The Flanders Panel (1990 original; edició 2004)

Una restauradora de arte descubre una misteriosa inscripción bajo el barniz de un cuadro flamenco de Flandes, La partida de ajedrez, realizada por el propio autor. Tras un minucioso análisis de los personajes que aparecen en el cuadro, se llega a la conclusión de que este encierra un mensaje para quien sepa leerlo: se proyecta un asesinato. La restauradora, un anticuario homosexual amigo suyo, un historiador y un jugador de ajedrez unen sus esfuerzos para descifrar el enigma.

I liked the Club Dumas a great deal and was very much looking forward to reading The Flanders Panel. I must confess I like books more than painting or chess, but I came away so very much pleased with this book. A great story with strong characters and simply beautiful language. As one other commenter here noted, the translator (Margaret Jull Costa) did not stand in the way of the words. She did an excellent job and I savored every page of Pérez-Reverte's book.

Like the Club Dumas, I felt happy, and perhaps a little smug, by knowing some of the inside references the author made. Be it dealing with chess, the paintings, or references to old stories and myths, I was ever thankful for my classical education and my continued delight in those topics.

My biggest problem with this book was when I would finish it, i.e. in 2013 or 2014. It would have been great to end the year on such a wonderful book. But, I will take it as a good omen to start the year by completing this delightful novel. ( )

The Flanders Panel - Perez-Reverte
2 stars

I did try to like this book. I understood that it was a mystery involving the restoration of a valuable piece of 15th century art. That’s a good description of a book that I should love. But this book is not really about the art restoration. It’s not even really about the secret message revealed in the underpainting when the restoration begins.

The mystery revolves around the esoteric rules of competitive chess, a chess game that exists in the painting, and a sinister chess game enacted by the killer. I don’t understand chess and the endless pages of chess moves meant nothing to me. The traditions, strategies and logic of chess were presented as a philosophical analogy for life. It was artificially contrived and numbingly boring.

There wasn’t a single likable character in this book. In one way or another, almost every character is involved in the sale of valuable artworks. It’s tedious to find that every personality is shallow, money grubbing, backbiting, and in most cases, promiscuous. Not a pleasant story. The ending didn’t even provide a sense of ‘justice done’ for the sake of closure. ( )

Mayores de 18 años

Yawn.... ( )