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Darling Jim
A modern gothic novel of suspense that reveals, through their diaries, the story of sisters who fall in love with a beguiling stranger, and of the town that turns a blind eye to his murderous ways
When two sisters and their aunt are found dead in their suburban Dublin home, it seems that the secret behind their untimely demise will never be known. But then Niall, a young mailman, finds a mysterious diary in the post office’s dead-letter bin. From beyond the grave, Fiona Walsh shares the most tragic love story he’s ever heard—and her tale has only just begun.
Niall soon becomes enveloped by the mystery surrounding itinerant storyteller Jim, who traveled through Ireland enrapturing audiences and wooing women with his macabre mythic narratives. Captivated by Jim, townspeople across Ireland thought it must be a sad coincidence that horrific murders trailed him wherever he went—and they failed to connect that the young female victims, who were smitten by the newest bad boy in town, bore an all too frightening similarity to the victims in Jim’s own fictional plots.
The Walsh sisters, fiercely loyal to one another, were not immune to “darling” Jim’s powers of seduction, but found themselves in harm’s way when they began to uncover his treacherous past. Niall must now continue his dangerous hunt for the truth—and for the vanished third sister—while there’s still time. And in the woods, the wolves from Jim’s stories begin to gather.
When two sisters and their aunt are found dead in their suburban Dublin home, it seems that the secret behind their untimely demise will never be known. But then Niall, a young mailman, finds a mysterious diary in the post office’s dead-letter bin. From beyond the grave, Fiona Walsh shares the most tragic love story he’s ever heard—and her tale has only just begun.
Niall soon becomes enveloped by the mystery surrounding itinerant storyteller Jim, who traveled through Ireland enrapturing audiences and wooing women with his macabre mythic narratives. Captivated by Jim, townspeople across Ireland thought it must be a sad coincidence that horrific murders trailed him wherever he went—and they failed to connect that the young female victims, who were smitten by the newest bad boy in town, bore an all too frightening similarity to the victims in Jim’s own fictional plots.
The Walsh sisters, fiercely loyal to one another, were not immune to “darling” Jim’s powers of seduction, but found themselves in harm’s way when they began to uncover his treacherous past. Niall must now continue his dangerous hunt for the truth—and for the vanished third sister—while there’s still time. And in the woods, the wolves from Jim’s stories begin to gather.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published March 31, 2009
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December 28, 2022
"Sa o iubesti sau sa o ucizi?" Iata dilema lupului.
O foarte interesanta poveste dark cu iz horror si gotic, situata in Irlanda, despre morti misterioase, o casa bantuita, un povestitor fermecat si chiar si varcolaci.
Romanul debuteaza cu imaginea macabra in care postasul descopera intr-o casa din Dublin 3 cadavre: doua apartinand unor tinere fete Fiona si Roisin si unul al matusii lor Moira Hegarty. La investigatie reiese ca matusa ar fi fost temnicera lor si cele doua, cu inca un necunoscut care reusise sa evadeze, au fost prizonierele ei. Fetele fusesera tinute in conditii cumplite, torturate si otravite lent.
Fiona reusise sa astearna pe hartie povestea ingrozitoare a caror protagoniste fusesera. Jurnalul ei ajunge la tanarul postas Niall care porneste pe urmele lor misterioase. Aflam astfel despre o patimasa iubire pe care fetele au purtat-o unui barbat pe nume Jim:
"Pentru ca Jim era o forta a naturii careia nu i s-a gasit inca un nume, daca nu cumva numele lui e "Pierire", "Furie" si "Seductie", toate intr-un cuvant."
Jim putea fermeca pe oricine doar prin simpla sa prezenta si prin povestile pe care le spunea. Acestea erau pe cat de fascinante pe atat de intunecate si oamenii incremenau de frica auzindu-le. Nu este de mirare asadar ca toate cele 3 femei cazusera in mrejele lui innebunind de gelozie si ura. Totul de dragul lui Jim. Daca insa nu e asta toata povestea? Daca mai exista si alte jurnale?
Romanul este captivant, se citeste usor si nu prea poate fi lasat din mana deoarece autorul detine darul oricarui povestitor iscusit si anume stie sa intrerupa povestea la punctul culminant crescand tensiunea si marind curiozitatea. Jim este de asemenea un povestitor talentat iar povestea in rama al carei narator este, despre lupul-om Euan si domnita Aisling, este la fel de interesanta, gotica si dark.
De asemenea mi-a placut si coperta volumului ce infatiseaza un lup urland intr-o padure infricosatoare. Acelasi lup care apare si in interior ori de cate ori Jim isi deapana povestea.
M-a amuzat ca in roman se face referire la jocul Tamagochi, lucru ce mi-a amintit de propria copilarie. Am detinut si eu unul candva desi nu stiu ce fel de animal era fiind de marimea unui pixel. Tin minte ca nu-l puteam tine in viata mai mult de o zi. :)
In ceea ce priveste partile mai putin reusite ale romanului trebuie sa ma alatur parerii majoritatii cititorilor cum ca jurnalele sunt scrise intr-o maniera lejera si degajata fiind greu de crezut ca au fost concepute in ultimele clipe ale vietii cuiva. Se pierde astfel mult din credibilitatea romanului. Iar personajul Jim este mai mult sau mai putin cliseic, el fiind conceput la fel ca mai toti vampirii sau varcolacii din ziua de azi - cu o alura seducatoare, avand patratele, cu un aer de Don-Juan. Poate citi gandurile oamenilor iar absolut toate femeile sunt innebunite dupa el.
Alt lucru care nu mi-a placut a fost uzitarea 'trucului cu gemenii' care este prea mult folosit in literatura si nu mai impresioneaza pe nimeni.
As dori sa inchei recenzia in nota in care am inceput-o:
"Intr-o clipa, avea sa triumfe fie iubirea, fie moartea. Lupul avea la dispozitie o vesnicie sa se hotarasca."
O foarte interesanta poveste dark cu iz horror si gotic, situata in Irlanda, despre morti misterioase, o casa bantuita, un povestitor fermecat si chiar si varcolaci.
Romanul debuteaza cu imaginea macabra in care postasul descopera intr-o casa din Dublin 3 cadavre: doua apartinand unor tinere fete Fiona si Roisin si unul al matusii lor Moira Hegarty. La investigatie reiese ca matusa ar fi fost temnicera lor si cele doua, cu inca un necunoscut care reusise sa evadeze, au fost prizonierele ei. Fetele fusesera tinute in conditii cumplite, torturate si otravite lent.
Fiona reusise sa astearna pe hartie povestea ingrozitoare a caror protagoniste fusesera. Jurnalul ei ajunge la tanarul postas Niall care porneste pe urmele lor misterioase. Aflam astfel despre o patimasa iubire pe care fetele au purtat-o unui barbat pe nume Jim:
"Pentru ca Jim era o forta a naturii careia nu i s-a gasit inca un nume, daca nu cumva numele lui e "Pierire", "Furie" si "Seductie", toate intr-un cuvant."
Jim putea fermeca pe oricine doar prin simpla sa prezenta si prin povestile pe care le spunea. Acestea erau pe cat de fascinante pe atat de intunecate si oamenii incremenau de frica auzindu-le. Nu este de mirare asadar ca toate cele 3 femei cazusera in mrejele lui innebunind de gelozie si ura. Totul de dragul lui Jim. Daca insa nu e asta toata povestea? Daca mai exista si alte jurnale?
Romanul este captivant, se citeste usor si nu prea poate fi lasat din mana deoarece autorul detine darul oricarui povestitor iscusit si anume stie sa intrerupa povestea la punctul culminant crescand tensiunea si marind curiozitatea. Jim este de asemenea un povestitor talentat iar povestea in rama al carei narator este, despre lupul-om Euan si domnita Aisling, este la fel de interesanta, gotica si dark.
De asemenea mi-a placut si coperta volumului ce infatiseaza un lup urland intr-o padure infricosatoare. Acelasi lup care apare si in interior ori de cate ori Jim isi deapana povestea.
M-a amuzat ca in roman se face referire la jocul Tamagochi, lucru ce mi-a amintit de propria copilarie. Am detinut si eu unul candva desi nu stiu ce fel de animal era fiind de marimea unui pixel. Tin minte ca nu-l puteam tine in viata mai mult de o zi. :)
In ceea ce priveste partile mai putin reusite ale romanului trebuie sa ma alatur parerii majoritatii cititorilor cum ca jurnalele sunt scrise intr-o maniera lejera si degajata fiind greu de crezut ca au fost concepute in ultimele clipe ale vietii cuiva. Se pierde astfel mult din credibilitatea romanului. Iar personajul Jim este mai mult sau mai putin cliseic, el fiind conceput la fel ca mai toti vampirii sau varcolacii din ziua de azi - cu o alura seducatoare, avand patratele, cu un aer de Don-Juan. Poate citi gandurile oamenilor iar absolut toate femeile sunt innebunite dupa el.
Alt lucru care nu mi-a placut a fost uzitarea 'trucului cu gemenii' care este prea mult folosit in literatura si nu mai impresioneaza pe nimeni.
