The Patience of the Spider

The Passion of the silent avenger ( original title: La pazienza del ragno, literally: The patience of the spider ) is a detective novel by the Italian writer Andrea Camilleri, which is published by Sellerio Editore, 2004. The German translation by Christiane von Bechtolsheim published in 2006 by Luebbe.

It is the eighth novel, a successful series of thrillers featuring the character of Inspector Montalbano, who all play in Sicily, in the fictional town Vigata (pseudonym for Porto Empedocle ). It was filmed in 2006 by the television station Radiotelevisione Italiana with Luca Zingaretti in the lead role. Directed by Alberto Sironi.

Camilleri shows in this book for the first time on human weakness of his main character, who chooses not to reveal the culprit of a crime, to be at peace with yourself.

Action

The Passion of the silent avenger begins with Salvo Montalbano, a successful Sicilian Commissioner, who is recovering in hospital from a gunshot wound he suffered in his last case ( The cold smile of the sea). Although he has not yet fully recovered, he has been dealing with the next case, the kidnapping of a girl.

The case of the missing Susanna Mistretta leads Montalbano after vigata. There he meets the girl's family. Earlier they were very wealthy, but they have lost everything in the family. Parents Giulia and Salvatore, Salvatore's brother Carlo and Giulia's brother Antonio are the other main characters of the novel. Antonio is the secret antagonist, because even though he never speaks, he is always present. Carlo explains Montalbano on about the history of the family, he explains how Antonio has acquired a lot of money by Giulia family. For this reason, the couple plunges a big fight with Antonio, the estranged siblings and Giulia into a deep depression from which she never recovered and she succumbs to the end.

Susanna has disappeared and Montalbano goes on a search for clues that could lead to their rescue. A trail leads to Antonio's lawyer. This admits that the hijackers just after the fact, reported to them and demanded money, which the wealthy Antonio was ready the next day to pay, but the kidnappers no longer come forward. The money was deposited by Antonio in a suitcase, but when Montalbano looks up, he finds a bag with scraps of paper. Montalbano returns and provides the attorney for the speech, however, confirmed that banknotes were really leave. Montalbano believe him, but the public has already found her guilty in Antonio.

As Susanna suddenly and unexpectedly turns up again, the case for the police is solved. Montalbano continues with his studies and find the real culprits, Susanna and Carlo. The two had planned the whole kidnapping in order to bring Antonio in a bad light and thus to take revenge on him. Montalbano gives them a second chance, however, and does not betray them to the police.

Interpretation

In this novel there is a Commissioner Montalbano, the very tired and feels old, he is crushed by his private life and in a bad mood. In the book, many allusions to and indirect criticism of contemporary Italian politics, especially those of Berlusconi can be seen. As in all other novels of the Montalbano series, the Sicilian culture and language play a major role in The Passion of the silent avenger. However, while the focus is in the other novels on the actual story, it's all about in this book about the feelings of the Commissioner, which makes the work an atypical detective novel. Furthermore, there are many allusions to other books, such as in the, , public opinion is as well very important here on Ovid's Metamorphoses, Sciascia's Il consiglio d' Egitto and especially Simenon's Les Fiançailles de M. Hire (2003 ). Il consiglio d' Egitto is one of Montalbano's favorite novels, which accompanied him since his youth. Montalbano remembers an excerpt from Ovid's Metamorphoses ( Arachne ) when he sees a spider in a daydream, which turns into the culprit before him. Hence the Italian Org.titel La pazienza del ragno, which literally means The patience of the spider comes. Simenon's Les Fiançailles de M. Hire, which happened to fall into the hands of Montalbano, contributes in some way to solving the case, because Montalbano recognizes the connection between the book and his case.

Characters

  • Commissioner Montalbano - main character of the novel
  • Inspector Augello - Head of Investigations
  • Susanna Mistretta - kidnapping victim and daughter of Salvatore and Giulia Mistretta
  • Salvatore Mistretta - father of Susanna and brother of Carlo
  • Giulia Mistretta - mother of Susanna and sister of Antonio
  • Antonio Peruzzo - brother of Giulia and main suspect in the kidnapping
  • Carlo Mistretta - doctor and brother of Salvatore
  • Awocato Luna - Antonio lawyer
  • Angela di Bartolome - farmer who helps Montalbano in the investigation
  • Livia - friend of Montalbano
  • Fazio - friend and colleague of Montalbano
  • Francesco Lipari - friend of Susanna
  • Pippo Ragonese - Journalist at Televigàta, contact the kidnappers

Expenditure

  • Andrea Camilleri: The Passion of the silent avenger: Commissario Montalbano is reaching its limits. Ed. Luebbe, translation by Christiane von Bechtolsheim, Bergisch Gladbach 2006, ISBN 3785715811
  • Andrea Camilleri: La pazienza del ragno. Sellerio Editore, Palermo 2004, ISBN 88-389-1998-4
Italy Major depressive disorder Leonardo Sciascia
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