difficulties. Rattling along at a great pace, lots of humour and featuring, as always, the wonderful Catarella who mangles names and numbers and forgets messages, adores Montalbano and who keeps telling him that he has a visitor 'poissenly in poisson'. Wonderful and this latest is well up to standard and kept my glooms at bay for another day.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The wings of the Sphinx
I loved this story, but then I am an avid fan of Montalbano, I can't get enough. The characters are so good and the team at the Police Station are like friends. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Pete
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reliable as ever
Topical, what with people trafficking, but it's the less about the story as usual, than about the characters. Read more
Published 11 days ago by freedomrulesok
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspector Montablano
Could not put the last book down and can not wait to read the next book , don't know what to when all 15 are read !!
Published 28 days ago by Emmanuela
5.0 out of 5 stars
Back on form
Afer being quite disappointed with the last couple of Camilleri's novels "Wings of the Sphinx" pulls Montalbano back up to 5*'s, for me at least. Read more
Published 1 month ago by C. S. Bancroft
4.0 out of 5 stars
Butterfly wings
This story runs with people smuggling an prostitution,and all its unforeseen consequences.A modern and up to date problem everywhere I'm sure.
Published 1 month ago by Heather Keen
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Read
Having watched the TV Series, I was interested to find out what the stories were like in print. Enjoyed it.
Published 1 month ago by F Fraser
2.0 out of 5 stars
Very disappointed
Having read other readers' reviews of the Montalbani books I ordered this one and two others. Have recently read a number of Donna Leon's Brunetti books and I suppose I expected... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Goldfinch
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unlikely Detective
The Montebano series are addictive and an antidote to Nortic angst. However having read most of the books now they become a little predictable.
Published 2 months ago by Mrs. Veronica M. Sims
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great Montalbano adventure
Camillieri provides another absorbing reading experience. The Montalbano series is really different due to its Sicilian bent,and once you read one you only want to read more
Published 3 months ago by p c baker
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, as I did with all the other Montalbano mysteries. I probaly would not have even know of these books if it had not been for the TV series, but even... Read more
Published 3 months ago by C. Sweeney
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