As dori sa inchei recenzia in nota in care am inceput-o:
"Intr-o clipa, avea sa triumfe fie iubirea, fie moartea. Lupul avea la dispozitie o vesnicie sa se hotarasca."
October 14, 2009
I picked up Darling Jim at the library this afternoon and just "finished" it, which in this case means I stopped really reading it early on and just skimmed through the rest to see if it could be that bad all the way through. It was. Now I feel like my brain needs a breath mint.
A handsome, sexy drifter rides his bright red antique motorcycle into a sleepy Irish town. Think Paul Newman in Long Hot Summer but on a bike - although in this case instead of being a blue-eyed blond, the drifter has "black Keanu Reeves hair" and eyes like "black pools". Oh, and he's also got a "sugar coated" voice "as smooth as a cat's." And not only does our Darling Jim ooze sex appeal but he can apparently mesmerize women from across the street with only a glance, "read [their:] desires with his eyes closed" and set sisters at each others throats in jealousy after only one day.
And his amazing powers don't end with women, either. Like a weird combination of Charles Manson and John F. Kennedy, Jim's charismatic personality and good looks ensnare the entire town. Although the evidence is overwhelming that Darling Jim is a rapist and killer, everyone but the victims turn a blind eye to it because they are so enamored with him and his amazing storytelling abilities. In fact, his loss drives one woman (who admittedly was eccentric to begin with) over the edge of insanity, causing her to imprison and torture her nieces.
And this summary doesn't even touch on the ridiculous subplot of the highly literate and thoughtful diaries written by the nieces as they are dying of rat poisoning and starvation. Would anyone who is waiting to be violently murdered take the time to write that "time has run out" and "here she comes...my dear aunt, dragging her miserable self up the stairs"? Moerk's characters do. They also have ways of getting those diaries mailed posthumously, to be found and read by a small-town postal worker who, instead of taking the information to the police, decides to "unravel" the mystery himself.
Because I am trying to be fair, I will say that on the plus side, there is a cat named Oscar in the book. Other than that...well, I suppose it could have been longer.
A handsome, sexy drifter rides his bright red antique motorcycle into a sleepy Irish town. Think Paul Newman in Long Hot Summer but on a bike - although in this case instead of being a blue-eyed blond, the drifter has "black Keanu Reeves hair" and eyes like "black pools". Oh, and he's also got a "sugar coated" voice "as smooth as a cat's." And not only does our Darling Jim ooze sex appeal but he can apparently mesmerize women from across the street with only a glance, "read [their:] desires with his eyes closed" and set sisters at each others throats in jealousy after only one day.
And his amazing powers don't end with women, either. Like a weird combination of Charles Manson and John F. Kennedy, Jim's charismatic personality and good looks ensnare the entire town. Although the evidence is overwhelming that Darling Jim is a rapist and killer, everyone but the victims turn a blind eye to it because they are so enamored with him and his amazing storytelling abilities. In fact, his loss drives one woman (who admittedly was eccentric to begin with) over the edge of insanity, causing her to imprison and torture her nieces.
And this summary doesn't even touch on the ridiculous subplot of the highly literate and thoughtful diaries written by the nieces as they are dying of rat poisoning and starvation. Would anyone who is waiting to be violently murdered take the time to write that "time has run out" and "here she comes...my dear aunt, dragging her miserable self up the stairs"? Moerk's characters do. They also have ways of getting those diaries mailed posthumously, to be found and read by a small-town postal worker who, instead of taking the information to the police, decides to "unravel" the mystery himself.
Because I am trying to be fair, I will say that on the plus side, there is a cat named Oscar in the book. Other than that...well, I suppose it could have been longer.
September 7, 2016
(Warning: this book is super violent. Especially against animals (yuck!) and including sexual violence toward women.)
I had a lot of problems with this book (they're detailed below because I felt the need to vent!), but they all amount to: 1. The women in this book (even though it's their story) have no agency; their story is collected and concluded by a man. 2. This book requires some HUGE suspensions of disbelief, especially about the police and criminal investigations.
So why 3 stars ("I liked the book")? Despite these things, I did enjoy the story. I liked the Irish mythology, and especially enjoyed the stories Jim told. I'm always a sucker for diary formats, and the initial crime-scene description was riveting. (Also, I listened on audio, and the female reader was fabulous.)
Problems with this book (spoilers):
I had a lot of problems with this book (they're detailed below because I felt the need to vent!), but they all amount to: 1. The women in this book (even though it's their story) have no agency; their story is collected and concluded by a man. 2. This book requires some HUGE suspensions of disbelief, especially about the police and criminal investigations.
So why 3 stars ("I liked the book")? Despite these things, I did enjoy the story. I liked the Irish mythology, and especially enjoyed the stories Jim told. I'm always a sucker for diary formats, and the initial crime-scene description was riveting. (Also, I listened on audio, and the female reader was fabulous.)
Problems with this book (spoilers):
March 17, 2009
I am torn on this review. Darling Jim was an enjoyable read with interesting characters, a fast-faced plot, and rich description. However, some parts were very unrealistic and this distracted me. When a story is related through something such as a character's letter, the story should not shift between present and past tense or go into lengthy detail about events that happened years ago. No one can recall every detail of an incident that played out over a few weeks years ago, no matter how significant the ordeal. While the girl's stories, told through two letters, are well-written, they are implausible because of the aforementioned facts. The other aspect of the novel that I didn't care for was the subplot of Jim's stories. They were far too long and took away from the main plot. Though the narrator tells us everyone is fascinated by Jim's stories, they couldn't keep my attention. The bizarre ending connected with the stories made me further dislike them.
Overall, I probably would not recommend this book. The suspension of disbelief the story required to be plausible combined with the distracting subplot outweigh the novel's good parts, which are the engaging characters, the suspense, and the descriptive language.
Overall, I probably would not recommend this book. The suspension of disbelief the story required to be plausible combined with the distracting subplot outweigh the novel's good parts, which are the engaging characters, the suspense, and the descriptive language.
October 5, 2016
Genijalan triler! Ubojstvo sestara u dublinskom predgrađu isprepleće se sa drevnim, irskim legendama pa to daje romanu specifičnu, pomalo bajkovitu atmosferu. Jedna od onih knjiga kada brzinski okrećete stranice i letite po tekstu samo da čim prije vidite što se dalje događa.. Vau! Ljubiteljima žanra must-read... !
March 23, 2009
Like his con artist storyteller, Jim Quick, Christian Moerk weaves a Gothic tale of suspense that draws its audience in, compelling us to find out how it all ends. The structure is intricate, but adds to the mood. The book opens with mail carrier Desmond finding the body of an old woman on his route. When the police investigate, they find not only the body of Moira, but the bodies of two young women who were apparently her prisoners. Further investigation reveals that the girls were Moira's nieces, and that a third prisoner was present at some time, but escaped. The structure immediately pulls in the reader, who knows that something horrible and dramatic must have happened, but like the police, the reader is utterly baffled. When a postal service employee, Niall, happens upon a package with the return address of one of the dead girls and impulsively takes it home with him. It turns out to be the diary of Fiona Walsh, one of the dead girls in the house. She tells the story of Jim, a storyteller who has captivated all the women in town with his fairy tale and dangerous good looks, and who arrives in town just about when mysterious deaths begin to occur. When Fiona's diary comes to an abrupt end, Niall (and the reader) is obsessed with the story and heads to the town where Fiona says the events began to see if he can pick up the thread of how the girls met their fate. He happens upon the diary of Roisin, Fiona's sister, which fills in many of the question marks. The Gothic suspense is thick and irresistible, the story tight, and the fiddly novel structure, which would have seemed amateurish and clunky in another type of book, is perfectly suited to creating the dark, foreboding mood in Darling Jim. The level of detail in the diaries is absurd, of course--no one writes detailed dialogue or remembers every event like that, but that's part of the point, and it sweeps the reader into the story.
Darling Jim is an excellent, spooky read for those who like their plot labyrinthine and their suspense relentless.
Darling Jim is an excellent, spooky read for those who like their plot labyrinthine and their suspense relentless.
December 31, 2008
This modern Gothic novel will grab you and whisk you away on a reading adventure you will not soon forget. The author of DARLING JIM presents his readers with an elaborate and sumptuous tale, some finely tuned dialogue, a tightly crafted plot plus some memorable and engaging characters.
The story begins with a bang as an inquisitive Dublin mailman discovers the bodies of three females at a home along his route.
Who are these women and how did the meet their untimely end? Author, Christian Moerk has chosen as his narrative vehicle the journals of two of the victims. Through them he introduces us to three sisters, their aunt and a seductive creator of stories named Jim Quick.
The journals reveal the sisters as competitive yet devoted to each other, the aunt as an unstable character who swings like a pendulum
between frumpy recluse and stylish femme-fatale, and Quick as a cunning, manipulative and charming predator who has cast himself as a wolf in this saga and visualizes any female unfortunate enough to cross his path as easy prey.
This book has it all. It is at once fairy tale, a romance, an allegory, a murder mystery, and a psychological thriller with the authors’ version of Irish mythology thrown it for good measure.
For any reader who likes a little meat on the bones of their novels, DARLING JIM will provide you with a hearty repast.
The story begins with a bang as an inquisitive Dublin mailman discovers the bodies of three females at a home along his route.
