Christopher Whyte (1) (1952–)

Mr. whyte has written a surreal novel dealing with the Edinborough suburbs of the 1680s, and carries it off well. There's a dash of Peter Ackroyd in this. Somewhat creepy entertainment.

The theatre at St Hyginus in Venice in 1761 is about to re-open - it closed after the murder of its previous owner - but strange things are going on that could prevent it. There are strangers asking questions and looking for a pile of old papers, unexpected inhabitants in the theatre building and rumours of a man who seems to inspire fear and panic in those he meets.

It took me several chapters to get into the story, and as it took me fairly long to finish this shortish novel, I was show more forgetting who was who and what was going on. Towards the end, when I had time to read more than one chapter at a time, I found the book enjoyable. show less

Framed as a discovered manuscript with notes from editors at the beginning and the end, the story is a first-person narrative of a 17th century man from Strathearn who has magical powers and how those shape his life.

Nicht so gut wie das Gay Decamarone, aber eine nichtsdestodennoch ein charmante Geschichte über Italien, den Karneval, die Oper und natürlich die Liebe...