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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It ended too quickly (and I was amazed to like it), 2 May 2000
By A Customer
OK. Firstly, I read very little historical fiction. Secondly, I read very little which was not written in English. No reason why not, but that's how it is. Thirdly, I know nothing about fencing. But I enjoyed this book immensely. I bought it (from a normal bookshop, I confess) because I liked the cover and was interested in the first few pages. It's short, and usually I prefer longer books - it can give the author more time to explore their characters, but this is short and perfectly formed. Don Jaime, the fencing master, is getting older and sees his living starting to dry up as swords and the art of fencing are replaced by more 'modern' weapons and pursuits. He uses fencing, and his pursuit of the perfect, unstoppable thrust to give his life form and context, ever unchanging against the background of turmoil engulfing Spain. His life is turned upside down when a woman, beautiful and mysterious, persuades him to take her on as a student. He slowly finds himself falling in love with her, and his life is thrown into turmoil. One the one hand, this is a thriller, plain and simple. Refined and elegant, but a thriller nonetheless. On the other, it is a study of a man entering old age unable to cope with the changes going on around him, and trying to cling onto the past - for that reason alone it will endure. The only complaint I had about it is that the fencing terminology (of which there is much, as you would expect) is not explained. An appendix containing a glossary or perhaps even some diagrams would be tremendously helpful. I appreciate it's not really the kind of thing that books like this have, but if, like me, your knowledge of fencing is restricted to occasionally seeing it on the Olympics or in Zorro films, then all of the discussions or quatre and terce, foils and sabres is difficult to follow. That said, it's a minor complaint, and the book is very enjoyable, and surprisingly moving.
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by Arturo Perez-Reverte
by Arturo Perez-Reverte
by Arturo Perez-Reverte
by Arturo Perez-Reverte
by Arturo Perez Reverte