Who are these women and how did the meet their untimely end? Author, Christian Moerk has chosen as his narrative vehicle the journals of two of the victims. Through them he introduces us to three sisters, their aunt and a seductive creator of stories named Jim Quick.
The journals reveal the sisters as competitive yet devoted to each other, the aunt as an unstable character who swings like a pendulum
between frumpy recluse and stylish femme-fatale, and Quick as a cunning, manipulative and charming predator who has cast himself as a wolf in this saga and visualizes any female unfortunate enough to cross his path as easy prey.
This book has it all. It is at once fairy tale, a romance, an allegory, a murder mystery, and a psychological thriller with the authors’ version of Irish mythology thrown it for good measure.
For any reader who likes a little meat on the bones of their novels, DARLING JIM will provide you with a hearty repast.
August 23, 2013
Starting to think I might have been too generous with my two stars. Oh well.
Where to start...this book wasn't too compelling, at least in my opinion, I had no trouble putting it down for a while.
This storyteller Jim is supposed to be so unbelievably charismatic and sexy on his motorcycle that every single girl is inexplicably drawn to him, even against her will. Except one girl, and that's because she's a lesbian.
I'm going to state it once: It annoys me that this was written by a male author, about a man so bewitching the whole town is able to overlook that he's clearly a rapist and a murderer? And if one girl isn't attracted to him, it's because she's a lesbian. What was so great about Jim? He oozed sex appeal apparently, too bad it didn't translate to the reader.
Probably the worst thing about this book, besides the sexism and the idea that the guy finding the diaries is supposed to be the 'knight in shining armor' for some reason, (why, exactly? He's not bringing them justice in any way. It was the 3 sisters that carried everything out and braved death) it was the inherent randomness and predictable Gothic elements that existed just for the sake of existing.
There was a story about wolves that was supposedly parallel to the real plot about twin brothers, which didn't exactly make sense to me, and I didn't care enough to try and understand it. Everything was revealed in the end like it was some puzzle that all fit together, except there was literally nothing that fit together or made any sense at all. Why is there a guy in a castle, and why is he supposed to be a wizard? Since when were there wizards? Why is he in a wheelchair? How is that relevant? What is the twins relationship? Something about them sleeping with their sister, what? (Did the author say, "Mysterious pregnancy, check. Castle, check. Romance interspersed with murder, check. How can I make this even more Gothic? Let's add a seemingly random paragraph about incest"). The protagonist had found his way into the 'castle' to confront the wheelchair bound brother, who was all set to command his henchmen to kill the guy, and then all of a sudden didn't, and let him go, for no reason besides convenience to the plot. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Then one of the sisters left for 3 years and for some reason couldn't tell her sisters why, and predictably it was because she was pregnant with the baby of her rapist the 'wolf' which is infuriating, and also holds no relevance besides being completely and annoyingly predictable. Why does every book that claims to be Gothic have to include a mysterious pregnancy?
A lot of the other reviews seem to be complaining about the plausibility of the girls writing eloquent diaries while starving in captivity, but to me that that was the most plausible out of everything. It was almost like the author just grabbed a bunch of Gothic elements and crudely stapled them into a 'story,' claiming to be a 'mystery' when really it was laughable and somewhat insulting. And then even though the police and their dogs found no more evidence at the murder scene, the aunt was able to dig around and conveniently found several pieces of incriminating evidence that the girls left behind and somehow never realized it. I keep thinking of dumber and dumber plot holes as I go on. 'Darling Jim' had a cult following through young girls obsessed with him, because he was just THAT inexplicably amazing that every girl lost her wits around him and hung out on his grave years after he died. There was something about his companion that robbed houses while he had sex with the girls, and then for some reason he killed his companion? Isn't there an easier way to rob houses? Why was he killing girls? Why didn't he kill Fiona? What was the point of raping one of the sisters, just to degrade women even more? And it wasn't really clear to me why he started dating the old aunt, either. To cover his tracks? Weak, just very weak. Now that I think of it, almost nothing that happened seemed to have a legitimate reason behind it, other than plot convenience. And now my review is rambling because of it.
Where to start...this book wasn't too compelling, at least in my opinion, I had no trouble putting it down for a while.
This storyteller Jim is supposed to be so unbelievably charismatic and sexy on his motorcycle that every single girl is inexplicably drawn to him, even against her will. Except one girl, and that's because she's a lesbian.
I'm going to state it once: It annoys me that this was written by a male author, about a man so bewitching the whole town is able to overlook that he's clearly a rapist and a murderer? And if one girl isn't attracted to him, it's because she's a lesbian. What was so great about Jim? He oozed sex appeal apparently, too bad it didn't translate to the reader.
Probably the worst thing about this book, besides the sexism and the idea that the guy finding the diaries is supposed to be the 'knight in shining armor' for some reason, (why, exactly? He's not bringing them justice in any way. It was the 3 sisters that carried everything out and braved death) it was the inherent randomness and predictable Gothic elements that existed just for the sake of existing.
There was a story about wolves that was supposedly parallel to the real plot about twin brothers, which didn't exactly make sense to me, and I didn't care enough to try and understand it. Everything was revealed in the end like it was some puzzle that all fit together, except there was literally nothing that fit together or made any sense at all. Why is there a guy in a castle, and why is he supposed to be a wizard? Since when were there wizards? Why is he in a wheelchair? How is that relevant? What is the twins relationship? Something about them sleeping with their sister, what? (Did the author say, "Mysterious pregnancy, check. Castle, check. Romance interspersed with murder, check. How can I make this even more Gothic? Let's add a seemingly random paragraph about incest"). The protagonist had found his way into the 'castle' to confront the wheelchair bound brother, who was all set to command his henchmen to kill the guy, and then all of a sudden didn't, and let him go, for no reason besides convenience to the plot. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Then one of the sisters left for 3 years and for some reason couldn't tell her sisters why, and predictably it was because she was pregnant with the baby of her rapist the 'wolf' which is infuriating, and also holds no relevance besides being completely and annoyingly predictable. Why does every book that claims to be Gothic have to include a mysterious pregnancy?
A lot of the other reviews seem to be complaining about the plausibility of the girls writing eloquent diaries while starving in captivity, but to me that that was the most plausible out of everything. It was almost like the author just grabbed a bunch of Gothic elements and crudely stapled them into a 'story,' claiming to be a 'mystery' when really it was laughable and somewhat insulting. And then even though the police and their dogs found no more evidence at the murder scene, the aunt was able to dig around and conveniently found several pieces of incriminating evidence that the girls left behind and somehow never realized it. I keep thinking of dumber and dumber plot holes as I go on. 'Darling Jim' had a cult following through young girls obsessed with him, because he was just THAT inexplicably amazing that every girl lost her wits around him and hung out on his grave years after he died. There was something about his companion that robbed houses while he had sex with the girls, and then for some reason he killed his companion? Isn't there an easier way to rob houses? Why was he killing girls? Why didn't he kill Fiona? What was the point of raping one of the sisters, just to degrade women even more? And it wasn't really clear to me why he started dating the old aunt, either. To cover his tracks? Weak, just very weak. Now that I think of it, almost nothing that happened seemed to have a legitimate reason behind it, other than plot convenience. And now my review is rambling because of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2010
I was very interested to read this book written by a Danish-born and raised author who has spent the last 20+ years living in the U.S.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book had what I thought was an authentically Irish feel - traveling story-tellers, a sense of the mysterious and very mystical, and fairytales. Not just any fairytales, but scary fairytales that evolve from real-life, as well as real-life unknowingly mimicking fairytales.
The sense that there is something sacred about the stories of folklore - that the importance of hearing the end of a tale is worth postponing a justifiably vengeful killing.
Mentions of history and historical figures (Eamon de Valera, in particular) in a very honorable way.
If there was anything that I didn't like about this book it was that the reason Aoife disappeared for 3 years was too predictable and there was no explanation of where her child was once she came back and the sisters were being held captive by Moira.
Lastly, although he was the evil doer, I did love the Irish charming cad of a man, who can charm the panties off any lady, regardless of the evil that truly lies within. Perhaps yet another role for Colin Farrell?
I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book had what I thought was an authentically Irish feel - traveling story-tellers, a sense of the mysterious and very mystical, and fairytales. Not just any fairytales, but scary fairytales that evolve from real-life, as well as real-life unknowingly mimicking fairytales.
The sense that there is something sacred about the stories of folklore - that the importance of hearing the end of a tale is worth postponing a justifiably vengeful killing.
Mentions of history and historical figures (Eamon de Valera, in particular) in a very honorable way.
If there was anything that I didn't like about this book it was that the reason Aoife disappeared for 3 years was too predictable and there was no explanation of where her child was once she came back and the sisters were being held captive by Moira.
Lastly, although he was the evil doer, I did love the Irish charming cad of a man, who can charm the panties off any lady, regardless of the evil that truly lies within. Perhaps yet another role for Colin Farrell?
May 23, 2012
Não consigo dar mais que três estrelas.....
Estava à espera de melhor, diferente, não sei.....
Lê-se bem mas fiquei um pouco desiludida.
Estava à espera de melhor, diferente, não sei.....
Lê-se bem mas fiquei um pouco desiludida.
