EUROCRIME REVIEW: LUMEN: BEN PASTOR
I have just noticed that my review of Ben Pastor's Lumen was posted on Euro Crime back on 2 January.
Interestingly 'Ben' Pastor is the pen name of Maria VerBENa Pastor, and even more surprisingly it has taken 11 years for the novel to reach us in the UK, courtesy of the innovative Bitter Lemon Press.
posted by Uriah Robinson at 11:04 AM
7 Comments:
Norman - Excellent review of what sounds like an excellent book. It's not easy to keep readers engrossed in a crime novel while also addressing social issues, but it certainly seems that's what this novel does. I'm intrigued...
Thanks Margot. Mike Ripley has a bit to say about Lumen in his Shots column http://bit.ly/hBSu7n
This book is not a light read and the subject matter would be too much for me now. I am finding reading does help me remove myself from the reality of Jacob's death. At least temporarily.........
I enjoyed reading your review at the time, Norman, but had not realised that the author is a woman - thanks for the update.
PS Reading can be a great temporary balm, I agree. It is hard to find just the right book, though. I am enjoying the Palliser novels by Trollope at the moment, I am finding crime fiction (apart from C J Box's Joe Pickett series) has palled somewhat.
Maxine, you are tempting me with that Joe Pickett series. I think Trollope might be too highbrow for me. ;o)
Many years ago I was at a friend's house, the bookshelves were stacked with Dickens, Austen, Trollope, Thackeray, Edith Wharton and various Brontes. He saw me looking and explained they all belonged to his wife, who I knew was a librarian. I asked where his books were, and was directed to three dog eared copies of the Rugby League Football Annual!
Verbena Pastor was my Masters' advisor. She is a wonderful, extremely bright woman. Her knowledge of poetry, psychology and literature is daunting. When she first published her book I was a little surprised that she had chosen WWII as the center of her book, until I learned that she had earned her Doctorate studying military battles.
Oh, by the way, the book is an excellent read. I recommend it without hesitation.
Thanks Charles. I agree Lumen is an excellent and very intelligent read.
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