I left this book with a profound sense of disappointment. It seemed to me that the author lacked a coherent story and was simply making things up as they went along.

What could have been a great short story about uncovering the mystery behind a painting through the medium of chess was unfortunately derailed. Instead, there was a convoluted and overly graphic murder plot that was completely nonsensical. The killer's motivations were so unclear that I was left scratching my head, and I've read numerous crime novels with far more outlandish premises.

The part about playing chess backward and reconstructing the moves to identify the murderer was actually quite good. It was interesting, intellectually stimulating, and truly unique. However, everything else in the book was downhill from there. The dialogue was lackluster, with anything not related to chess or the painting being pure cringe. The characters were cartoonish, including the sassy gay man, the brilliant and quiet chess player, and a character who seemed like a combination of Samantha from Sex and the City and a cocaine addict.

The main character had very little to do, aside from being constantly described as pretty. And the ending made her and Munoz come across as rather callous. (Despite the fact that the men she loved and her best friend died horrible deaths, they could now buy pretty things!) Even the chess aspect, which was supposed to be the intelligent part of the book, fell flat. (The killer was supposed to have used a computer to play chess, but the game was rigged to lose. Did he program the computer to protect the queen?) And the sexual interpretations of chess were just laughable.

Overall, this was a wasted opportunity with a plot that made no sense and characters that were poorly developed. I would much rather read a crime book with a stupid plot that knows what it is and doesn't try to be something it's not. At least that kind of book can be entertaining in its own bad way.

A truly fascinating story, set in a very well-crafted environment, with a tightly woven plot and a captivating narrative. There are many twists and turns in the way the intricacies of the chess game are untangled (which had bored me to death), and an ending that is just too... Petulant. Nevertheless, the novel reads itself.

The story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, constantly guessing what will happen next. The author's ability to create such a vivid and engaging world is truly remarkable. The characters are well-developed and the dialogue is realistic, adding to the overall authenticity of the story.

Despite the flaws in the ending, the novel is still a great read. It is a testament to the author's skill that even with a less-than-perfect conclusion, the story remains compelling and enjoyable. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a good read.

In the painting "Chess Party", the artist has encoded a hidden message. Solving the mystery will reveal a long-forgotten murder and change the past or at least the way we remember it. The painting is announced for sale at an auction and ends up in the hands of the experienced restorer Julia. Meanwhile, one of the professors from the university who has studied this painting and with whom she had a romantic relationship is killed. Day by day, the events become stranger and more threatening. Julia, supported by her friend Cesar and an eccentric chess player, try to finish the chess game and prevent another tragedy. Who is behind the murder and what secret lies in the past can be discovered at the end of this exciting story.

If I had to recommend a book by Reverte, this would not be my first choice. It's not a bad story, including a lot of art and chess, a combination of a long-forgotten past and the present, but a bit tiring at least for my taste. Maybe I have looked at the other books of the author and my expectations are quite high. Again, we have an interesting, characteristic female image at the center of the story, but Julia cannot be compared to Mecha. I expected more from the mystery itself and the revelation of the perpetrator.

If you are a chess lover, maybe you will enjoy playing the game, planning the moves and the strategy behind them. However, I am not such a passionate admirer and quickly stopped following the movement of the figures on the board. This was also tiring for me in this story. My preferences are for the dice - a game of chance, fate and above all skill. If there is a similar story with dice, I would read it with pleasure.

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Threads related to art - excellent!

Threads about playing chess games - for me, that is, a person who doesn't play and has no tactics, a bit boring.

The criminal thread - surprising, yet predictable.

Nevertheless! The book is ideal for those who love chess and for whom art is not indifferent!!!

This book offers a diverse range of topics. The art-related threads are truly captivating, providing valuable insights and inspiration. However, the chess-playing threads may seem a bit dull to someone like me who lacks an interest in the game and its tactics. On the other hand, the criminal thread, although somewhat predictable, still manages to surprise with its twists and turns. Overall, this book is a great choice for those who have a passion for chess and also appreciate the beauty and significance of art. It combines these two elements in a unique and engaging way, making it a must-read for the targeted audience.

Realistic elements in full publicity and vivid superficial use.