January 18, 2016
I didn't care for this. I really skimmed the last quarter of this book. Oh well.
January 20, 2009
Darling Jim, the intense new thriller from Christian Moerk, opens with a mystery: On his daily rounds, a mailman discovers the body of a woman, dead in her home. When the police arrive, they discover much more: There are 2 more dead bodies hidden in rooms behind locked doors. The bodies come to be identified as those of Moira Hegarty and her two young nieces, Fiona and Roisin Walsh. As the story behind these brutal murders deepens, Fiona's diary is discovered by cartoonist and postal sorter Niall. Niall, entranced with the diary of the dead woman, embarks on a journey to the Walsh's sisters hometown in Ireland to discover the answers to the cryptic clues Fiona left behind. And what he discovers is the family's link to Jim, an itinerant storyteller traveling throughout the area telling his stories at local pubs each night. As Niall follows the clues, he learns of the complicated and cruel fate that Jim spins among the women and of his legion of female fans that follow him all over the country. But there is more to Darling Jim, as he comes to be known. Jim spins an elaborate fable that not only draws his listeners in, but also houses the keys to his dark soul and wicked intentions. Niall's search becomes a race against time after discovering the existence a third missing sister, who may have escaped the fate of her family but who still may be in danger. Niall's journey becomes a long and difficult odyssey as he comes face to face with peril and jeopardy with every step he takes in order to save the surviving sister's honor, and possibly even her life.
This was an extraordinarily clever book, and it was a pleasure to relish each and every twist and turn in the story. Written with verve and acuity, the author seemed to have a great handle on timing, believability and dialogue. The characters were quirky and atypical, and each held their own distinctive personality and style throughout the story. The sisters' voices, coming from beyond the grave, expertly captured both their outrage at their situation and their determination for escape.
I admit, I didn't think this book was going to be as fun as it ended up being. I mean, with a triple murder haunting the opening pages, one does not expect fun. But the narrative had definite humor mixed with its pathos in a way I didn't expect. I found myself laughing at the oddness and eccentricities within the pages, especially the colorful colloquialisms in the sisters' wordplay. I really liked Niall, who began the story as a lonely loser but soon came to be an adventuresome and unlikely hero. Niall's commitment to the sisters he had never met was touching, and I felt it impossible not to root for this lovable and bumbling character. Jim, too, was interesting, a deliberate and dastardly foe, and his presence resonated through the pages, even when he wasn't the focus of the narrative. He had a dark charisma that made even the most stalwart of women smitten with him.
One of the winning things about this story were the sections of the book devoted to the ominous fairy tale that Jim created. This technique was particularly inventive, essentially hiding a story within a story. In fact, this book actually contained three stories: the main narrative, Jim's story, and the back story related by Fiona's dairy. Each of these stories was captivating in different ways, but all worked together and blended well and kept the level of suspense tight and controlled throughout the book. Another thing that I liked was the author's command of the elements and language of his story. He was aptly descriptive without being verbose, and the action and grist of the plot never veered off into unbelievability or precociousness. Though I did guess at one of the aspects of the conclusion of the novel, I wasn't at all disappointed because I thoroughly enjoyed the ride that took me there and appreciated the thought and creativity that the author put into this book.
This was not a common story, it had a lot of spunk and vivacity, and kept me turning the pages in anticipation. This is the first novel from Moerk, and based on this book, I will be on the lookout for his next work. I would recommend this book to those who like quick witted mysteries/thrillers with a generous helping of humor. A really fun read.
This was an extraordinarily clever book, and it was a pleasure to relish each and every twist and turn in the story. Written with verve and acuity, the author seemed to have a great handle on timing, believability and dialogue. The characters were quirky and atypical, and each held their own distinctive personality and style throughout the story. The sisters' voices, coming from beyond the grave, expertly captured both their outrage at their situation and their determination for escape.
I admit, I didn't think this book was going to be as fun as it ended up being. I mean, with a triple murder haunting the opening pages, one does not expect fun. But the narrative had definite humor mixed with its pathos in a way I didn't expect. I found myself laughing at the oddness and eccentricities within the pages, especially the colorful colloquialisms in the sisters' wordplay. I really liked Niall, who began the story as a lonely loser but soon came to be an adventuresome and unlikely hero. Niall's commitment to the sisters he had never met was touching, and I felt it impossible not to root for this lovable and bumbling character. Jim, too, was interesting, a deliberate and dastardly foe, and his presence resonated through the pages, even when he wasn't the focus of the narrative. He had a dark charisma that made even the most stalwart of women smitten with him.
One of the winning things about this story were the sections of the book devoted to the ominous fairy tale that Jim created. This technique was particularly inventive, essentially hiding a story within a story. In fact, this book actually contained three stories: the main narrative, Jim's story, and the back story related by Fiona's dairy. Each of these stories was captivating in different ways, but all worked together and blended well and kept the level of suspense tight and controlled throughout the book. Another thing that I liked was the author's command of the elements and language of his story. He was aptly descriptive without being verbose, and the action and grist of the plot never veered off into unbelievability or precociousness. Though I did guess at one of the aspects of the conclusion of the novel, I wasn't at all disappointed because I thoroughly enjoyed the ride that took me there and appreciated the thought and creativity that the author put into this book.
This was not a common story, it had a lot of spunk and vivacity, and kept me turning the pages in anticipation. This is the first novel from Moerk, and based on this book, I will be on the lookout for his next work. I would recommend this book to those who like quick witted mysteries/thrillers with a generous helping of humor. A really fun read.
January 12, 2014
Depois de todo o alarido à volta deste livro é óbvio que fiquei com a curiosidade afiada e com as expectativas baixas, pois quando o alarido é muito, geralmente isso não coincide com a qualidade do livro. Mas enganei-me, neste caso. O livro é absolutamente fantástico. A história é completamente macabra e os pormenores são de meter medo. Pelo menos a mim arrepiou-me em algumas partes. O facto de se passar na Irlanda, o facto de o Jim ser um forasteiro que aparece do nada (já percebi o porquê do titulo) e de repente a cidade ficar de pernas para o ar, o facto de os crimes passarem a ser lendas dá ao livro um toque de mistério e de suspense e da primeira à última página o livro parece que tem nuvens negras a passar à volta dele. Não há momentos de alegria neste livro, não há pessoas sóbrias neste livro, parecem que andam todos com a loucura instalada na mente. E é muito bom! Tão bom que o acabei de ler de noite e olhei para a porta com medo e ainda sonhei com os personagens.
Obrigada à Pertita pelo empréstimo!
Obrigada à Pertita pelo empréstimo!
March 1, 2011
What a very strange book. I did not care for it - I can not believe that any group of young women could be lured into virtual slavery & meet certain death in the manor described. I found it to be rubish. The language was offensive also. Perhaps some will like the "horror" of it - I did not find it compelling to read & only finished it because it was a book club selection.
January 17, 2012
Iniciei este livro com grandes expectativas, tal foi o alarido mesmo antes do seu lançamento.
Infelizmente ficou um pouco aquém do que esperava, mas não por falta de qualidade, antes pelo facto de não me sentir muito atraída por este tipo de história!!
Contudo, não deixo de o recomendar, pois para os apreciadores será certamente fascinante! :)
Infelizmente ficou um pouco aquém do que esperava, mas não por falta de qualidade, antes pelo facto de não me sentir muito atraída por este tipo de história!!
Contudo, não deixo de o recomendar, pois para os apreciadores será certamente fascinante! :)
April 10, 2020
Prije 2 i pol zvijezdice, al' ajde nije bilo ne čitljivo i zabavno je na momente. Pogotovo kada zaboravim da su likovi jaaako loše napisani (pogotovo žene!!! uughgh = zvuk moje frustracije dok sam čitala opise sestara, holy trinity of stereotypes), Jim koji je prefa muškarac, tako lijep, tako zgodan, ajme ajme, svi ga vole djeca, bakice, pohotnice... Ali nitko, baš NITKO ne može proniknuti iza fasade ah ah... sve to zvuči toliko neuvjerljivo da su mi oči od kolutanja skoro zapele u dupljama... -_- ubi me lopatom! hahaha ko' tetku!
Any waaay nemam volje pisati ozbiljni review jer ovo je zbrkana knjiga i ne zaslužuje ozbiljnost. Sve u svemu zabavna, za ubit vrijeme super. Početak je bio odličan to moram priznati, odmah me povukla, ali jbga. Možda doradim review kada mi se sve smjesti u glavooo.
Any waaay nemam volje pisati ozbiljni review jer ovo je zbrkana knjiga i ne zaslužuje ozbiljnost. Sve u svemu zabavna, za ubit vrijeme super. Početak je bio odličan to moram priznati, odmah me povukla, ali jbga. Možda doradim review kada mi se sve smjesti u glavooo.
September 11, 2012
(http://labirinto-livros.blogspot.pt/2...)
Três cadáveres são encontrados dentro de uma casa em Malahide, na Irlanda. A investigação que a polícia leva a cabo decifra parte do mistério - percebe-se que dois dos cadáveres são de mulheres jovens, na flor da idade e os seus corpos eram testemunhas de alguns maus tratos e a evidência é que ambas viveram por um período considerável encarceradas naquela casa. Como prisioneiras. Sabe-se também que o terceiro cadáver, uma mulher mais velha que as outras duas é a sua tia, única familiar destas duas mulheres após a perda dos seus pais num incêndio domiciliário.
