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9 von 9 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich:
5.0 von 5 Sternen
PART ENGLISH HISTORY...PART ENGLISH MYSTERY..., 9. Dezember 2005
This is a wonderful genre bending book...part mystery, part history. Written by Scotswoman Elizabeth MacIntosh, who wrote under the pen name Josephine Tey, it was first published in 1951. It is tragic that the author died in 1952 and was never to know the pleasure that this book would bring to generations of readers and that the Mystery Writers of America would ultimately rank it fourth among the one hundred best mysteries ever written. The title of the book is derived from a historical source, as it is attributable to Sir Francis Bacon, "For truth is rightly named after the daughter of time, and not of authority." The book itself is not a traditional mystery but rather an application of deductive reasoning to an actual historical event. The event in question is the murder of the princes in the tower, sons of King Edward IV, allegedly by their uncle, Richard III, who eventually usurped the English throne after the death of his brother. It has been widely held that Richard III did, indeed, murder the two young princes, his nephews, in order to secure his claim to the throne. The reader is introduced to Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant, who is hospitalized and recovering from injuries sustained in the line of duty. While convalescing, he becomes intrigued by a picture of a portrait of Richard III, a likeness with which he is unfamiliar. Grant is puzzled that someone with such a sensitive face could have been such a monster as to murder his two nephews in cold blood. So, our intrepid Inspector decides that he will reconsider the evidence upon which such a dastardly assumption has been based. With the help of an American researcher doing the necessary legwork, Grant compiles enough archival historical fact that incrementally helps him formulate a new theory as to who actually may have murdered the princes in the tower. This analysis and reformulation is done as though it were being argued to a jury. Indeed, so persuasive is Inspector Grant through the application of some insightful deductive reasoning and clever dialogue that the reader comes away thinking that Grant has solved one of the most intriguing historical mysteries of all time. This is certainly an unusual book conceptually but one that succeeds brilliantly. It should appeal to those readers who enjoy having a mystery unraveled, as well as to those who harbor a love of English history. Bravo!
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12 von 14 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich:
5.0 von 5 Sternen
Misstraut der offiziellen Geschichtsschreibung!, 14. Januar 2007
Der Titel "Daughter of Time" macht das Anliegen von Josephine Tey deutlich: Sie bezieht sich auf das Francis Bacon zugeschriebene "For truth is rightly named after the daughter of time, and not of authority". Die Wahrheit kommt an den Tag -- aber nur, wenn man der offiziellen Lesart ein wenig genauer auf die Finger schaut.
Dieser ungewöhnliche Krimi beweist, dass Ermittlungen, die über 400 Jahre in die Vergangenheit führen, alles andere als langweilig sind, im Gegenteil: Diese literarische Ehrenrettung des vermeintlichen Schurken par excellence Richard III. mag man nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.
Alles beginnt damit, dass der Londoner Inspektor Alan Grant lange im Krankenhaus liegen muss und sich langweilt. Da bekommt er durch Zufall eine Reproduktion von einem Porträt Richards III. aus dem 15. Jahrhundert in die Hände und kommt ins Grübeln: Als erfahrener Polizist versteht er etwas von Gesichtern, und dass dieser resigniert wirkende Mann mit dem klugen Gesicht heimtückisch zwei Kinder ermordet haben soll, ganz zu schweigen von weiteren Schurkereien -- das will ihm nicht in den Kopf (Leider ist das auf dem Buchumschlag abgebildete Porträt Richards III. nicht das im Roman erwähnte, aber immerhin: Ein Porträt). Nun ermittelt Grant in Sachen Richard III, stößt immer weiter vor in die Widersprüche der offiziellen Geschichtsschreibung. Die Sache wird spannend, denn je tiefer er und sein Freund Brent Carradine in die Materie eindringen, je tiefer sie sich in die komplizierten Zusammenhänge einarbeiten und zeitgenössische Quellen zutage fördern, desto klarer wird, dass Geschichte allzu oft die Geschichte der Sieger ist: Richard III. ist ein klassisches Beispiel für Rufmord.
Obwohl es in diesem Buch um komplizierte Ereignisse in der englischen Geschichte geht, auch die Rosenkriege spielen mit hinein, und obwohl viele Personen auftauchen, verliert man nicht den Überblick. Josephine Tey führt den Leser geschickt in die Materie ein. Sie lässt Grants "Ermittlungen" mit trivialgeschichtlichen Erzählungen für die britische Schuljugend beginnen, und in geschickt aufgebauten Dialogen zwischen Grant und seinen Besuchern (vor allem, aber nicht nur Carradine) werden die jeweiligen Aspekte der englischen Geschichte so verhandelt, dass man nicht den Faden verliert, auch wenn man nur vage über den Sachverhalt informiert ist.
Man darf aber nicht den Fehler machen, diesen Roman für ein Geschichtswerk zu halten, auch wenn viele historische Quellen herangezogen werden (die Autorin hat offensichtlich gründlich recherchiert). Eher im Gegenteil: "Misstraut der offiziellen Geschichtsschreibung", lautet das Motto. Wie auch der Buchtitel...
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6 von 8 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich:
5.0 von 5 Sternen
THERE IS MORE TO THIS THAN MEETS THE EYE..., 16. März 2005
This is a wonderful genre bending book...part mystery, part history. Written by Scotswoman Elizabeth MacIntosh, who wrote under the pen name Josephine Tey, it was first published in 1951. It is tragic that the author died in 1952 and was never to know the pleasure that this book would bring to generations of readers and that the Mystery Writers of America would ultimately rank it fourth among the one hundred best mysteries ever written. The title of the book is derived from a historical source, as it is attributable to Sir Francis Bacon, "For truth is rightly named after the daughter of time, and not of authority." The book itself is not a traditional mystery but rather an application of deductive reasoning to an actual historical event. The event in question is the murder of the princes in the tower, sons of King Edward IV, allegedly by their uncle, Richard III, who eventually usurped the English throne after the death of his brother. It has been widely held that Richard III did, indeed, murder the two young princes, his nephews, in order to secure his claim to the throne. The reader is introduced to Scotland Yard Inspector Alan Grant, who is hospitalized and recovering from injuries sustained in the line of duty. While convalescing, he becomes intrigued by a picture of a portrait of Richard III, a likeness with which he is unfamiliar. Grant is puzzled that someone with such a sensitive face could have been such a monster as to murder his two nephews in cold blood. So, our intrepid Inspector decides that he will reconsider the evidence upon which such a dastardly assumption has been based. With the help of an American researcher doing the necessary legwork, Grant compiles enough archival historical fact that incrementally helps him formulate a new theory as to who actually may have murdered the princes in the tower. This analysis and reformulation is done as though it were being argued to a jury. Indeed, so persuasive is Inspector Grant through the application of some insightful deductive reasoning and clever dialogue that the reader comes away thinking that Grant has solved one of the most intriguing historical mysteries of all time. This is certainly an unusual book conceptually but one that succeeds brilliantly. It should appeal to those readers who enjoy having a mystery unraveled, as well as to those who harbor a love of English history. Bravo!
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