I won't say anything about the plot of the book, which is covered very successfully in the excellent description on the back cover. If I try to say more, I will make inappropriate prejudgments.

Art, history, chess analyses, personal life relationships, a police mystery, murders, motives of conspiracy theories dating back to the 15th century, high aesthetics, passions, dark instincts, dual personification of good and evil, and superficial philosophy can be characterized as a whole with the phrase of Socrates: "stones and bricks and wood and clay randomly thrown."

All the above elements are famous materials for an exciting novel, but they are chaotic, worthless, and useless in most references that build a pedestrian failure in this story.

The great weakness of the book lies in the fact that the solution of a 500-year-old murder mystery has absolutely no inherent connection or any reason for relevance with the current narrative murders and plots or with the art of painting, which is used extensively and excessively.

Already in the first third of the book's logical coherence - for those who have dealt with similar readings - the murderer is obvious, but not the inexplicable motives until the end.

We make a lot of effort and cultivate expectations to reach a stereotypical and vivid pedestrian ending!!

The main idea of the book is that the murderer uses a chess game - played back and forth - to reveal the next victim to those who try to decrypt the mystery.

And here the author disappoints me. He tires me with the blatant reality that he tries to fit into paradoxology with a contrived mystery at the limits of learning.

BUT WHY;;;;;;

There should be very strong motives and reasons for all these to happen. Why does the murderer go to such an extent of disconnection;;;;;; (past - present).

There are digressions, excessive descriptions, and insensitively superficial psychographies of all the characters.

A dual story in the past and the present where the clarification of the mystery is done by the chess player.

Chess, imaginative, musical actions without any relation to history annoy anyone who does not believe that with the key to the mystery hidden in a 15th-century painting and the chess result, a world-historical change regarding the history of Europe depends.

Far from me such mysteries with historical / social / global dimensions.

Readers familiar with historical mythology will be negatively impressed.

I love the absurd, the paradoxical, and the mythical, but I am a fan of realism to accept it so superficially and globally.

Good reading.

Many greetings.

As the synopsis refers, a young art restorer discovers a hidden inscription on the painting she is working on. A painting that depicts a chess game between two characters, painted two years after the murder of one of them.

From the moment this fact, as well as the mysterious inscription, become perceptible, a chain of situations and events transforms the peaceful life of Julia (the restorer) into an unstoppable turmoil. And when one thinks that everything amounts to an investigation in the world of antiquities, a mysterious player appears, transforming an ancient mystery, still to be revealed after 5 centuries, into another mystery, full of traps, that involves all the protagonists and develops at the pace of each move on a chessboard.

The White Queen and the Black Queen, as well as the Knight (formerly this was the name given to the Horse) and its Bishop, are fundamental pieces of this game that moves with a sharp agility, and that lays bare all the facets that ambition and power exert on the human mind.

A very good book and very much in the genre that Arturo Pérez-Reverte has been accustomed to his followers. A captivating writing that will certainly please all those who like a good mystery and a good game of chess.

The ending, which turns out to be a bit predictable (provided we are paying attention to the small details that occur throughout the unfolding of the story), does not detract from the interest with which we follow the chess game that is being played in the midst of Madrid life.

I absolutely adored this novel! It was a brilliant Goodreads recommendation, given my passion for The Eight, and it hit the mark perfectly. The story is a captivating murder mystery that unfolds like a game of chess on multiple levels, skillfully connecting the mysteries of the past to those of the present. All of this centers around a fifteenth-century painting, appropriately named The Game of Chess.

Unlike The Eight, this novel is set in a single time and city. However, there is an element of magical realism as Julia becomes so deeply immersed in her imaginings of the past that the painting seems to draw her in. It's a fascinating concept that adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story.

Similar to The Eight, what this novel does exceptionally well is elevate chess to something far greater than just a game or a tactical exercise. It becomes something ancient, like an aesthetic religion or an ancient grimoire. Munoz, the novel's chess master, makes a thought-provoking comment when he says, "Sometimes I wonder if chess is something man invented or if he merely discovered it. It's as if it were something that has always been there, since the beginning of the universe. Like whole numbers." This comparison to Carl Sagan's Contact, which makes pi one of the first keys to unlocking the universe, is quite apt. If you have a love for art, chess, history, mystery, and a touch of the fantastical, then this book is sure to be a delight for you.

