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The Brotherhood of Book Hunters
The Brotherhood of Book Hunters | Raphal Jerusalmy
24 posts | 3 read | 2 to read
The Da Vinci Code meets Stephen Greenblatt's The Swerve in this erudite adventure story set at the dawn of the printed book about the outlaw poet Franois Villon and the power of words to change the world. Franois Villon, the world's first poet of modernity, was born in Paris in 1431. He was arrested and condemned to death by hanging in 1462 and exonerated in 1463. Shortly after his release from prison, as far as history is concerned, he disappeared forever. In Raphal Jerusalmy's thrilling novel, to ensure his release, Villon has accepted a shady deal offered by the Bishop of Paris at the behest of Louis XI. All Villon has to do to earn his freedom is to convince a printer and bookseller to move from Mayence to Paris, telling him that by doing so he'll be better able to circulate progressive ideas that aren't approved of in Rome. Not surprisingly, Villon's task becomes more complicated that it first seemed. With this riveting tale of plots and counterplots involving secret organizations in Jerusalem, intrigue in France, and brigands in Italy, Raphal Jerusalmy leaves readers with their hearts racing and their imaginations stirred. The Brotherhood of Book Hunters is an irresistible read for lovers of books, adventure, and fine writing.
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review
GatheringBooks
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Panpan

Day 17: These are #3Books #IHated - which I have read this year. Tagged book‘s plot was strange and erratic - half the time I had no idea what was happening. Illustrated genii was riddled with spelling errors and don‘t get me started on American Dirt. 😂😂

JamieArc I always roll my eyes and scroll past when I see American Dirt so I‘m glad I caught what your prompt was! 😂👍🏼 4y
AmyG I bailed on American Dirt. A wise decision on my part. 4y
OriginalCyn620 📚👎🏻📚 4y
52 likes3 comments
review
GingerAntics
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Bailedbailed

The translation is ABYSMAL. The story is great, but it is dragged through the mud by the horrible translation. “The day has barely risen” makes NO sense in English. Is Howard Curtis (the translator) not a native English speaker? His English grammar isn‘t so hot either. Where was the editor of the translation? Does Raphaël Jerusalmy know how bad this translation is? I just can‘t with this translation.
??????

GingerAntics It has ruined what is clearly a good, well thought out story. Europa should be ashamed of themselves for charging $10.99 for this horrible joke of a translation. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 4y
GingerAntics I‘m not quite as strong as I need to be in French to read this story in the original, but I will push my limits and spend 3x as long reading it (looking up a bunch of words) to enjoy this story the way it was intended. #RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english 4y
GingerAntics @Texreader sorry. I held out as long as I could. I was so strong at the beginning, but it quickly fell apart. I just couldn‘t do it anymore. 4y
Texreader @GingerAntics I‘ve read some bad translations and it‘s tough. I bet that was the problem early on. I appreciate the warning though! I don‘t know French so I‘ll skip this one. 4y
11 likes4 comments
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GingerAntics
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🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ WTF?! COME ON HOWARD CURTIS!!! Are you an native English speaker? No English speaker says “the day rose.” The SUN rose you pillock!!! Your translation skills are sorely lacking. You are killing an otherwise really good book!!!
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

GingerAntics @Texreader be ready for total frustration. I really wish I could read this in the original French. I have a feeling it would be a much better book that way. This is just painful. I‘m tempted to see if I can find a different translation. Curtis is killing me!!! I‘m only 31% through this book. I‘m not sure I can take this for another 69%. (edited) 4y
GingerAntics @JenlovesJT47 @Branwen @Texreader I can‘t find the book on French, but I did find the audiobook in French. I think I‘m going to be working on my French listening skills sooner rather than later. lol The original French title is “La confrérie des chasseurs de livres”, if anyone is interested. 4y
JenlovesJT47 Thank you!! 4y
GingerAntics @JenlovesJT47 you‘re definitely ahead of me in French, but the story is so good I will push my limits for this story. The translation is driving me nuts. 4y
Branwen 🤣😂👏 4y
15 likes5 comments
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GingerAntics
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This is the entirety of chapter 13. The blue is the only dialogue. The rest of telling and no showing. It‘s weird. I don‘t know if this is the French style of writing, but I‘m not a fan. The story is really good and there are so many layers, I really want to know what happens, but reading this book is some times tiring (even though the longest chapter is about 7 pages so there is plenty of time for breaks). 🤷🏼‍♀️

Texreader Wow yea, that‘s the sort of reading that‘ll put me to sleep. So disappointing when it‘s a topic that‘s so interesting 4y
GingerAntics @Texreader right? The concept is really good. It‘s a page turner, but the style is wearing on me the further I get into the book. I just don‘t know if I want to continue. 4y
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Branwen Hmmmmm 🤔 Yes, that DOES seem really frustrating and exhausting! 😖 4y
GingerAntics @Branwen I‘m so sad. It was so good at the beginning and now I‘m being distracted by the style. 4y
Texreader @GingerAntics well it‘s on my tbr so I have to know... keep reading my friend. 4y
GingerAntics @Texreader lol I‘ll do my best! 4y
14 likes7 comments
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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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It flattened his skull, but then he hopped up on a horse and road off with the envoy. Uuum...how?! His skull has been flattened! I had to read these again and again to wrap my head around it. This has to be poor translation choices.
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

GingerAntics @Branwen the translator isn‘t so hot in places. It‘s like no one checked it for logic. I think he meant here that it flattened his hair to his skull. I think. ??? 4y
Branwen @GingerAntics That is so strange! 🤣 I think you're right though, flattened his hair to his skull makes so much more sense! 🤔 4y
GingerAntics @Branwen it‘s hot, he‘s putting this hat/leather helmet on. I suppose a few words got left off, but where was the editor for that? You‘d think you‘d have an editor look at the translation after it was done, just so everything makes sense and goes smoothly. 4y
Branwen @GingerAntics You would think! 🤔 4y
14 likes4 comments
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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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I guess I was lucky to learn about zero in Catholic school, then.
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

