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The Quiet Girl

by Peter Hoeg

The Quiet Girl Cover

ISBN13: 9780374263690
ISBN10: 0374263698
All Product Details

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Set in Denmark in the here and now, The Quiet Girl centers around Kaspar Krone, a world-renowned circus clown with a deep love for the music of Johan Sebastian Bach, and an even deeper gambling debt. Wanted for tax evasion and on the verge of extradition, Krone is drafted into the service of a mysterious order of nuns who promise him reprieve from the international authorities in return for his help safeguarding a group of children with mystical abilities — abilities that Krone also shares. When one of the children goes missing, Krone sets off to find the young girl and bring her back, making a shocking series of discoveries along the way about her identity and the true intentions of his young wards. The result is a fast-paced, philosophical thriller blending social realism with the literary fantastic and pitting art and spirituality against corporate interests and nothing less than the will to war by the industrialized world. The Quiet Girl is a masterful, inventive novel that marks the triumphal return of one of the great writers of the international literary world.

Review:

"Heg built his bestselling mystery, Smilla's Sense of Snow, around the science of ice. In this labyrinthine, intellectual thriller, Heg focuses on the nature of sound, and in particular the music of Bach. In a near future where an earthquake and resulting flood have submerged a portion of the city of Copenhagen, Kasper Krone, a world-famous clown and passionate Bach fan, is about to be deported for not paying his taxes. But an official in a secret government agency known as Department H offers to make the charges disappear if Krone will help them locate a young girl, KlaraMaria, who was once his student and shares his peculiar psychic abilities. The blend of science, erudition and slow revelations could only have been written by Heg, and will appeal to his many fans and other readers with a taste for the literary offbeat." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"[An] engrossing, beautifully written tale of suspense. But in Peter Hoeg's hands, a thriller is never just a thriller." Philadelphia Inquirer

Review:

"[An] intellectual thriller combining such unlikely elements as an intimate knowledge of Bach's music, the geology of earthquakes, the Russian Orthodox Church in Denmark, and the impeccable timing of great circus clowns." Library Journal

Review:

"Overwritten and murky, but there's life in it — will appeal most to fans of Smilla's Sense of Snow." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"Some readers may conclude that the novel spins out of control, untethered to any form of reality, but even they will respect Hoeg's genius for stretching the bounds of narrative fiction in altogether new directions." Booklist

Review:

"Hoeg has written an unusual novel that will challenge your senses and imagination." USA Today

Review:

"This is writing that sparkles to distract from its deep philosophical aspects. 'I will entertain you while I unnerve you,' any novel by Peter Hoeg promises the reader. And makes good." Los Angeles Times

Review:

"[N]ever loses a thriller's sense of go." Wall Street Journal

Synopsis:

The first novel in more than a decade from the internationally acclaimed, bestselling author of Smilla's Sense of Snow

Synopsis:

A Chicago Tribune Favorite Book of 2007

The internationally acclaimed bestselling author of Smilla's Sense of Snow returns with this "engrossing, beautifully written tale of suspense . . . captivating" (The Miami Herald).

Kaspar Krone is a world-renowned circus clown, and a man in some deep trouble. Drowning in gambling debt and wanted for tax evasion, Krone is drafted into the service of a mysterious order of nuns who promise him reprieve in return for his help safeguarding a group of children with mystical abilities--abilities that Krone also shares. When one of the children goes missing, Krone sets off to find the young girl and bring her back, making a shocking series of discoveries along the way. The Quiet Girl is an exuberant philosophical thriller that is "every bit as adventuresome and ambitious as Smilla's Sense of Snow, even more so" (Cleveland Plain Dealer).

Synopsis:

Set in Denmark in the here and now, Hoegs masterful, inventive novel centers around Kaspar Krone, a world-renowned circus clown with a deep love for the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and an even deeper gambling debt.