Excellent!

I truly love this remarkable blend of top-notch entertainment, captivating intrigue, and mysterious allure. It not only keeps the reader on the edge of their seat but also provides valuable insights into the mores of the Art World, the intricate details of restoring paintings, and most significantly, the fascinating game of chess.

Even though I am a mediocre player, I was still able to easily follow the vivid descriptions and logical progression of the moves. The use of a 500-year-old chess game that is so relevant to the mystery unfolding before us is simply ingenious.

Reverte also penned The Club Dumas, another book that completely dazzled me with its cleverness. It seems that I will have to get my hands on more of Reverte's works!

His writing style is engaging, and his ability to weave together multiple storylines and themes is truly impressive. I can't wait to see what other literary treasures he has in store for us.

Arturo Pérez-Reverte is one of the writers I cherish. When I came across this book in a second-hand book sale, I didn't hesitate.

Julia is an art restorer who understood that "The Chess Game" by the Flemish master Pieter Van Huys would be more than just routine when she discovered the challenging enigma he left to be solved five centuries later. The most interesting thing is that the "Flemish Board" is a good counterpart to an intriguing romance as it reconstructs the game represented on the canvas from front to back to discover the motive in the crime.

I know little or nothing about chess, but the explanation doesn't require great knowledge when it comes to following the clues that another assassin leaves when he decides to continue playing. And the peculiar characters like César, the antiquarian, Muñoz, the chess tactics specialist, and Julia hold attention in their close connection.

Despite the flawless writing and intelligent narrative, it has a flaw in being rather extensive in details for an appreciator of this strategic and logical game, which was beyond me. This was confirmed when I couldn't uncover the identity of the assassin who was hiding in the shadows.

It's a good challenge.

A retrospective of chess that reaches its climax with the music of J.S Bach playing in the background. It is a work of art dating back to the 15th century, with a hidden inscription. A restorer, a chess enthusiast, and an antique collector find themselves embroiled in a game that turns them into key pieces.

The restorer, with her delicate touch and keen eye for detail, is tasked with bringing the ancient chess set back to its former glory. The chess enthusiast, passionate about the game and its history, is determined to uncover the secrets hidden within the set. And the antique collector, always on the hunt for rare and valuable pieces, sees this as an opportunity to add a truly unique item to his collection.

As they delve deeper into the mystery of the chess set, they discover that it holds more than just historical significance. It becomes a game of wits and strategy, where each of them must use their skills and knowledge to outwit the others. Will they be able to solve the mystery and claim the prize, or will they become pawns in a game they never expected?

Mind-boggling homophobia with a splash of misogyny.

This is what one encounters when delving into this particular work. The pompous dialogues, which strive to appear erudite, unfortunately only present trite observations and reveal the author's limited expertise.

The characters, despite hundreds of pages, are continuously described by the same two stereotypical traits, lacking any real depth or development.

Take, for example, the art conservator who is so astonished that a painting can have multiple meanings or interpretations that her head spins. It seems rather absurd and detracts from the overall credibility of the story.

To make matters worse, the plodding plot is based on a ridiculous rationale. It fails to engage the reader and instead leaves one feeling disappointed and frustrated.

Overall, this work is a prime example of what not to do in writing, with its numerous flaws and lackluster execution.

After much thought, I have come to the conclusion that this is my #1 book of 2024. Thank you and good night.

Opinions about this book are diverse. Personally, I fell in love with both this novel and its author. There were moments when I was slightly bored, but after a few pages, I was once again thrilled.

The last 50 pages are a huge plus because of the great surprise. I love it!

This book has truly captivated me. It has a unique charm that keeps pulling me in. The story is engaging, and the characters are well-developed. Even during the parts that made me feel a bit bored, I knew there was something more exciting waiting just around the corner. And that's exactly what happened with the amazing twist in the last 50 pages. It completely blew my mind and made me appreciate the book even more. I can't wait to recommend it to others and share this wonderful reading experience.