The Murderess - New York Review Books Classics | Psychological Thriller Novel | Perfect for Book Clubs & Mystery Lovers

The missus loves itThis is one of those books that rings true even though the actual actions by a character is appalling. It is a good, engaging read.good readWhile wanting to sample modern day literature from Greece, I selected The Murderess by Alexander Papadiamantis from the NYRB. After reading the book, I believe I could not have made a better start.The story is set in the Aegean island of Skiathos. The central character in the novel is Hadoula an old woman. Hadoula's entire life summed in her own thoughts was - "...she had never done anything but serve others. When she was a little girl, she served her parents. When she was mated, she became a slave to her husband, and at the same time, because of her strength and his weakness, she was his nurse. When she had children she became a slave to her children, and when they had children of their own, she was slave to her grandchildren."Hadoula, was born poor and lived on the margins of society. She had a harsh life. Beginning with her chidlhood with a jealous mother; a raw deal in dowry; the struggle to bring up her six children; two sons who grew up and ran away to America ;the third son attacked her daughter and later ended up in a jail despite her efforts to save him; how she worked hard to save for dowries for her three daughters. She steals, tells lies, manipulates. But, Hadoula is no ordinary woman. She is well known for her medicinal skills. She helps people with her remedies from the local herbs and plants and at times gives discreet medical help to women.Hadoula has to nurse her daughter's new born girl who is born ill. Her own daughter is till recovering from the child birth. Hadoula spends sleepless nights as she looks after the child. Hadoula, thinks of the fate of girls. 'O God, why should another one come into the world?' . How they must be "set up" and be given dowries. The cycle repeats itself when the daughter has a daughter of her own. Thoughts such as these start to cross her mind as she nurses the sick child " Girls have seven lives....Not much makes them ill and they seldom die. Should we as good Christians not help the work of the angels?..... The only ones with seven lives are the girl children of the lowest class! They seem to have multiplied on purpose, to punish their parents with a foretaste of hell in this world..." The sleepless nights, her harsh life, its futilities, the suffering child all start to wrok on her and her brain begins to go in smoke and she suffocates the child to death. Thus begins her unusual remedy and she starts to kill the young girls whenever she has an occasion. She does so in the firm belief that she is helping the girls by alleviating their sufferings and saving them of a bleak future and their parents of a burden. She also believes she is providing the girls of a good life in heaven.However, the law catches up with her and she is on the run. She flees her home and runs into the moutains going from one part of the valley to another. She hides in the forest, seeks refuge with the shepherds and those who she treated in the past. Still uses her unusual remedy on a newborn sick girl child. In her flight she is tough and the weatherbeaten woman uses all her survival skills to negotiate various challenges till the very end. Hadoula's is able to flee from the law but when she is alone in the lap of nature can she flee from the torment of her acts? How does this all come to an end?The life of Hadoula, in the early part of the novella, in and around her home bring out the misery, suffering and the plight of women. In later part, as she flees away the raw beauty of the island, the simplicity of the people who live in the mountains is vividly captured.What makes this nouvella of such dark acts so engaging? Its simplicity, its lifelike quality, its ability to lay bare the true face of life in poverty, suffering and misery. Above all the impassioned telling the story of old Hadoula, her life , her acts and times. The author passes no judgement nor does he take sides with Hadoula. The terse and lyrical quality of the nouvella add to its appeal.Even after about hundred years after it was written the novel will still strike chord in today's world where women still suffer because they are women.It is an unusual novel and a delicate piece of art to be read and treasured.Short (127p) but powerful read, following an elderly woman staying with her daughter and her sick newborn granddaughter. She thinks back over her life, a slave to her father then her husband , the fight to make ends meet, the struggle to get a dowry together for her daughters, without which they'd remain old maids. And the pain of losing her sons - two emigrated and were never heard of again, one is in prison... Isn't it better for everyone if her daughter is disencumbered of this new arrival?But Hadoula's logic means she keeps going, seeking to 'help' other families cursed with daughters, culminating in an exciting and beautifully written tale. Bringing the scenery of the Greek Islands to life (the author was a native of Skiathos), this is simply written but most compelling."The Murderess" is a novella to remember.This is how I like characters in books: evil with good intentions, but is Old Hadoula really evil? Does she really have good intentions? I loved the nightmares and guilt that assailed Frankojannou, and how religion plays an important part in it, without being supportive or critical of it.This is also how I like books: short and fluent. At 130 pages, this novella flows like the brooks of Skiathos, and the more you read, the more you don't want the story to come to an end. It's deep about issues like the point of life, without becoming an existentialist dissertarion."The Murderess" also includes my favorite topics in a novel: island life and scenery. The novella is set on the Greek island of Skiathos, where Papadiamantis was from. Without being didactic, it gives you insight into the life, culture and traditions of Greek islanders at the time. The landscape comes alive, as well the flora and geography, without interrupting the plot to make room for it.It's a pity that this is Papadiamantis' only novella. All in all, a wonderful discovery and read.I read the book as a teenager and it gave me nightmares. It is by far the worst book out there with an old lady that murders bay girls so that the family does not have to pay out a dowry. Do not read it and keep it away from children.The book was in perfect condition.I discovered Alexandros Papadiamantis whilst on holiday on the lovely island of Skiathos in the 90s. I visited his home, now a quaint museum, and bought a synopsis of his writings. Thereafter I bought a copy of 'Tales from a Greek Island' and loved it. After reading a new book by Neil Grimmet, 'The Threshing Circle', based in Crete (recommended), I had the urge to find an unread work by Papadiamantis so ordered this copy of The Murderess.It is translated from the original Greek by Peter Levi and it retains the rustic feel of Papadiamantis's other stories. Skiathos is small and in such early times few locals ventured far so such limitations have a profound effect on locally based contemporary stories. Frankojannou, the centre of the dark tale, is a complex being of many moods. Her fate is to become a murderess, driven by the traditional burden of the dowry required to marry off daughters. In such a patriarchal world too many daughters could be deemed a curse and in Frankojannou's twisted mind a grim logic grows and drives her through the remaining days of her life to a finale where reality catches up and justice is served.The Murderess is created with unpretentious prose, short sentences and a necessary tautology. Local social history is well painted and any lack of long journeys in such a small world is more than compensated for by the long path of Frankojannou's twisted logic to her fate - papadiamanti's holds nothing back. The Murderess is not a glass of Champaign, but a draught of country wine with rough bread and cheese. It is superb. Read it and keep it as an example of good craft.Bought this book to read whilst I was on holiday in Skiathos for two weeks. It is a classic story by Papadiamantis, probably the most famous Skiathos author. Tragic story about Hadoula, a peasant woman and describes the hard life life of the peasant long before the tourists and their money started to arrive. The book covers most of the northern part of the island and the unrelenting poverty and the way of life is an eye opener for any beach tourist!the book was every bit as good as the reviews said it was, and we love stories from Greece and Greek authors in particularGreat story - wrote an exam on it, got a good mark. was received in good condition. Used it alongside the Greek original.Loved the language and the old woman...