Perez-Reverte's writing style is truly remarkable. It is fluid, flowing smoothly like a gentle river, carrying the reader along with ease. It is also elegant, with words and phrases carefully chosen to create a sense of beauty and refinement. And perhaps most importantly, it is relaxing, allowing the reader to unwind and沉浸 in the story.

The story itself, which is set in a beautifully described local, is mildly interesting. It delves into the conflicts between religion, politics, and the individuals who find themselves caught in the middle. These conflicts add depth and complexity to the narrative, making it more than just a simple tale.

The main thing that I took away from reading "The Seville Communion" is that I would really like to visit Seville. The author's vivid descriptions of the city have piqued my interest and made me eager to experience its beauty and charm for myself. I can just imagine walking through the narrow streets, exploring the historic buildings, and sampling the local cuisine. It sounds like a wonderful place to visit, and I can't wait to go.

Mystery and inversion... Second reading and still the same satisfying taste. Enjoyment until the last page.

This captivating story keeps pulling you in with its mysterious elements and unexpected inversions. It's like a thrilling ride that you don't want to end.

With each turn of the page, you find yourself more and more immersed in the world created by the author. The characters are vivid, and the plot is full of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

Whether you're a fan of mystery novels or just looking for a good read, this book is sure to satisfy. So sit back, relax, and let yourself be carried away by the magic of this amazing story.

A hacker warns the Pope that in the Church of Our Lady of Tears in Sevilla, a series of events require the intervention of the Vatican.

Father Quart is sent to Sevilla to analyze the situation and report on two deaths and various interests surrounding the church.

Pencho Gavira wants the church to be demolished for a real estate project. Father Ferro wishes the church to remain there for the good of his community. Macarena Bruner and her mother protect the interests of the family that donated the land for the church.

The inability of the characters to build bridges of communication and collaboration, their individual egos, and their different points of view escalate the conflict around the church to the point where a homicide and two fatal accidents occur.

This complex web of interests and conflicts not only endangers the future of the church but also the lives of those involved. Father Quart must navigate this difficult situation and find a way to resolve the issues before more tragedy strikes.

The story highlights the importance of communication, cooperation, and understanding in resolving conflicts and protecting the things that matter.

Of those I have read by Reverte, this one is among the weakest.

His previous works have shown great depth and creativity, but this particular piece seems to lack that spark.

The story line is rather predictable, and the characters don't seem to have much development.

It's as if Reverte was just going through the motions with this one.

I was really disappointed, as I had high expectations based on his other books.

Perhaps he was having an off day or was rushed to complete this work.

Whatever the reason, it just didn't live up to the standard I have come to expect from him.

I hope his next book will be a return to form and will once again capture my imagination.

Perhaps it's the translation that makes it seem quite boring.

Throughout most of the text, it lacks excitement and fails to engage the reader.

It's only in the last dozens of pages that everything finally comes to life and gets into action.

And it is in those final pages that the real culprits are revealed, which is a bit of a relief.

However, it seems as though the author can't quite decide between emphasizing on the inner development of the characters and presenting a crime story filled with action.

This indecision might be what causes the book to feel somewhat disjointed and unfulfilling in the earlier parts.

Maybe if the author had found a better balance between these two elements, the book would have been more engaging from start to finish.

As it stands, it's a bit of a disappointment, especially considering the potential that was there.

Hopefully, future works by this author will show a better understanding of how to combine these different aspects to create a more satisfying reading experience.

The history and the characters in this work are very well-developed, interesting and relatable.

However, Pérez-Reverte's writing style has not appealed to me at all. It is convoluted and uses more words than necessary.

Maybe some readers might appreciate the complexity and the detailed descriptions, but for me, it makes the reading experience a bit cumbersome.

I prefer a more straightforward and简洁的 writing style that can convey the story and the emotions more effectively.

Nevertheless, I still recognize the value and the effort that went into creating this work, and I can understand why some people might enjoy it.

