By a Slow River
Philippe Claudel
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Buy *By a Slow River* by Philippe Claudel online

By a Slow River
Philippe Claudel
Knopf
Hardcover
208 pages
June 2006
rated 3 1/2 of 5 possible stars
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The wonderfully translated debut novel from former screenwriter Philippe Claudel By A Slow River is a tremendously entertaining historical whodunit is set during World War I. This touching novel is filled with beautiful prose and vibrant imagery - so much so that it will make you feel like you have picked up a “classic” novel. The story begins on a very cold Monday in December in 1917, when a ten-year-old girl is found dead by the banks of the slow moving river that cuts through the untitled village.

“Lying on the ground, a ten-year-olds body seems even smaller. Especially when it’s drenched by winter water. Berfuche pulled back a corner of the blanket to confirm what he knew and puffed into his hands for warmth. Morning glory’s face appeared. She looked like a fairy with her eyelids blanched and lips turned blue, her hair entangled with the grass, withered brown by morning frosts. Her little hands clutched at emptiness.”
The story is, ostensibly, a murder mystery with three deaths tying the story together: a little girl, a local schoolteacher, and the narrator’s wife during childbirth. But what sets this apart, what makes it leap out of the mystery genre is the lovely writing style and the journey back in time. Overall, By A Slow River is a wonderfully written and vividly crafted mystery that will tug at your heart and entertain you while it does. A short, enjoyable read for those looking for a different style of mystery.



Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Bobby Blades, 2006

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