No entanto, também se sabe que na cave desta mesma casa existem indícios de que outra prisioneira foi lá mantida contra a sua vontade, mas não há nenhum corpo que sustente esta teoria, por isso é deduzido que o quarto elemento que vivia nesta casa conseguiu escapar da "prisão" a tempo e ainda com vida e que anda por aí, ainda que ninguém saiba onde e como é que esta pessoa conseguiu salvar-se.
Os esforços da polícia para desvendar o mistério que envolve esta moradia são em vão e aquele que é um dos mistérios mais famosos da Irlanda permanece assim, em segredo. Como é esperado, após algum tempo, os jornais e os media em geral acabam por se desinteressar por esta história, que ao início fazia correr tinta sem parar. O sangue derramado naquela casa haveria por perdurar ainda por muito tempo para os habitantes de Malahide e a quem esta história tocou perto. Contudo, a vida continua e não havendo mais pistas para seguir, o mistério acaba por ficar enterrado no tempo.
Até que...
Niall, um funcionário dos correios decide ver uma das caixas que se designa ao correio que não foi entregue. Qualquer coisa lhe chama à atenção e mesmo que ele ainda não saiba o porquê, ele será a chave do mistério da casa de Malahide.
Isto porque o que lhe chama à atenção é o diário de uma das irmãs que foi encontrada morta naquela casa e Niall acaba por se envolver no mistério e faz uma promessa - a de descobrir a verdade do que se passou.
Com isto, Niall lê o diário de uma das irmãs e depressa se dirige à cidade natal dos protagonistas deste drama, onde tudo começou, e descobre que a razão de tudo é Jim, um sedutor nato que se revela muito mais que isso.
A solução deste mistério encontra-se nesta pessoa misteriosa e Niall acaba por ser se lançar na caça da verdade e não só, não sabendo que podia desenterrar muito mais que a verdade...
Darling Jim é o romance de estreia do autor Christian Mørk. Quando este foi publicado em Portugal, gerou-se tal comoção à volta do mesmo que foi impossível manter-me indiferente a esta obra.
As opiniões positivas eram a jorros e a curiosidade foi aumentando, até que decidi que tinha de ler este livro, nem que fosse para poder saber de onde vinha tanto falatório e entusiasmo.
Numa situação como esta, é normal que as expectativas estejam um pouco altas mas sinceramente, eu não fazia ideia do que esperar deste livro e portanto posso dizer que parti um pouco à descoberta e não esperava nada de extraordinário.
Desconfio sempre quando após o lançamento de uma novidade, as opiniões se revelam demasiado positivas e a verdade é que este livro acabou por não fazer jus às mesmas.
De facto, muitas vezes penso onde é que está a razão de alguns elogios que para aí vi?
Certo que este livro é fluído, com um mistério envolvente, com alguns momentos interessantes, mas se é suposto esta ser a sétima maravilha da literatura, vou ali....ler novamente o livro e já volto.
Não me levem a mal. Afinal, este livro tem realmente aspectos positivos e o mais importante deles todos é a escrita do autor. É muito agradável, super fluída e envolve-nos sem sabermos como. A trama é igualmente bem construída, inspirada num artigo de jornal que o autor leu e consegue-se perceber que é uma mente criativa que gosta de um bom mistério e de todo o processo que leva ao desmantelamento dos segredos que o constroem.
Apesar de tudo isso, achei o enredo um pouco previsível e sendo eu fã de thrillers, sejam eles de que género for, fiquei um pouco desiludida com a verdade por trás disto tudo. Rapidamente cheguei ao cerne da questão e apesar de ter gostado das personagens e da história em si, achei que merecia uma solução mais rebuscada e sem dúvida, mais interessante.
Todos sabemos que um homem que se mete entre mulheres, acaba por sair escaldado, mas sinceramente esperava mais desta história.
No entanto, tenho que referir mais uma vez que o autor me surpreendeu pela sua escrita e pela sua imaginação (refiro-me à história que ele construiu tendo como inspiração apenas um artigo de jornal) que se revela ser algo a apreciar.
Sendo este um romance de estreia, não posso deixar de felicitar esta obra, mas creio que existe espaço para melhorar.
Estou curiosa para ver o que o futuro reserva para este escritor, porque creio que tenha potencial com a sua escrita.
Sumariamente, Darling Jim, não conseguiu seduzir esta leitora, embora ainda exista esperança para que Christian Mørk se revele como autor de policiais.
Três cadáveres são encontrados dentro de uma casa em Malahide, na Irlanda. A investigação que a polícia leva a cabo decifra parte do mistério - percebe-se que dois dos cadáveres são de mulheres jovens, na flor da idade e os seus corpos eram testemunhas de alguns maus tratos e a evidência é que ambas viveram por um período considerável encarceradas naquela casa. Como prisioneiras. Sabe-se também que o terceiro cadáver, uma mulher mais velha que as outras duas é a sua tia, única familiar destas duas mulheres após a perda dos seus pais num incêndio domiciliário.
No entanto, também se sabe que na cave desta mesma casa existem indícios de que outra prisioneira foi lá mantida contra a sua vontade, mas não há nenhum corpo que sustente esta teoria, por isso é deduzido que o quarto elemento que vivia nesta casa conseguiu escapar da "prisão" a tempo e ainda com vida e que anda por aí, ainda que ninguém saiba onde e como é que esta pessoa conseguiu salvar-se.
Os esforços da polícia para desvendar o mistério que envolve esta moradia são em vão e aquele que é um dos mistérios mais famosos da Irlanda permanece assim, em segredo. Como é esperado, após algum tempo, os jornais e os media em geral acabam por se desinteressar por esta história, que ao início fazia correr tinta sem parar. O sangue derramado naquela casa haveria por perdurar ainda por muito tempo para os habitantes de Malahide e a quem esta história tocou perto. Contudo, a vida continua e não havendo mais pistas para seguir, o mistério acaba por ficar enterrado no tempo.
Até que...
Niall, um funcionário dos correios decide ver uma das caixas que se designa ao correio que não foi entregue. Qualquer coisa lhe chama à atenção e mesmo que ele ainda não saiba o porquê, ele será a chave do mistério da casa de Malahide.
Isto porque o que lhe chama à atenção é o diário de uma das irmãs que foi encontrada morta naquela casa e Niall acaba por se envolver no mistério e faz uma promessa - a de descobrir a verdade do que se passou.
Com isto, Niall lê o diário de uma das irmãs e depressa se dirige à cidade natal dos protagonistas deste drama, onde tudo começou, e descobre que a razão de tudo é Jim, um sedutor nato que se revela muito mais que isso.
A solução deste mistério encontra-se nesta pessoa misteriosa e Niall acaba por ser se lançar na caça da verdade e não só, não sabendo que podia desenterrar muito mais que a verdade...
Darling Jim é o romance de estreia do autor Christian Mørk. Quando este foi publicado em Portugal, gerou-se tal comoção à volta do mesmo que foi impossível manter-me indiferente a esta obra.
As opiniões positivas eram a jorros e a curiosidade foi aumentando, até que decidi que tinha de ler este livro, nem que fosse para poder saber de onde vinha tanto falatório e entusiasmo.
Numa situação como esta, é normal que as expectativas estejam um pouco altas mas sinceramente, eu não fazia ideia do que esperar deste livro e portanto posso dizer que parti um pouco à descoberta e não esperava nada de extraordinário.
Desconfio sempre quando após o lançamento de uma novidade, as opiniões se revelam demasiado positivas e a verdade é que este livro acabou por não fazer jus às mesmas.
De facto, muitas vezes penso onde é que está a razão de alguns elogios que para aí vi?
Certo que este livro é fluído, com um mistério envolvente, com alguns momentos interessantes, mas se é suposto esta ser a sétima maravilha da literatura, vou ali....
Não me levem a mal. Afinal, este livro tem realmente aspectos positivos e o mais importante deles todos é a escrita do autor. É muito agradável, super fluída e envolve-nos sem sabermos como. A trama é igualmente bem construída, inspirada num artigo de jornal que o autor leu e consegue-se perceber que é uma mente criativa que gosta de um bom mistério e de todo o processo que leva ao desmantelamento dos segredos que o constroem.
Apesar de tudo isso, achei o enredo um pouco previsível e sendo eu fã de thrillers, sejam eles de que género for, fiquei um pouco desiludida com a verdade por trás disto tudo. Rapidamente cheguei ao cerne da questão e apesar de ter gostado das personagens e da história em si, achei que merecia uma solução mais rebuscada e sem dúvida, mais interessante.
Todos sabemos que um homem que se mete entre mulheres, acaba por sair escaldado, mas sinceramente esperava mais desta história.
No entanto, tenho que referir mais uma vez que o autor me surpreendeu pela sua escrita e pela sua imaginação (refiro-me à história que ele construiu tendo como inspiração apenas um artigo de jornal) que se revela ser algo a apreciar.
Sendo este um romance de estreia, não posso deixar de felicitar esta obra, mas creio que existe espaço para melhorar.
