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Innocence; Or, Murder on Steep Street
Innocence; Or, Murder on Steep Street | Heda Margolius Kovaly
5 posts | 3 read | 2 to read
Famed Holocaust memoirist Heda Margoulis Kovály (Under a Cruel Star) knits her own terrifying experiences in Soviet Prague into a powerful, Raymond Chandler-esque work of literary suspense. 1950s Prague is a city of numerous small terrors, of political tyranny, corruption and surveillance. There is no way of knowing whether one's neighbor is spying for the government, or what one's supposed friend will say under pressure to a State Security agent. A loyal Party member might be imprisoned or executed as quickly as a traitor; innocence means nothing for a person caught in a government trap. But there are larger terrors, too. When a little boy is murdered at the cinema where his aunt works, the ensuing investigation sheds a little too much light on the personal lives of the cinema's female ushers, each of whom is hiding a dark secret of her own. Nearly lost to censorship, this rediscovered gem of Czech literature depicts a chilling moment in history, redolent with the stifling atmosphere of political and personal oppression of the early days of Communist Czechoslovakia.
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rockpools
rockpools
Innocence; Or, Murder on Steep Street | Heda Margolius Kovaly
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This is my #ReadAroundTheWorld book for the #CzechRepublic this month. Kovály was heavily influenced by Raymond Chandler, having translated his works into Czech. However, the story is as much or more about life under an oppressive regime as it is about the murder. Having read the intro by her son, I‘m almost wishing I‘d read her memoir instead - but he also says she was freeer to write about the real world in her fiction…

Either way, fab so far.

tagged users iconBookwormM
rockpools Kovály‘s memoir:
[tagged book]Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968
2y
charl08 Sounds brilliant. Will look for a copy. 2y
rockpools @charl08 I think I‘m going to enjoy this one! 2y
BookwormM I am enjoying my choice as well
[tagged book]The JOKE
2y
47 likes4 comments
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Anna40
Anna40
Innocence; Or, Murder on Steep Street | Heda Margolius Kovaly
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Pickpick

This is not a real murder mystery / thriller. It is a book about life under a corrupt and dishonest regime that reigns with terror, suppresses personal freedom and encourages its people to spy on one another. No one can be trusted, no one is innocent. Highly recommend it!

5 likes1 stack add
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Anna40
Anna40
Innocence; Or, Murder on Steep Street | Heda Margolius Kovaly
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My books arrived today 🙄

4 likes
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tolmsted
tolmsted
Innocence; Or, Murder on Steep Street | Heda Margolius Kovaly
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Heda Margolius Kovaly was an admirer of Raymond Chandler (she translated his books into Czech). She's written a hard-boiled crime novel, with a female protagonist, based in part on her life. The weird merging of those two things - the tough dame detective story superimposed over factual events - works surprisingly well. Only a chapel or so in, but enjoying it.

2 likes1 stack add
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Theresa
Theresa
Innocence; Or, Murder on Steep Street | Heda Margolius Kovaly
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One of my favorite things to do on vacation is admire beautiful old architecture. Often that includes old libraries. A highlight of my vacation in Prague last year was a private tour of the Strahov Monastery Library. #librarylove #somethingforseptembet

Hobbinol Wow! With a ceiling like that I'd have a hard time looking down at my book! How beautiful! 8y
Theresa @Hobbinol And this is just 1 of 2 halls in this library! This is Philosophical Hall. The other is Theological Hall & it's equally beautiful. I'm just too inept to figure out how to combine 2 photos. Fun fact if you watch Outlander there were some scenes in Season 2 that were filmed here. 8y
LauraBeth Beautiful! 8y
24 likes3 comments