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to literature, and this is just my personal opinion.

Maybe I will give Pérez-Reverte's other works a try in the future to see if his writing style suits me better in those cases.

The more I read Arturo Pérez-Reverte, the more I like his books. This one is undoubtedly one of the best I have read.

It is a quite original story, with somewhat unbelievable characters (I don't say this as something negative, quite the opposite), but everything is very believable nonetheless.

And the atmosphere of Seville is pure magic. Pérez-Reverte manages to capture it and convey it to the reader.

The language is also a pleasure to read. Thank you, Don Arturo, for this experience!

The detailed descriptions in the book bring the story to life. The characters, although not entirely realistic, have their own charm and make the story more engaging.

The setting of Seville adds an extra layer of authenticity and beauty to the narrative.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fans of Pérez-Reverte and anyone who enjoys a good story with a touch of magic and mystery.

It's truly hilarious (at least from my perspective) that I happened to read this right after devouring Daniel Silva's Fallen Angel. Both books revolve around Vatican "hit men" who are dispatched to interfere in crimes involving priests, churches, art, and death.

If you've ever found yourself pondering what distinguishes a great thriller from a literary thriller, those two books, Fallen Angel and The Seville Communion, sort of encapsulate it. In Fallen Angel, the action unfolds at a breakneck pace, the dialogue is relatively spare, and there is some soul-searching, but it's rather concise. The Seville Communion shares some of those elements, yet the pace is significantly slower, the descriptions are more vivid, and the philosophical musings are deeper. There is the surface narrative, but the diverse characters do symbolize other things (if you're inclined to think that deeply; you can still relish this book even if you simply wish to read it for the plot).

Perez-Reverte has two types of books: those that are experimental and a bit challenging to complete, and those that are designed to entertain. This book firmly falls into the category of being enjoyable to read and easy to finish, but it is undoubtedly a slower, more stately read compared to Fallen Angel. The characters are captivating; the dialogue is engaging enough to make you forget it's fictional; the story and the meditations prompt you to think about life, faith, and the afterlife, but not to the extent that it becomes burdensome.

Add 3+ stars to Arturo Pérez-Reverte's The Seville Communion. This is a Spanish-to-English translated thriller novel that offers a highly intriguing story. It delves into the realms of the Catholic church, corporate corruption, and love.

The story follows Father Quart, who works in a special research unit within the Catholic church. He is dispatched to Seville, Spain, where a mysterious hacker has targeted the Pope's personal computer. The hacker leaves a message regarding the need to assist a church on the verge of demolition. Quart, a young and attractive priest who adheres to the rules, finds himself caught in a web of lust, church politics, and a divided town.

The strengths of the novel lie in its dynamic and complex cast of characters. The church is represented by a diverse range of priests, each with their own valid viewpoints. The woman involved in an affair is a sympathetic character, and her husband manages to come across as respectable and honorable at times. The three hired villains add a touch of humor and vividness to the story. Father Quart, in particular, has great depth, and his internal struggle is palpable throughout the novel.

However, the novel does have some areas that could be improved. The plot, while strong, is revealed in a somewhat piecemeal fashion. This approach effectively draws readers in, but in the final 50 pages, the story unwinds rather rapidly. There is a lack of backstory to support the decisions made by each character, which can leave readers wanting more.

Overall, for fans of thrillers and those interested in the Catholic church, this is a great read. It offers a balanced view of the church, with both its virtues and vices on display. The language is beautiful, and the messages are clear and vivid. There are very few translation issues to speak of. I would definitely read more by this author, as he has a unique and engaging writing style.

It slightly reminds one of Denna Brown, but it is going very hard.

It postpones to the future, and for now, it is not interesting.

This situation seems to be a bit frustrating.

Maybe there are some underlying reasons that are causing this difficulty.

Perhaps it is due to lack of experience or resources.