Estou curiosa para ver o que o futuro reserva para este escritor, porque creio que tenha potencial com a sua escrita.
Sumariamente, Darling Jim, não conseguiu seduzir esta leitora, embora ainda exista esperança para que Christian Mørk se revele como autor de policiais.
April 22, 2009
In this story within a story, postman Niall finds the diary of a young woman at the center of a murder mystery, and begins to reconstruct the torrid tale behind the murder house and a series of missing women in the west of Ireland. As we learn more about the three Walsh sisters, their Aunt Moira, and the diabolical itinerant storyteller Darling Jim, a brooding sense of foreboding develops that sets the tone for the entire novel.
Between the story within a story within a story format, the mystical elements, and the country appropriate language, I feared this novel might crumble beneath the weight, but instead it transported me to a place of suspended disbelief where everything made its own strange sort of sense. I was most impressed that the author managed to draw out the anxiety to a fever pitch and then maintain that level of intensity until the very last pages of the novel.
The writing is crisp, the language spot-on, and the story itself a truly unusual addition to my library. I started reading and simply couldn't put this book down, no matter how much I wanted to at times as the story grew darker and darker. I highly recommend this magnificent book and look forward reading more by this talented writer.
Between the story within a story within a story format, the mystical elements, and the country appropriate language, I feared this novel might crumble beneath the weight, but instead it transported me to a place of suspended disbelief where everything made its own strange sort of sense. I was most impressed that the author managed to draw out the anxiety to a fever pitch and then maintain that level of intensity until the very last pages of the novel.
The writing is crisp, the language spot-on, and the story itself a truly unusual addition to my library. I started reading and simply couldn't put this book down, no matter how much I wanted to at times as the story grew darker and darker. I highly recommend this magnificent book and look forward reading more by this talented writer.
November 12, 2011
Darling Jim é uma narrativa que conta com vários géneros, são eles, o policial, o histórico e o fantástico. No seu início, a linguagem é simples e cheia de suspense, logo nas primeiras páginas prende o leitor pela curiosidade em volta das acções cheias de mistério.
Christian Mørk, descreve com mestria todo um cenário onde foi cometido um horrível crime em contraste com uma sociedade aparentemente pacífica e pacata. Tendo estes acontecimentos como pano de fundo, o leitor prossegue para as linhas seguintes com expectativa. No entanto, todo este entusiasmo acontece somente na primeira metade da história, posteriormente passa tudo a ser demasiado previsível, começando deste modo, a narrativa a perder todo o interesse até ao seu desfecho.
O elemento surpresa e o suspense pura e simplesmente desaparecem e tudo é facilitado aos personagens desta história. A certa altura parece que o autor teve alguma “pressa” em dar um final ao livro, é tudo bastante linear e desprovido de interesse. Penso que nesta obra, era essencial brindar o leitor com um elemento surpresa no final, mas tal não acontece.
Christian Mørk, descreve com mestria todo um cenário onde foi cometido um horrível crime em contraste com uma sociedade aparentemente pacífica e pacata. Tendo estes acontecimentos como pano de fundo, o leitor prossegue para as linhas seguintes com expectativa. No entanto, todo este entusiasmo acontece somente na primeira metade da história, posteriormente passa tudo a ser demasiado previsível, começando deste modo, a narrativa a perder todo o interesse até ao seu desfecho.
O elemento surpresa e o suspense pura e simplesmente desaparecem e tudo é facilitado aos personagens desta história. A certa altura parece que o autor teve alguma “pressa” em dar um final ao livro, é tudo bastante linear e desprovido de interesse. Penso que nesta obra, era essencial brindar o leitor com um elemento surpresa no final, mas tal não acontece.
April 5, 2009
Debut novelist Christian Moerk has written a fascinating tale of three sisters, their deranged aunt, and the lethal charmer who ensnares them all. Darling Jim will hold you in its grip until the satisfying conclusion. Suspense, love, and murder: this story offers you all three on a plate along with a pint of Guinness. The Irish setting adds to the mystique when the narrative jumps between sisters and to the postman who finds their diaries after their tragic deaths. How did they die? Why did their aunt keep them chained in their rooms? Were they murderers as gossip claimed? And if so, what set these three innocent sisters on the path to destruction? Character studies of each personality involved are detailed and believable as you come to understand what motivated their actions. Would you have done the same if you were in their shoes? How desperate would you have to be to kill someone? As for the true murderer, did he really have a choice, or was it in his nature to hunt prey like a wolf? This story will haunt your mind long after it’s over.
May 22, 2015
5/2015: I just have to write a quick update to say that this book has continued to linger on in my imagination and that I literally crave the imaginative, escapist, dark-fairytale-like space it took me to when I read it two years ago. Few stories grow in my mind as times goes on, but Darling Jim is one of them.
A quick review before I forget some of my initial impressions. This suspense novel was unique in that it incorporated a sort of fairytale feel along with the horror and mystery. It takes place in Ireland, and one of the great strengths of the novel is how very much it gives one a sense of the culture and attitude of the people. This may sound simplistic, but to me, it gave me a fascinating sense of the present-day Irish, in a way that had nothing to do with leprechauns and pots of gold, but in a way that highlighted their culture as different from their English neighbors. This novel was unique, and difficult to describe mix of horror and lust for life. I enjoyed it, and hope that the author writes more in future.
A quick review before I forget some of my initial impressions. This suspense novel was unique in that it incorporated a sort of fairytale feel along with the horror and mystery. It takes place in Ireland, and one of the great strengths of the novel is how very much it gives one a sense of the culture and attitude of the people. This may sound simplistic, but to me, it gave me a fascinating sense of the present-day Irish, in a way that had nothing to do with leprechauns and pots of gold, but in a way that highlighted their culture as different from their English neighbors. This novel was unique, and difficult to describe mix of horror and lust for life. I enjoyed it, and hope that the author writes more in future.
December 22, 2023
It's a story within a story within a story, and it's one of the best I've read in a while.
When a woman is found to have been keeping her two nieces captive in her home, and all three die a violent death, all hell breaks loose in their small Irish town. Their story is told via two diaries kept by the two girls, a fired postman, and an ancient tale woven from Celtic legend. It's unlike anything I've ever read, and I highly, enthusiastically, recommend it.
When a woman is found to have been keeping her two nieces captive in her home, and all three die a violent death, all hell breaks loose in their small Irish town. Their story is told via two diaries kept by the two girls, a fired postman, and an ancient tale woven from Celtic legend. It's unlike anything I've ever read, and I highly, enthusiastically, recommend it.
July 1, 2017
No one is likable, not even the cat. Who cares what happens to them?
July 25, 2025
3,5 ⭐️ Kurzweiliges spannendes Hörbuch .
Kurz und knapp : Ein Motorradfahrer rast durchs Land und mordet vergewaltigt und bricht ein… sein Zwilling, der Torwächter wacht über ihn, greift aber nicht ein. Drei Schwestern töten ihn letztlich und werden aufgrund diese Mordes von ihrer rachsüchtigen, verliebten, Tante gefangen gehalten.. und zwischendrin immer wieder Geschichten von einem zum Wolf verwandelten Menschen , diese erzählt vom Motorradfahrer…..
Da ich immer beim Putzen oder irgendwelchen Aufräumarbeiten Hörbuch höre und bei diesem ausnahmsweise nicht abschweifte ( was sehr häufig vorkommt), die hohe Punktzahl. 🤷🏻♀️ selbst gelesen wäre es, glaube ich eine andere Sternenzahl….
Kurz und knapp : Ein Motorradfahrer rast durchs Land und mordet vergewaltigt und bricht ein… sein Zwilling, der Torwächter wacht über ihn, greift aber nicht ein. Drei Schwestern töten ihn letztlich und werden aufgrund diese Mordes von ihrer rachsüchtigen, verliebten, Tante gefangen gehalten.. und zwischendrin immer wieder Geschichten von einem zum Wolf verwandelten Menschen , diese erzählt vom Motorradfahrer…..
Da ich immer beim Putzen oder irgendwelchen Aufräumarbeiten Hörbuch höre und bei diesem ausnahmsweise nicht abschweifte ( was sehr häufig vorkommt), die hohe Punktzahl. 🤷🏻♀️ selbst gelesen wäre es, glaube ich eine andere Sternenzahl….
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2012
Uma notícia num jornal já amarelado dava conta de quatro cadáveres, três irmãs e uma tia, que se teriam deixado suicidado, morrendo a fome. Esta notícia perseguiu Christian Mørk durante anos, até que ele decidiu que era daí que viria a primeira história da sua autoria. Darling Jim, nascido de factos reais, é um thriller psicológico que não esquece as lendas e o sobrenatural, que vendeu mais de 38 000 exemplares na Dinamarca e foi traduzido para mais de trinta países.
Christian nasceu em Copenhaga mas aos 21 anos partiu para os Estados Unidos. Concluiu os estudos em História, Sociologia e Jornalismo, escreveu na Variety, foi crítico de cinema e também fez parte dele na Warner Bros. Pictures. Nasceu numa família de actores e quase foi um académico mas o seu desejo de escrever um livro falou mais alto. Este é o livro.
