The Club Dumas [Paperback]

 

 

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Of the four Perez-reverte novels I have read, this is still the best. This is an atmospheric thriller that slides from the claustrophobia of a lonely book fancier to the world of ancient manuscripts, centred about an apparent handwritten manuscript of the Three Musketeers. It moves about the murky world of antiquarian book sellers punctuated by extremely violent eruptions. Unlike many other novels about this time, this one gives me an atmospheric thrill. I care about the central character. This is a painful experience.

Extremely well done. I will try to read all of this authors' novels.

The Club Dumas was an interesting mystery from start to finish. The main character, Corso, is a well-rounded, interesting character that could be classified as an anti-hero. The whole premise of seeking out other copies of a book written by the Devil and the misadventures associated with locating said copies was entertaining. I won't rehash the plot as that has been covered by other reviewers adequately, but I would like to say that I enjoyed this multi-layered story immensely as well as the allusions to other literary works. After reading this book I was inspired to read the Three Musketeers, Scaramouche, and The Devil in Love. Perez-Reverte does an excellent job of weaving history and literature into the plot without bogging the reader down. This is definitely a story that will be enjoyed by anyone who has read Foucalt's Pendulum or The Name of the Rose. I have also seen The Ninth Gate, which was based on the book, but The Club Dumas was infinitely better and filled in more of the details as is usually the case with books vs. movies.

"The Dumas Club" was first published in 1993, and was first translated into English in 1996. "The Ninth Gate", which was directed by Roman Polanski and starred Johnny Depp, was loosely based on the novel.

The story is told by Boris Balkan, a rather well-known in Spain's publishing industry. He's done the occasional translation, edited a few other books, written reviews and ran courses for writers- as such, he's regarded as Spain's most influential literary critic. In fact, when someone needs an opinion on the nineteenth century novel, Balkan is the man to ask. It's this expertise that leads to his meeting with Lucas Corso - who proves to be the story's central character.

Corso is what Balkan describes as a "mercenary of the book world". He works for a very small number of clients - exceptionally rich book dealers who pay very well to avoid getting their hands dirty. He does appear to be very good at his job - patient, an excellent memory, an expert knowledge of the literary world and a conscience that doesn't bother him unduly. He has also mastered a number of rabbit-like expressions, designed to tease more information out of the person he's questioning. However, he can change from a rabbit sharing half a carrot to a mean wolf, off on the hunt, in an instant. (He is also an expert on Napoleon's battles, and has a certain obsession with Waterloo in particular). Corso comes to Balkan with a manuscript he's wants examined - chapter forty-two from "The Three Musketeers", apparently in Dumas' own handwriting. Balkan refers Corso to a graphologist, based in Paris, by the name of Achille Replinger - both a friend and an expert on nineteenth-century French writers.

Corso is hoping to authenticate the manuscript on behalf of a friend called Flavio La Ponte - who had, allegedley, bought the manuscript from a publisher called Enrique Taillefer. Slightly awkwardly, Taillefer had died the previous week in an apparent suicide. (The unfortunate Taillefer had also failed to leave a note). Corso and LaPonte have known each other for many years and have quite a bit in common - Corso, for his part, nearly seems fond of LaPonte. Together, the pair have founded (and remain the only two members of) the Brotherhood of Nantucket Harpooneers - in honour of their shared enthusiasm for "Moby Dick".

Corso is also working on an investigation for Varo Borja - Spain's leading bookdealer and a man who can always afford the asking price. Borja is particularly interested in a book called "The Book of the Nine Doors of the Kingdom of Shadows", written in the seventeenth century by a man called Astride Torchia. Since the book was regarded as a dummies guide for summoning the Devil, this naturally got Torchia in trouble with the Inquisition. (Everything they could find written by Torchia was burned - a similar fate was endured by the author not long afterwards). While one copy of the Nine Doors did apparently survive, there are now believed to be three copies - one in Borja's collection, another in Portugal and the third in Paris. Borja wants Corso to discover which of the three copies is authentic. Since Corso will be travelling to Paris at Borja's expense anyhow, he decides to look up Replinger while there. In time, Corso comes to believe the two investigations are somehow linked. Furthermore, it appears he is being stalked by flesh-and-blood versions of Rochefort and Milady - two characters who worked for Richlieu in "The Three Musketeers". Naturally, that leaves the implication there's also a real-life Richlieu somewhere calling the shots...

This is a hugely enjoyable book - it's one that just bounces along and it constantly had me smiling. It obviously owes a certain amount to "The Three Musketeers", and I picked up a few things about that Dumas I didn't know before. (Dumas isn't the only one to have an influence - there's a couple of nods in the direction of Umberto Eco and Sherlock Holmes). Absolutely recommended - I'll certainly be reading more by Arturo Perez Reverte.

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3.0 out of 5 stars The devil made me read it...
My first thought when setting out to write this review was, 'Hmmm, I wonder how many irrelevant and obscure titles I can work into the review, that may or may not shed some... Read more

Published on Dec 5 2005 by FrKurt Messick

4.0 out of 5 stars Textual Layering
When I was ordering this novel, the storyline seemed oddly familiar. When I received the book and examined the jacket cover, I realized that not too long ago I saw a movie that... Read more

Published on July 8 2004 by Galina

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun
This is my second Perez-Reverte novel, and I enjoyed it equally as well as my first (which was *The Seville Communion*. Read more

Published on Jun 18 2004 by Angela Richardson

4.0 out of 5 stars Really good but could have been great
The Club Dumas is really a good and surprisingly fast read. I thought the story was clever and was certainly as dark as advertised. Read more

Published on May 28 2004 by dcooleye8

4.0 out of 5 stars Bibliophiles love this one!
Having read The Flanders Panel, I couldn't wait to read another one of Arturo Perez-Reverte's books. This great author strikes gold again with The Club Dumas. Read more

Published on May 13 2004 by CoffeeGurl

4.0 out of 5 stars A Refreshing and Entertaining Read
I read this book many years after seeing the movie "The 9th Gate" several times. I had always been intrigued by the movie and finally managed to read the book. Read more

Published on April 15 2004 by Craig Clotfelter

5.0 out of 5 stars A shot in the dark
While searching around inside of a bargain bin I found this book.It took a little to get into it,but it ultimately pays off in the end. Read more

Published on April 14 2004

2.0 out of 5 stars I prefer Flandes
My first Perez-Reverte book was the Flandes panel, and I think it is much better than this one.

Published on Feb 17 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Accidental Find
I originally bought this book for the purpose of passing time. I was waiting for the paperback release of a book called The Dante Club and was growing impatient. Read more

Published on Feb 14 2004 by Justin

4.0 out of 5 stars An Intertextual Page Turner
Perez-Reverte certainly cannot be accused of writing a standard suspense novel. No, he's turned the genre on it's ear and written a fascinating page-turner that leaves the reader... Read more

Published on Jan 10 2004 by R. Todd Shuman

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