Purity of Blood, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

[essentialsaltes]

Purity of Blood is the second in the series started with Captain Alatriste. The book is concerned with the eponymous issue of limpieza de sangre... having blood uncontaminated by any Jewish or Moorish ancestry. Despite the buckling of swash, cryptojews, conversos, the Inquisition, and the inevitable auto da fé, I didn't quite enjoy it as much as the first one.

Comments

[nephthys510.livejournal.com]

That's disappointing. Was it still good? I love Perez-Reverte and the themes in the novel hit many of my happy book buttons.

[essentialsaltes.livejournal.com]

Still good, but I'm less compelled to go on with the series. Though the next one offers war in the Netherlands...

[gotham-bound.livejournal.com]

Hmm. A long time ago a friend (at that time, not so much any more) pressed Club Dumas in my hands. An interesting foray but something about it failed. Probably didn't swash my buckles well enough to live up to its direct references (one of my favorite novels). But I've never gotten to talk Perez-Reverte with anyone.

What brought you to read him and what do you think of his style?

[essentialsaltes.livejournal.com]

I, too, had the Club Dumas pressed into my hands. Seems to me it was a few months before the movie came out. I rather enjoyed it, and have read a couple other of his more serious novels... the Flanders Panel comes to mind... which contrast with the more fun Alatriste books.
To the extent that I can judge his style in translation, I like it, and also his penchant for the historical.