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GingerAntics
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And just one more lovely description because I could help myself.
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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Jeeze, fat shaming in chapter 5 and short shaming in chapter 6. I know France has different views of weight, but not having a flat stomach does not make you fat. 🙄 I feel like those descriptors could have been left out, but I guess that would be censoring the author.
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

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GingerAntics
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@Branwen it‘s taken a bit of a philosophical turn at the end of chapter 4. This book is a mental adventure.
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

Branwen Fantastic! 😀 4y
14 likes1 comment
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GingerAntics
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😆 Oh, I like this sentence so much!!! 👏🏻
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

GingerAntics @Branwen then again, this is from about 4 pages into the second chapter, and this alone could make an amazing first line of a book. 4y
Branwen Oooooh, I like that a lot! 😍 4y
GingerAntics @Branwen right? Such an amazing sentence. 4y
Branwen @GingerAntics If the whole book is like this you're really in for a treat! 4y
GingerAntics @Branwen this is almost an epic adventure, too. It‘s amazing to read. The chapters are a great length, so you have easily digestible chunks. The chapters all (so far) seem to jump time a bit, so you‘re not wading through details you don‘t need. I‘m really enjoying it. 4y
14 likes5 comments
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GingerAntics
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Is this a French thing? What kind of knife is “milky.”
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

readordierachel Huh. I can't quite picture that 🤔 4y
GingerAntics @readordierachel right? I mean, I‘ve seen knives with white ceramic blades, but I don‘t think those were a thing back then. 4y
readordierachel Hm. Yeah. Maybe milky as in, like, hard to see? I'm stumped 4y
GingerAntics @readordierachel oh, I could see that. Kind of cloudy and unclear. It is a translation of what was originally french. Perhaps it‘s just a poor translation choice. 4y
readordierachel Interesting. Could be! 4y
12 likes5 comments
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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics @Branwen I‘m hooked by the end of the first chapter. I really want to know what happens. 4y
Branwen That's a great way to start! 😀 4y
GingerAntics @Branwen that‘s actually almost the end of the first chapter. I suppose it‘s still the start, if counting the entire first chapter as the start of the book. 4y
13 likes3 comments
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GingerAntics
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I love the ellipsis here. The entire book is a fictional account of what happened next.
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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Taking this book for a spin next. I was scrolling through all my “new” books and this one jumped out at me. Described as a cross between Da Vinci Code and The Swerve, it sounds really interesting. It‘s a translation of a french novel, so maybe one day I‘ll be able to lire le livre en français.
#RaphaelJerusalmy #TheBrotherhoodOfBookHunters #translation #french #english

Branwen This looks awesome! 4y
GingerAntics @Branwen it really does!!! I loved Da Vinci Code (because I bought mine in the fiction section - I guess everyone who got upset bought theirs in the theology section) and I loved The Swerve. You know I‘ll keep you posted. 4y
Branwen @GingerAntics Yes, please! 🤗💕 4y
15 likes1 stack add3 comments
review
ReadosaurusText
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Panpan

This book was not for me. I usually love books about books, and the blurb from Laurence Cossé encouraged me to pick this novel up, but I didn‘t enjoy it. Perhaps something was lost in translation, but it lacked a firm plot progression, and I was never quite clear on why and how certain events were unfolding. I also wish the author had developed the single female character as something more than exotically sexualized.

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ReadosaurusText
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Book: check
Chai latte: check
Blustery day good for staying inside: check
#mugsoflitsy #europaeditions

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GatheringBooks
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Congratulations @vivastory on your amazing 100k Litfluence Milestone. My #vivabookstore story comprises my book hunting expedition in Bratislava (far left), Washington DC (middle) and New York (Book Off) farthest right. Awesome giveaway, and great concept about sharing favourite bookstore stories.

SilversReviews Congratulations!! Fantastic!! 6y
vivastory I've never been to DC, but I can imagine that they have amazing bookstores. Looks like a blast! 6y
104 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
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Spent a good part of my Saturday afternoon hauling books from an international school librarian-friend‘s collection who is seriously downsizing as she and her family move to Beijing where they are only allowed 400 books per family. 😭😩😢😭🤯 - I don‘t think I will survive there. I‘ve adopted some of her babies, then, and took them home with me.

DivaDiane What?!? How is that possible to limit a family to 400 books?!? Why?!? So, now I know where I will never live. 6y
GatheringBooks @DivaDiane i know right?! and naturally, they will need to check each and every title to make sure they are not in the list of banned books in china. yikes. 6y
Smarkies How do they even police something like that? 6y
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GatheringBooks @Smarkies honestly, i have no clue. but wouldn‘t want to find out. 6y
Suet624 What? What? Okay, I‘m having trouble comprehending that fact. 6y
GatheringBooks @Suet624 i know, right?!?! That would have been a deal breaker for me. Particularly painful for my librarian friend who has amassed a lovely collection over the years. 6y
Suet624 That would be a dealbreaker for me. 6y
DivaDiane Is it a permanent move for them? They should put it all in storage. 6y
GatheringBooks @DivaDiane yup, it is a permanent move. happens quite often here in singapore. 6y
DivaDiane That makes me quite sad as a book hoarder. 6y
49 likes10 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#Septembowie Day 20: I gathered some of my book-themed novels for our #metareading theme til end of October, and I go #OhYouPrettyThings!