About the Author

Peter Hoeg, born in 1957 in Denmark, followed various callings — dancer, actor, sailor, fencer, and mountaineer — before turning seriously to writing. His work has been published in thirty-three countries. The Quiet Girl is his fifth novel.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

Jonathan, December 16, 2008 (view all comments by Jonathan)
Unusual and not an easy book to read, but what a reward for your effort! The way Hoeg describes the world as Kasper Krone hears it is truly amazing, and worth a read even if you get a bit lost in the plot.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(6 of 10 readers found this comment helpful)

Product Details

ISBN:
9780374263690
Subtitle:
A Novel
Publisher:
Picador
Translator:
Christensen, Nadia
Author:
Høeg, Peter
Author:
Christensen, Nadia
Author:
Hoeg, Peter
Author:
Gale, James
Author:
Heg, Peter
Subject:
General
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Missing persons
Subject:
Denmark
Subject:
Literary
Subject:
Visionary
Subject:
Metaphysical
Subject:
Visionary & metaphysical
Edition Description:
American
Publication Date:
20080930
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
12 cds, 15 hours
Pages:
432
Dimensions:
8.28 x 5.5 x 0.755 in
The Quiet Girl
0 stars - 0 reviews
$ In Stock
Product details 432 pages Farrar Straus Giroux - English 9780374263690 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "Heg built his bestselling mystery, Smilla's Sense of Snow, around the science of ice. In this labyrinthine, intellectual thriller, Heg focuses on the nature of sound, and in particular the music of Bach. In a near future where an earthquake and resulting flood have submerged a portion of the city of Copenhagen, Kasper Krone, a world-famous clown and passionate Bach fan, is about to be deported for not paying his taxes. But an official in a secret government agency known as Department H offers to make the charges disappear if Krone will help them locate a young girl, KlaraMaria, who was once his student and shares his peculiar psychic abilities. The blend of science, erudition and slow revelations could only have been written by Heg, and will appeal to his many fans and other readers with a taste for the literary offbeat." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review" by , "[An] engrossing, beautifully written tale of suspense. But in Peter Hoeg's hands, a thriller is never just a thriller."
"Review" by , "[An] intellectual thriller combining such unlikely elements as an intimate knowledge of Bach's music, the geology of earthquakes, the Russian Orthodox Church in Denmark, and the impeccable timing of great circus clowns."
"Review" by , "Overwritten and murky, but there's life in it — will appeal most to fans of Smilla's Sense of Snow."
"Review" by , "Some readers may conclude that the novel spins out of control, untethered to any form of reality, but even they will respect Hoeg's genius for stretching the bounds of narrative fiction in altogether new directions."
"Review" by , "Hoeg has written an unusual novel that will challenge your senses and imagination."
"Review" by , "This is writing that sparkles to distract from its deep philosophical aspects. 'I will entertain you while I unnerve you,' any novel by Peter Hoeg promises the reader. And makes good."
"Review" by , "[N]ever loses a thriller's sense of go."
"Synopsis" by ,
The first novel in more than a decade from the internationally acclaimed, bestselling author of Smilla's Sense of Snow
"Synopsis" by ,

A Chicago Tribune Favorite Book of 2007

The internationally acclaimed bestselling author of Smilla's Sense of Snow returns with this "engrossing, beautifully written tale of suspense . . . captivating" (The Miami Herald).

Kaspar Krone is a world-renowned circus clown, and a man in some deep trouble. Drowning in gambling debt and wanted for tax evasion, Krone is drafted into the service of a mysterious order of nuns who promise him reprieve in return for his help safeguarding a group of children with mystical abilities--abilities that Krone also shares. When one of the children goes missing, Krone sets off to find the young girl and bring her back, making a shocking series of discoveries along the way. The Quiet Girl is an exuberant philosophical thriller that is "every bit as adventuresome and ambitious as Smilla's Sense of Snow, even more so" (Cleveland Plain Dealer).

"Synopsis" by , Set in Denmark in the here and now, Hoegs masterful, inventive novel centers around Kaspar Krone, a world-renowned circus clown with a deep love for the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and an even deeper gambling debt.
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