Quando Darling Jim enlouqueceu os leitores pelo Facebook, antes da sua publicação, eu só pensava que ia ter de arranjar o livro porque se todos estavam loucos por ele, era porque era bom, mesmo bom. Li a sinopse tantas vezes que quase a decorei e, admito, estava quase a morrer de curiosidade mas não consegui comprá-lo na pré-venda e, aos poucos, com as opiniões após publicação comecei a duvidar do facto de querer o livro, até ele ficar esquecido no meio de tantos outros que eu queria, até ter esta oportunidade para o ler.
Este livro é uma junção de conceitos, géneros e ideias, onde o thriller psicológico e o sobrenatural se evidenciam. No início da leitura temos uma premissa que consegue suster a curiosidade do leitor, muito devido a escrita bem conseguida do autor, que, através de diálogos fluídos e de uma narrativa directa, consegue manter o leitor interessado. Sendo um livro simples, sem entrar em grandes dilemas, onde a história central é a única na qual o livro se concentra, seria de esperar uma história tão bem conseguida como as questões técnicas mas confesso que me senti algo desiludida.
Apesar da acção contínua e de ser um livro que é fácil de ler, não é um livro que marque e que recordaremos para o resto da vida. Conforme vamos conhecendo as três irmãs através dos diários, vamos percebendo o mistério a volta das mortes macabras mas, também, rapidamente, chegámos a todas as conclusões. O livro está bem construído mas não é espectacular, e talvez daí a minha desilusão pois a meio do livro já tinha deslindado a história toda. Era simples de mais, quando podia e tinha material para ser maior, sem entrar nos exageros em que entrou. O amor pode levar aos actos mais insanos mas para mim, o rumo da história, a dada altura, não fazia grande sentido, tinha de haver outra explicação, tinha de haver ali mais alguma coisa mas não houve. Queria mais drama, mais horror, mais segredos obscuros mas eles não apareceram.
A grande falha, é a falta daquele que era, a meu ver, o diário mais importante, o da personagem mistério que acabámos por nunca chegar realmente a conhecer. Apesar de já desconfiar de qual seria o seu segredo, sinto que teria enriquecido a história, tê-la-ia tornado mais densa, mais real e teria alterado um pouco o sentido do livro. As três irmãs foram o ponto mais alto do livro pois até a mais forte das mulheres pode cair na cantiga do bandido, e estas irmãs eram personagens fortes que susteram toda a narrativa e a tornaram muito mais interessante através dos seus diários e diferentes perspectivas e personalidades, longe de clichés aborrecidos. Tirando as três irmãs, não achei que as restantes personagens tivessem presença suficiente para sentirmos alguma coisa nem com Jim. Parece que ao lado dos acontecimentos estavam todos meio apagados, só apareciam para fazer o que tinham a fazer e não havia mais nada.
O fim só veio confirmar tudo aquilo que eu já tinha percebido e, por isso, não me deu qualquer satisfação. A única coisa que saliento, é que tem uma parte estranha que um dia tenho que reler porque continuo sem perceber o sentido daquilo e acho que nunca vou perceber, sinceramente ou então já não estava mesmo com vontade de perceber. Por último, a parte sobrenatural, que foi o que gostei mais e durou tão pouco. Aí estava o sinistro, o obscuro, a negritude que devia ter povoado o resto do livro, mesmo que depois tenha sido usada para a parte muito estranha do final que eu não percebi.
A conclusão que tiro é que gosto de ser surpreendida, de grandes enredos e de não ter razão no final. Gosto de um livro forte e equilibrado, com pés e cabeça e não consegui identificar-me com esta leitura. A juntar as expectativas demasiado elevadas a tudo isso, não consegui sentir-me cativada por esta leitura. Esperava muito mais e melhor da história, não basta um escritor escrever bem para o livro ser bom. Parece que afinal, não fiz parte da febre Darling Jim.
http://girlinchaiselongue.blogspot.pt...
Christian nasceu em Copenhaga mas aos 21 anos partiu para os Estados Unidos. Concluiu os estudos em História, Sociologia e Jornalismo, escreveu na Variety, foi crítico de cinema e também fez parte dele na Warner Bros. Pictures. Nasceu numa família de actores e quase foi um académico mas o seu desejo de escrever um livro falou mais alto. Este é o livro.
Quando Darling Jim enlouqueceu os leitores pelo Facebook, antes da sua publicação, eu só pensava que ia ter de arranjar o livro porque se todos estavam loucos por ele, era porque era bom, mesmo bom. Li a sinopse tantas vezes que quase a decorei e, admito, estava quase a morrer de curiosidade mas não consegui comprá-lo na pré-venda e, aos poucos, com as opiniões após publicação comecei a duvidar do facto de querer o livro, até ele ficar esquecido no meio de tantos outros que eu queria, até ter esta oportunidade para o ler.
Este livro é uma junção de conceitos, géneros e ideias, onde o thriller psicológico e o sobrenatural se evidenciam. No início da leitura temos uma premissa que consegue suster a curiosidade do leitor, muito devido a escrita bem conseguida do autor, que, através de diálogos fluídos e de uma narrativa directa, consegue manter o leitor interessado. Sendo um livro simples, sem entrar em grandes dilemas, onde a história central é a única na qual o livro se concentra, seria de esperar uma história tão bem conseguida como as questões técnicas mas confesso que me senti algo desiludida.
Apesar da acção contínua e de ser um livro que é fácil de ler, não é um livro que marque e que recordaremos para o resto da vida. Conforme vamos conhecendo as três irmãs através dos diários, vamos percebendo o mistério a volta das mortes macabras mas, também, rapidamente, chegámos a todas as conclusões. O livro está bem construído mas não é espectacular, e talvez daí a minha desilusão pois a meio do livro já tinha deslindado a história toda. Era simples de mais, quando podia e tinha material para ser maior, sem entrar nos exageros em que entrou. O amor pode levar aos actos mais insanos mas para mim, o rumo da história, a dada altura, não fazia grande sentido, tinha de haver outra explicação, tinha de haver ali mais alguma coisa mas não houve. Queria mais drama, mais horror, mais segredos obscuros mas eles não apareceram.
A grande falha, é a falta daquele que era, a meu ver, o diário mais importante, o da personagem mistério que acabámos por nunca chegar realmente a conhecer. Apesar de já desconfiar de qual seria o seu segredo, sinto que teria enriquecido a história, tê-la-ia tornado mais densa, mais real e teria alterado um pouco o sentido do livro. As três irmãs foram o ponto mais alto do livro pois até a mais forte das mulheres pode cair na cantiga do bandido, e estas irmãs eram personagens fortes que susteram toda a narrativa e a tornaram muito mais interessante através dos seus diários e diferentes perspectivas e personalidades, longe de clichés aborrecidos. Tirando as três irmãs, não achei que as restantes personagens tivessem presença suficiente para sentirmos alguma coisa nem com Jim. Parece que ao lado dos acontecimentos estavam todos meio apagados, só apareciam para fazer o que tinham a fazer e não havia mais nada.
O fim só veio confirmar tudo aquilo que eu já tinha percebido e, por isso, não me deu qualquer satisfação. A única coisa que saliento, é que tem uma parte estranha que um dia tenho que reler porque continuo sem perceber o sentido daquilo e acho que nunca vou perceber, sinceramente ou então já não estava mesmo com vontade de perceber. Por último, a parte sobrenatural, que foi o que gostei mais e durou tão pouco. Aí estava o sinistro, o obscuro, a negritude que devia ter povoado o resto do livro, mesmo que depois tenha sido usada para a parte muito estranha do final que eu não percebi.
A conclusão que tiro é que gosto de ser surpreendida, de grandes enredos e de não ter razão no final. Gosto de um livro forte e equilibrado, com pés e cabeça e não consegui identificar-me com esta leitura. A juntar as expectativas demasiado elevadas a tudo isso, não consegui sentir-me cativada por esta leitura. Esperava muito mais e melhor da história, não basta um escritor escrever bem para o livro ser bom. Parece que afinal, não fiz parte da febre Darling Jim.
http://girlinchaiselongue.blogspot.pt...
January 19, 2013
3,5 estrelas
Darling Jim: O Lado Negro da Sedução é a minha estreia com o autor Christian Mørk.
O livro começa de forma magistral, com a descoberta de um crime macabro ocorrido no número 1 de Strand Street. A história, apesar de chocante, poderia ter ficado por aí…não fosse Niall Cleary ter descoberto o diário de uma das vítimas [mas isso vocês já sabem pela sinopse]
Gostei da maneira como a história se desenvolve, alternando entre a demanda de Niall pela verdade, com os diários de Fiona e Róisín e as histórias de Jim, cuja mistura foi executada ao ponto de não nos cortar o ritmo de leitura e nos deixar ansiosos para saber o que se seguirá.
A sinopse apresenta-o, entre outras coisas, como “thriller psicológico”. Neste ponto, e neste ponto apenas, não posso concordar. É certo que contém cenas macabras e uma certa aura de tensão, mas pessoalmente achei-os um pouco soft. Thriller para mim é algo com cenas macabras mais cruas, descritas ao pormenor, exploradas ao máximo e com um grau de tensão muito superior. Algo que me deixe arrepiada, tensa, com os sentidos apurados e, inclusivamente, um pouco paranóica. É algo que me mexe com o sistema nervoso de tal forma que me faz ter dificuldades em adormecer acompanhado de um sono intranquilo, chegando ao ponto de poder acordar várias vezes a meio da noite. O que não foi o caso.
