20 October, 2016

Krv Prvorodených (Blood of the Firstborns) ~ review

Format: Hardback
Size: 138×216 mm
Publication date: 2014
Language: Slovak
Publisher: Slovart


This time the trio of Stein, Barbarič and Jaroš wanders into the old city of Prague to solve the murders of the firstborn children of the local nobility. It starts off with them rushing for the cover before the heavy rain just outside of the city ramparts, however as it turns out the city itself isn't much better than the weather. After seeing what the people in this part of the country are like they arrive at the crime scene and their hostess tells them about the night the killer attacked. They meet with the house's occupants who consist of Contessa di castellari and her son, who as they later learnt is the secret son of the current monarch. Later on the new murmurs happen and they are called to examine the body directly on the banks of Vltava.

Yet as they were nearing to solving the mystery of the murderer's identity, the man  tries to cut the loose ends - meaning other people rather than children are dying, which gives them even more clues as to who it might be. However, another child is abducted and they are fighting the time in hope to find the poor child and to catch the culprit.






Seems like the family friend decided to make my TBR taller by borrowing me the next two books in the series, despite telling her that it doesn't need to be so soon. Yet I didn't regret a thing - finishing the book in matter of days and now I'm currently reading the third in the series.

My first impression of the medieval setting was that his books were getting bloodier and bloodier. But despite the gore behind all that the book was finely written. I liked the idea of  Italian Bandits controlling the city and the later suggested connection with other important characters in the book.
Also! It surprised me how Stein, the cold, not caring and always complaining man, actually cared enough about his companion - Jaroš, the executioner's son, that he managed to dig out his big secret (which I'm not going to spoil for you ;) Let's just say it did involve a woman.) of why he run away from his home and why his own father hated him so much.

The end was surprising yes, but I didn't like the aggressivity everyone approached things, But then again, it was men solving things and it was back in 1800s so I suppose it was to be expected. And yet, I thought that there won't be anything that had my heart swell, after all it was historical fiction, people were brutal in those times. But the last few lines of the book had me awing.

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