The Appeal.

So... part of my question was what exactly makes storys and thrillers like this appeal to generation after generation.


And, one possible idea/solution I think is the ingenious murder plots. Another factor might be that these ingenious plots reflect an intelligence and ingeniouity on the part of the murderer. This is unsettling because it presents the possibility that the enemy might win over our heros.

In the Dante Club, people were murdered according to the punishments in the different level of Dante's Inferno. According to the professors, who are the intelligent members of the Dante Club, the murders were perfectly executed and planned with great detail... as if by a Dante Scholar. And though they recognize this factor, they cannot go to the police with it because, during this time period, Dante was unfamiliar to Americans, and the Dante club was the first American group to work on the translation.

The Plot was interesting because, like the Alieniest by Celeb Carr, murders continued throughout the story - and each led to further investigation and evidence. However, this also creates an atmosphere of danger and fear for the heros of the story, because we fear they might be next on the list.

Another factor that I've noticed was similar to the Alieniest and the Angel of Darkness (Two Historical Thrillers), is that the crimes are brutal, gruesome, and unimaginable because of the severe mutiliations or the cruelty of the murder. In this story in particular, the murders were horrendous because the murderer didn't just kill but tortured them. For example, one person was bludgeoned to the head (but that didn't kill him), it was the maggots that were planted in his head wound that slowly ate him alive for three days that killed him.

--Ok ... that's it for now. I know it was un poco long but bear with me.

Also... I'd appreciate some feedback.... whoever has me. Muchas Gracias.

The History in a Historical Thriller.

Another "essential question" I was debating on before choosing the Sherlock one was what do Historical Backgrounds add to books. And, as you can tell from my blogging title, I am reading all Historical Thrillers.

I was interested and just wanted to talk about it a little.

Well, for one, it adds a very detailed and set(as in realistic and almost unchanging) background, because these times periods have happened, and events like the civil war, the racism, the corruption in the government, and etc. are true reflections of the time period.

"Barnicoat did not possess knowledge enough to admit this. The coroner was a political appointee, and the position required no special medical or scientific expertise, only a tolerance for dead bodies". The historical settings and details throughout the novel, on top of the plot, not only help to provide more concrete details for the story, but also help to create a clearer image in our minds of the historical happenings/mindsets/ideas floating around during the time periods, which for this book (the Dante Club) is post-civil war/post-reconstruction.

From following the story of Nicolas Rey, the first African-American police officer. As a war hero and excellent solider, he was given the chance, by the mayor to be a police officer. However, as one, he is abused/disrespected by fellow officers and detectives. The officers themselves acutally signed a petition calling for his resignation. Also, many restrictions were placed on him-such as not being allowed to wear a uniform, carrya gun, or arrest a white person without another police officer being present. And to my surprize, other African - Americans feared/rioted the most against him.

I particularly like reading Historical Thrillers because, for one the mystery and plot itself is intriguing and absorbing. Besides that though, being able to relate, especially last year after APUSH, the history/time period I've learnt in school to what is presented in the story is particularly interesting - like recognized the racism or the corruption within the government.

The Dante Club

So... might as well begin.

As I've been reading through, I've noticed that there isn't just one "Sherlock Holmes" genius. Longfellow, Holmes, Lowell, Fields, and Rey, too share in the crime solving. But, they are all highly intelligent and accomplished. Longfellow, Holmes and Lowell being literary geniuses and well-respected poets throughout Boston. Fields is a successful and talented publisher while Rey is the first mulatto (the word they used in the book) police officer in Boston, a war hero, with keen intuition and abilitiy too.

It's a collection of intelligent people, all who make their own contributions, similiar in a way to the alieniest/angel of darkness cast. The most respected peer in this group is Longfellow having an elevated status in a way similar to that of Kreizler in the Alienest.

However, these characters, though heros are not without their own faults. Oliver Wendell Holmes wallows in his own self-importance and vanity at times... (which i found ironic since he is the person whom the library at Andover is dedicated to..)

Just some beginning comments... I'll be back later...

Toodles for now.

So... Let's Begin

Ok. I thought I'd begin by introducing what my question is... Yes, it's about Historical Thrillers... and the books I'll be reading are the Dante Club, the Italian Secretary (By Celeb Carr), some Sherlock Holmes stories, the list of seven by Mark Frost and the Rule of Four.

My question that I'll be writing on is...

Detective stories and the likes of Sherlock Homes, of the highly intelligent and learned expert solving crimes (i.e. the Da Vinci Code and the Alienist) are oft-used and well-loved sotries that have stayed with us throughout the years, ever since the first Sherlock Holmes in 1887. What is it that draws readers to these stories and why are they still loved and interesting to read to this day? Is it the character itslef? The ingenious plots?

I'm not sure whose supposed to be reading my blog... if I knew before, I forgot now.. But hope you have fun! And comment often.

I'll try to update regularly, though I know I've been procrastinating so far... I finished a book but just haven't blogged yet.. whoops..

-Winnie