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01-16-2018, 07:08 PM | #31 |
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For me it was not so much of a surprise of who did it and why. It was more difficult to deduce the clues to determine how. But, it would be hard for me to describe what the specific clues missing were. I listened to it as an audiobook during the daily commute so it was more difficult to keep track of everything with great attention and I'm more of a visual person. I did also borrow an ebook from my library which was helpful to read the first chapter, the long exposition of Lord Peter's theories near the middle and Sir Julian's confessional letter.
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01-16-2018, 07:18 PM | #32 | |
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At the time that I read the Dowager Duchess monologue (in which she makes so many comments about Jews) near the end of chapter 3, I wondered if it seemed so long winded, over the top, and out of place simply because Sayers was trying so hard to hide the fact that this was where she was dropping the critical clue that gave everything else away. |
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01-16-2018, 09:29 PM | #33 |
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Indeed, I thought that critical clue stuck out very clearly despite the attempt to bury it in general chatter. Once we had the mountaineering hobby listed, the how became pretty clear too.
It was just all too fancy, which then led to that interminable written explanation, which I suppose Sayers thought was psychologically right because of Sir Julian’s belief in his own cleverness and his need to boast about it. |
01-16-2018, 10:24 PM | #34 |
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Indeed, the who, how, and why were all pretty obvious fairly early. Though I admit that I've read this before, so not the best judge of how well hidden the clues were.
For me, the witty humour were what kept me reading and enjoying this first book in the Lord Peter Wimsey series. And the rest are even better. In this first book, we see some of the elements that have made the books so endearingly popular, but we also see some weaknesses in Sayers craft. |
01-17-2018, 07:05 AM | #35 | |||
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I can't say I read with 20s eyes, of course, but I've read enough of and from that era to feel reasonably comfortable in my saying that Sayers is being suggestive about Peter's sexuality. It's not just the peacock dressing gown, that's just one of the more "flamboyant" examples. Quote:
Quote:
Spoiler:
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01-17-2018, 01:41 PM | #36 | ||
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The issue crops up I think for two reasons, and that's one of them. The other is that Sayers couldn't resist the means of knowing that the body in the bath wasn't Sir Reuben. A little too clever and self-conscious as was much of the book, but I wouldn't call it disrespectful or anti-Semitic. A little cheesy, mostly. That doesn't exclude, of course, the throw-away comments about "Hebrews" and so forth, but again, they were the words in the mouths of the characters and a reflection on them and their times. In fact, I don't think there was a Jewish character, or am I forgetting someone minor? Unless Lady Levy was a convert. |
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01-17-2018, 01:45 PM | #37 | |
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01-17-2018, 01:51 PM | #38 | |
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I still think there was no need to have Jewish hating characters. I do like the idea of the circumcision as a way to tell that the body was not that of Levy. But I still stand by my saying there was too many derogatory remarks against Jews. |
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01-17-2018, 02:02 PM | #39 |
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I thought it was quite clear that she was not Jewish prior to their marriage. I don't remember it saying whether or not she converted though.
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01-17-2018, 02:29 PM | #40 |
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Well, humor is very subjective. We don't all find the same things funny. I wouldn't classify this book in the humor category too, although I do agree with CRussell that I found it witty in places and chuckled out loud. An example would be some of the exchanges between Lord Peter and Bunter.
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01-17-2018, 03:05 PM | #41 |
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01-17-2018, 08:18 PM | #42 | ||
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True, but when she was writing the book, she was lying naked with one of us -- and, to her distress, he wouldn't marry her. See:
The Curious Case of Dorothy L. Sayers & the Jew Who Wasn’t There Quote:
Quote:
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01-18-2018, 09:15 AM | #43 |
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Sayers did write derogatory comments about Jews.
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01-18-2018, 09:33 AM | #44 |
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Indeed she did - in the same fictional story that she has a doctor confess to murder and professional detectives appear like morons next to an amateur. So the question becomes: what parts of this were entirely made up to fit the story she wanted to write, and what parts reflect the author's internal beliefs concerning Jews, doctors and detectives?
You have obviously formed your own opinions on this but other opinions are possible. |
01-18-2018, 10:56 AM | #45 |
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Yes, other opinions are possible. And due to my opinion, I won't be reading any more of her books.
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