Gostaria também de dizer, embora não costume falar deste aspecto, que a tradução deixa muito a desejar. É uma coisa monstruosa. Um livro traduzido em português de Portugal e aparecem-me expressões do género “pintos de cerveja”, “[…]valeu?”, “a garota/ o garoto”. Se eu quisesse ler em português do Brasil arranjava a versão brasileira não é? Fiquei mesmo piursa!!
De forma sintética: história é boa [não é wooow mas cativa e entretém]e a tradução é de meter medo ao susto.
*Livro lido no Blog Ring, cedido pela Pertita. Obrigada pelo empréstimo.*
Darling Jim: O Lado Negro da Sedução é a minha estreia com o autor Christian Mørk.
O livro começa de forma magistral, com a descoberta de um crime macabro ocorrido no número 1 de Strand Street. A história, apesar de chocante, poderia ter ficado por aí…não fosse Niall Cleary ter descoberto o diário de uma das vítimas [mas isso vocês já sabem pela sinopse]
Gostei da maneira como a história se desenvolve, alternando entre a demanda de Niall pela verdade, com os diários de Fiona e Róisín e as histórias de Jim, cuja mistura foi executada ao ponto de não nos cortar o ritmo de leitura e nos deixar ansiosos para saber o que se seguirá.
A sinopse apresenta-o, entre outras coisas, como “thriller psicológico”. Neste ponto, e neste ponto apenas, não posso concordar. É certo que contém cenas macabras e uma certa aura de tensão, mas pessoalmente achei-os um pouco soft. Thriller para mim é algo com cenas macabras mais cruas, descritas ao pormenor, exploradas ao máximo e com um grau de tensão muito superior. Algo que me deixe arrepiada, tensa, com os sentidos apurados e, inclusivamente, um pouco paranóica. É algo que me mexe com o sistema nervoso de tal forma que me faz ter dificuldades em adormecer acompanhado de um sono intranquilo, chegando ao ponto de poder acordar várias vezes a meio da noite. O que não foi o caso.
Gostaria também de dizer, embora não costume falar deste aspecto, que a tradução deixa muito a desejar. É uma coisa monstruosa. Um livro traduzido em português de Portugal e aparecem-me expressões do género “pintos de cerveja”, “[…]valeu?”, “a garota/ o garoto”. Se eu quisesse ler em português do Brasil arranjava a versão brasileira não é? Fiquei mesmo piursa!!
De forma sintética: história é boa [não é wooow mas cativa e entretém]e a tradução é de meter medo ao susto.
*Livro lido no Blog Ring, cedido pela Pertita. Obrigada pelo empréstimo.*
July 21, 2009
Moerk spins a deliciously dark, modern fairy tale about three sisters and a mysterious stranger who simultaneously entices and repels them. In a small Irish town, the Walsh sisters, Fiona, Aoife, and Róisín, rue the day that a séanachai (Irish storyteller) named Jim Quick rode in on his red motorcycle luring them with tales of wolves, murder, and true love. The rich, mythic words Jim recites in packed local pubs haunt each sister’s reality by having surprising parallels to their interactions with him. Jealousy and rivalry are put aside as they seek to uncover Jim’s past when his dark proclivities gnaw at the initial glamour he had cast upon them.
Layered with stories within stories, the end of the book is actually revealed in the first chapter. This is remarkably effective in propelling the reader through the pages since the path the story takes is more important than where the path ends. By showing the fate of the characters at the beginning, the reader becomes entranced by the story, yet is constantly reminded by the implacability of the ending. It sets up a complex and rewarding tension throughout the novel.
The greatest strength in the book is the individual voice of each sister as she tells her story through a journal. The eldest, red-haired Fiona, understands and unconditionally loves her younger sisters. Aoife is exploratory and free-spirited. Róisín is a quirky, dark-haired pixie, who also happens to be an anti-social genius. The perspective of each sister enriches the story, adding new details and motivations to each event as it is remembered. Darling Jim is a fiercely provocative and heartfelt fable of desire, betrayal, and above all - love.
Definitely will appeal to fans of The Thirteenth Tale, The Little Stranger, and The Meaning of Night.
Layered with stories within stories, the end of the book is actually revealed in the first chapter. This is remarkably effective in propelling the reader through the pages since the path the story takes is more important than where the path ends. By showing the fate of the characters at the beginning, the reader becomes entranced by the story, yet is constantly reminded by the implacability of the ending. It sets up a complex and rewarding tension throughout the novel.
The greatest strength in the book is the individual voice of each sister as she tells her story through a journal. The eldest, red-haired Fiona, understands and unconditionally loves her younger sisters. Aoife is exploratory and free-spirited. Róisín is a quirky, dark-haired pixie, who also happens to be an anti-social genius. The perspective of each sister enriches the story, adding new details and motivations to each event as it is remembered. Darling Jim is a fiercely provocative and heartfelt fable of desire, betrayal, and above all - love.
Definitely will appeal to fans of The Thirteenth Tale, The Little Stranger, and The Meaning of Night.
February 25, 2024
Som alltid får denna fem stjärnor. Mørks språk har något ingen annan bok har. Han når in till läsaren och rycker tag i ens tankar, styr dem åt rätt håll och sätter ens uppmärksamhet på en påle. Det klart jag läser vidare. Alltid. Självfallet. Karaktärerna är också väldigt levande. Deras tankar och åsikter är realistiska och relaterbara. Här är ett verk jag alltid känner att jag kan komma tillbaka till; här finns en trygghet och en levande värld som är så sjukt speciell för mig. Detta är den litterära världens definition av perfektion.
PS: Just det verket jag har, just den upplagan, hittade jag i en second hand butik i en stad jag inte minns namnet på nu, nere vid vattnet och säkert inte i någon annans tankar. Min kopia är sliten och någon har knäckt ryggen på stackaren. Den är kantstött och knakar då och då. Jag gillar det; jag tänker mig att någon annan har läst den och tagit del av berättelsen, någon jag aldrig kommer att få träffa. Och så hamnar den här, i mina händer, tusentals sekunder och kilometer bort. Lite som dagböckerna. Det finns något mystiskt med just denna kopia, och jag är väl fan alltid poetiskt lagd, så du kan tänka dig hur mycket jag älskar min fula kopia.
PS: Just det verket jag har, just den upplagan, hittade jag i en second hand butik i en stad jag inte minns namnet på nu, nere vid vattnet och säkert inte i någon annans tankar. Min kopia är sliten och någon har knäckt ryggen på stackaren. Den är kantstött och knakar då och då. Jag gillar det; jag tänker mig att någon annan har läst den och tagit del av berättelsen, någon jag aldrig kommer att få träffa. Och så hamnar den här, i mina händer, tusentals sekunder och kilometer bort. Lite som dagböckerna. Det finns något mystiskt med just denna kopia, och jag är väl fan alltid poetiskt lagd, så du kan tänka dig hur mycket jag älskar min fula kopia.
February 1, 2009
Danish author Christian Moerk has done something that I, honestly, would have wagered against: created a brilliant modern gothic novel that combines the best of suspense and the ancient Irish art of the seanchai, or storyteller.
With his semi-epistolary novel "Darling Jim," Moerk introduces us to Jim Quick, a charismatic storyteller, and three of the women whom he seduces (two sisters and their aunt). The sisters' two posthumous diaries are found by a local postman, and it is he who ultimately uncovers the complete truth of the situation.
Moerk's prose is executed with such skill that readers will feel as though they are in the midst of each scene, whether a bucolic Irish country village scene or the horrors described in the sisters' journals.
"Darling Jim" is not only one of the finest debut novels I have read, but also one of the best suspense tales. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a true page-turner.
(Review based on uncorrected advance proof.)
With his semi-epistolary novel "Darling Jim," Moerk introduces us to Jim Quick, a charismatic storyteller, and three of the women whom he seduces (two sisters and their aunt). The sisters' two posthumous diaries are found by a local postman, and it is he who ultimately uncovers the complete truth of the situation.
Moerk's prose is executed with such skill that readers will feel as though they are in the midst of each scene, whether a bucolic Irish country village scene or the horrors described in the sisters' journals.
"Darling Jim" is not only one of the finest debut novels I have read, but also one of the best suspense tales. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a true page-turner.
(Review based on uncorrected advance proof.)
December 9, 2009
I'd probably give this 5 stars if I didn't personally reserve that rating for books that move me on some deeper level. This was an absolutely riveting storyline, and it was very hard to put down. There are really three storylines interwoven--the story of a set of murders and how they came about, the story of the man who (sort of) solves them, and the folktale story told by Darling Jim, one of the main characters (can't say too much about him without revealing too much). SO we move between modern but mundane small-town Ireland to 16th-century folktale with castles and princes, and back to modern Ireland from the foul-mouthed young and loose women who we come to know pretty well. And it's so well done that it doesn't really matter that we know who killed who fairly early on--it's about the why and how! Hoping to find other things by this author now.
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