The Pale Blue Eye

What a fine writer Louis Bayard is, and what a wonderful novel he has written. It succeeds equally well as literature, mystery, history and entertainment. And the ending! What a hoot.If you're seeking a quick, superficial blast of escapist fiction, THE PALE BLUE EYE is probably not for you. You should be prepared, and looking forward, to reading every word of this book at a leisurely pace. It's not a Dan Brown-type quickie that you can skim in a hurry and rush to the final solving of the mystery. Nor would you want to, because the writing is so evocative and sensual. Our narrator, a hard-boiled detective, knows that God (and the devil) is in the details, and so does Bayard.I don't provide plot points in my reviews; it detracts from the reader's moment-to-moment fun of discovery. So I'll just say that it's set in 1830 at West Point Academy, and that it incorporates facts and real people from that time and place, including the American writer Edgar Allen Poe as a young cadet (which he actually was). Other than that, it's an imaginative mystery bolstered by poetic, astute and clever writing that rings true to the time period. The descriptions are three-dimensional, and the conversations and characterizations are humanly ambivalent, comedic and profound. Bayard does great things with the dual narrative form, and his voice of young Poe is ripe, florid, funny and compassionate. It's not at all required that you be familiar with Poe or his work; however, Poe fans will love the way Bayard brings the man and his words to life. Bayard even manages to sneak in that famous Poe-ism, "tintinnabulation." THE PALE BLUE EYE has inspired me to go back to Poe's work and reread it fresh.From the first page to the very last, THE PALE BLUE EYE is an intellectual, aesthetic and emotional treat. And now that I know the mindblowing conclusion, I plan to reread it. This is something I rarely do, but there's enough beautiful writing here to warrant a second round.Whether or not you're a fan of the mystery genre, I recommend THE PALE BLUE EYE, because it is much more than your standard mystery yarn. Plain and simple, it's a great book.

I very much enjoyed this read, the fourth book by Louis Bayard I have completed. The Pale Blue Eye, in which our aged detective, Gus Landor, teams up with cadet Edgar A. Poe to solve two murders at the West Point Military Academy in year 1830, is a fine book, filled with beautiful language, haunting atmosphere, and a sense of foreboding; yet the best thing, in my opinion, is getting to know the strange and interesting, aspiring poet, Poe, who is, in the estimation of detective Landor, a hundred times the better of Edgar's stodgy benefactor, Mr. Allan, whom we briefly meet when he pays the academy a visit, and a thousand times better than Gus Landor, himself.As with all of author Bayard's works, this is a book from which you might learn; his use of language is that impressive and appealing. The twist of an ending, which has put-off some readers, made sense to me; especially considering some of the macabre works of Edgar Allan Poe, who is generally considered the originator of the genre of detective fiction.I highly recommend The Pale Blue Eye; just as much, if not more, than the other Bayard books I have enjoyed: Mr. Timothy; The Black Tower; and The School of Night.

Update (13 Nov 2017) - Another read of this one - I think my 4th - and still an easy 5 stars and still my 2nd favorite book of all time...every time I read it I pick up on something new - this time it was the vivid sense of time and place - it takes place from October through December and the autumn chill and winter ice is palpable...I also noticed again the other settings, apart from West Point, esp. the famous Benny Havens tavern and also Cozzens hotel and how well they were used in the story. Just excellent.Update (7/23/15): The fiction I've read in 2015 has been a bit uneven in its quality - so I went to an author I knew would please and re-read "Pale Blue Eye" (I've read his "Mr. Timothy 3 or 4 times and will probably re-read his "School of Night" soon). I didn't delve too much into specifics in my first review below from a few years back. His characterization of Poe is just terrific: eccentric, lugubrious, and poetic (of course) - a brief exchange passage gives a flavor of the balance between narrator Gus Landor's straightforwardness and Poe's extravagance:We could wend in any direction, argue any point...What was the handsomest color on a brunette? Me: red. Poe: aubergine. (He would never had said "purple.") (p. 229)The pithiness is balanced by the macabre in a setting that would please Poe himself. The setting of West Point and environs in the autumn and early winter is ideal - the description of cadet life is in keeping w/ what I've read about the early history of the institution (in books such as the excellent "Best School in the World" or "Class of 1846") - the mystery is appealing and the ending is equal parts heartbreaking, tragic, satisfying, and mysterious itself.Mr Timothy remains my favorite book - not just of Bayard's, but of all I've read...Pale Blue Eye comes in a close second.I'm sure I'll read it again.Original Review:I picked up and read Bayard's "Mr. Timothy" because the cover caught my eye and the quick summary on the back piqued my interest. It was terrific. I didn't need a great cover or a quick summary to prompt me to read "Pale Blue Eye" as Mr. Timothy left me wanting more - much more - from Louis Bayard...and he did not disappoint! What a wonderful book this is!

A thriller with a gothic element to it

Quick delivery from Usa to Italy.I love this story

After watching the film I had to buy the book, it is an excellent read so if you've watched the film buy the book 5*.

My first time reading this author's work but the excellent detailing of each character, combined with the sinister murder mystery that needs to be solved, ensures that it won't be the last.

Having watched and enjoyed the film I sent for the book. It's so well written and tells an intriguing story but I can only give 4 stars for the paperback edition because the print is so small and therefore it's quite tiring to read.