Fin dai primi capitoli, mi è stato chiaro che Tutto questo ti darò non sarebbe stata una lettura memorabile: ma è estate, fa caldo e un giallo poco impegnativo ci sta proprio bene. Peccato che da lettura d’evasione è passato ad essere noioso e pure fastidioso in alcuni punti.

Innanzi tutto ha una prosa molto melodrammatica, che invece di trasmettere tutto il dolore e il senso di tradimento provato dal protagonista dopo la morte di suo marito, fa venire il latte alle ginocchia. Sembra tutto troppo: troppo dolore, troppa sfiga, troppa tracotanza, troppo patetismo. Se a questo uniamo il fatto che questo romanzo ha decisamente troppe pagine, l’abbiocco è assicurato.

Continuo a domandarmi perché chi scrive di ostini a rimandare una rivelazione quando ormai essa è chiara nella mente di chi legge. In Tutto questo ti darò si capisce abbastanza presto chi è l’assassino e l’interesse viene mantenuto vivo dai segreti che quest’antica famiglia nobile nasconde per evitare lo scandalo: eppure, dopo che tutte le rivelazioni sono state fatte, si tira ancora per le lunghe, ricorrendo a una suspense che è morta diverse pagine prima.

E veniamo a un’altra questione: la verosimiglianza. Il comportamento di questa famiglia mi è sembrato ai limiti dell’assurdo, per quanto simili mentalità possano ancora esistere, e ci sono diversi passi incoerenti. Per esempio, Manuel non esita mai a incazzarsi se qualcuno è omofobo con lui: tuttavia, quando Lucas se ne esce con una collezione di stereotipi, non batte ciglio.

[Tweet]

Infine, sarebbe davvero bello smettere di fare comportarsi come bambini dell’asilo non appena qualcuno nomina il Viagra e di associare la mascolinità alle prestazione sessuali. Soprattutto se siamo totalmente fuori contesto.

[Tweet] ( )

En el escenario majestuoso de la Ribiera Sacra, Álvaro sufre un accidente que acabará con su vida. Cuando Manuel, su marido, llega a Galicia para reconocer el cadáver, descubre que la investigación sobre el caso se ha cerrado con demasiada rapidez. El rechazo de su poderosa familia política, los Múñiz de Dávila, le impulsa a huir, pero le retiene el alegato contra la impunidad que Nogueira, un guardia civil jubilado, esgrime contra la familia de Álvaro, nobles mecidos en sus privilegios, y la sospecha de que ésa no es la primera muerte de su entorno que se ha enmascarado como accidental. Lucas, un sacerdote amigo de la familia de Álvaro, se une a Manuel y a Nogueira en la reconstrucción de la vida secreta de quien creían conocer bien.

135-5

I selected this book as part of an Audible international fiction promotion because the bare bones of the plot are intriguing and it's set in a part of the world I knew nothing of - the Galicia district of northwest Spain. When a man (a novelist!) inherits all the assets of an ancient noble family, he is drawn into their intrigues, and possibly their crimes.

The first part of the book ever so slowly reveals the principal characters and plot lines, with lengthy interior monologues that, I will confess, often failed to hold my interest. I held on, though, since I had become invested in learning Who did What to Whom.

Once the action picks up (a relative concept in this book, which for the most part plods along), I found the reading more enjoyable, though still mired down in melodrama and those anguished soul-barings. The place descriptions were generally far longer than they needed to be, although I will confess that I appreciated the explanations of the wine-growing techniques in the Ribeira Sacra region, since they differ from anything I've seen before.

The last few chapters move along much more crisply than the bulk of the book, leaving me with the impression that the author opted for the rather operatic tone that preceded them intentionally since she clearly knows how to write a more traditionally paced mystery. Although I wouldn't say that I disliked the book, I guess my personal tastes in mysteries that revolve around family histories tends more toward Ross McDonald. ( )

A couple of month's ago did I listen to all the books in the Baztán trilogy by Dolores Redondo. I was so captivated by them that it was with quite a lot of sadness that I finished the last book. So, when I learned that there was a new book translated into English to read was I thrilled and hoped to a chance to read it soon. So, I was happy to get the chance to be part of the blog tour for the book.

I have to admit that what I most wanted was a continuation to the last book in the Baztán trilogy since the ending left me feeling that the story wasn't really finished. Not that I wasn't looking forward to reading this book. I was definitely thrilled to have a new Redondo book to read.

ALL THIS I WILL GIVE TO YOU is a gripping mystery book. It's a thick book and you have to have patient reading it. The story slowly unfurls along the way and you learn more and more about Álvaro and his quite dysfunctional family along the way. Manuel has a lot to take in, not only has he lost the man he loves, he learns that Álvaro had a lot of secrets. And, the more Manuel dig into Álvaro's death, the surer he is that something is wrong. What really happened the night Álvaro died? Why is his family acting so weird and why did Álvaro ever tell him about his family

ALL THIS I WILL GIVE TO YOU is a slow-paced book. Never boring, just very detailed and closing the book felt a bit like saying goodbye to new friends. I felt the need to not rush the story, I wanted to really take in the details. Manuel is such a wonderful man, a bit lost now that his rock Álvaro is gone. He slowly realizes that Álvaro has taken care of a lot in his life, and he only realizes it now that he's gone. There is a flashback in the story to how they met and is such a wonderful and romantic story. Also, the very ending of the book almost had me in tears. It was so perfect!

I will end this review by saying that if you want a really well-written mystery novel, then I recommend ALL THIS I WILL GIVE TO YOU. I can't wait to read more books from Dolores Redondo.

I want to thank ed public relations for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! ( )