However, instead of just giving up, it might be beneficial to analyze the situation carefully.

Look for possible solutions or alternative approaches.

Maybe seek advice from others who have more knowledge or expertise in this area.

By taking these steps, there is a chance to turn the situation around and make it more interesting and manageable in the future.

A Murder Mystery Set in Seville, Spain

[Edited 3/29/23]

This murder mystery is rich with the local color of Seville, Spain. A handsome young priest, who works for the Vatican's (let's call it) 'Internal Affairs Division,' is summoned to Seville. His task is to sort out the chaos surrounding a potential church closing. The parish is small, and the diocese stands to make a significant amount of money by demolishing the church and selling the land.

The problem is that there are several diehards who are determined to keep the church open. These include a cantankerous old priest and his young protégée, a glamorous young woman whose antics land her in the celebrity newspapers, her mother who donates money to support the church, and a renegade American nun who is working on restoring the church statues and artwork.

The husband of the glamorous woman is a banker who is involved in the financial deal to sell the land. To ensure the church closes, the banker hires a trio, two men and a woman, who are like the Three Stooges, to spy on the various parties. This adds an element of humor to the story.

Then, one by one, three people die in the church under mysterious circumstances. The young priest and the glamorous woman find themselves attracted to each other. Let's just say that by the end of the novel, everyone has a lot to confess.

The story is fast-paced and makes for a great read.

The Spanish author (born in 1951) has written around three dozen novels, most of which have been translated into English. He is best known to English readers for The Club Dumas and his Captain Alatrieste series, a swashbuckler series set in 17th-century Spain. Five of the seven novels in that series are available in English. I have read two other novels by him, The Painter of Battles (which I rated a '3') and The Flanders Panel (a '4').

Photo of Seville from ourworldforyou.com
The author from publishersweekly.com

**"La Piel Del Tambor: A Complex Tale of Intrigue and Mystery"**

La Piel Del Tambor is a captivating story that begins with a hacker named "Vespers" hacking into the Pope's email and sending a disturbing message about a parish church in Seville. The Vatican then dispatches Father Lorenzo Quart, a unique priest specializing in handling delicate Church matters.

Once in Sevilla, Quart discovers that the church of Our Lady of the Tears is on the verge of being sold to the ambitious banker Pencho Gavira, who plans to tear it down and build luxury condos. The local archbishop supports the sale, but the stubborn parish priest, Father Ferro, is fighting it. The influential Duchess of Bruner and her daughter Macarena are also trying to preserve the church. Adding to the complexity, Macarena is the estranged wife of Gavira and seems to be deliberately provoking him.

Quart soon becomes embroiled in the web of intrigue surrounding the church. He meets an American nun, Gris Marsala, who is restoring the church, and becomes fascinated by Macarena. He also discovers that there have been two mysterious deaths in the church, which he initially believes to be accidents due to the church's neglected state. However, as the story progresses, he realizes that there is more to the deaths than meets the eye.

In a parallel track, we follow the story of how Gavira delegates the job of dealing with the church and its priest to his sleazy assistant Peregil, who enlists a trio of wannabe gangsters. This hapless trio provides some comic relief as they bumble around Sevilla, following various characters. Meanwhile, the unscrupulous editor of a local scandal rag, Honorato Bonafe, uses his knowledge to blackmail the protagonists.

The first chapter of the book was very promising, but the middle part seemed to drag on with people examining their lives and beliefs in tedious detail. It wasn't until the very end that the murder of Bonafe provided a real plot point, but the tension was not maintained as a confession was immediately obtained. However, there is a twist on the last page that adds an interesting element to the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The gentle air of melancholy and nostalgia for the greatness of 16th and 17th century Spain was appealing. I could almost smell the orange blossoms and feel the breezes over the river Quadalquivir as I followed the characters on their nocturnal rambles. Despite the slow middle part, I was drawn back to the book and found myself lost in its world.