Monthly Archives: May 2018

Nicci French: Sunday Morning Coming Down (Frieda Klein 7)

Posted in Books, Crime, Novel by

Those who know this blog, know how much I like the writer duo Nicci French. The standalone novels as much as the Frieda Klein series. While I don’t think I’ve read any standalone titles that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy, there have been hits and misses in the Frieda Klein series. Because the hits are usually so great, I forgive them their misses and just hope for the best, when I start a new title. Luckily, this seventh instalment is an absolute winner. It’s one of the best of the series. Maybe we get a little less of Frieda Klein herself, but we get a lot of suspense instead.

Book number 6 has ended on a major cliff hanger and, so, book 7 begins where that one ended – Frieda finds a dead body in her house. And now I already don’t know what else to say because everything can potentially spoil one of the earlier books. Tricky. Let’s just say that someone who has played a major role in all of the novels has left the dead man in Frieda’s house as a sign or a warning. Unfortunately, the police aren’t convinced that this person is still alive. This makes it even more difficult for Frieda. Not only has her sacred haven been violated, but the police think she’s a bit nuts. And, on top of that, all of her friends and family are in danger. The police aren’t too keen on letting Frieda help with the investigation. It takes violence and another dead body until she’s involved. While the man who left the dead body in her house is a real threat, it seems as if the person targeting her friends and family could be someone else. Is it a copy cat or an assistant of the other man?

It’s entirely possible that this book works as a standalone, and that readers who aren’t familiar with the series would find it suspenseful. I’m only not sure that they would care as much about the fate of the characters as someone who has read all or most of the novels. Frieda’s family and friends are important in all of the books. Over the course of the series, Frieda has made new friends and the circle of endearing and quirky characters has grown even more. Putting most of them in harm’s way, was a clever decision. I can’t imagine that anyone liking this series will stay cold reading Sunday Morning Coming Down.

I though that this would be the last of the series but Day of the Dead has just been published. It will be the series’ finale, in which Frieda and her nemesis are pitted against each other.

 

A Magical Place – The Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland

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There aren’t many places that enchant me as much as the Goetheanum, in Dornach, Switzerland. Luckily, for me, it’s only about a ten minute drive from Basel, where I live. In the past, I used to visit at least once a year, mostly in spring because then the surrounding landscape and the gardens are at their most beautiful. Although I enjoy it so much, I haven’t been there in a while and was surprised to find many, lovely changes inside.

The Goetheanum is the world center for the anthroposophical movement. The building was designed by its founder Rudolf Steiner and named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It is the only place in the world, where you can see an unabridged version of Goethe’s Faust cycle.

The Goetheanum is a center of study and art. You can attend workshops, see plays, take courses and study many of the branches of anthroposophy. Dancing, painting, health courses, bio-dynamic farming, astronomy, astrology . . .

Anthroposophy is a very complex philosophy and I can’t go into details here. One aspect of it, however, is worth mentioning here: the idea that forms should be organic. That’s why the architecture is so stunning. The are no sharp angles or rectangles. Everything is rounded or many angled. The color scheme is very unique too. I’d call them strong pastels.

When I saw the house last, it was all grey concrete, inside and outside. I was pleased to discover that they started to paint the inside. It enhances the delicate, intricate architecture. One stair case was particularly stunning. Every floor was painted a different color, ceilings included and that gave you the impression of experiencing the color, bathing in colored light. Truly magical.

The buildings surrounding the Goetheanum, or close by, are equally built in an anthroposophical style. You can also find artwork in the gardens, mostly of angels and other cosmic beings.

If you’re ever in Switzerland, you shouldn’t miss this. It’s such a peaceful place. The entrance is free and you can enter pretty much every room and walk through all the corridors unhindered, as long as there isn’t a workshop/play/study group inside.

And for those who read German – there’s another special treat – one of the best book shops I know.