Interpretation of Murder... Book Review

"Interpretation of Murder"... not a very inspired title, in my humble opinion, as some may consider it another police story, moreover, the beginning of the literary "career" of yet another highly intelligent and mentally resourceful detective. At the same time... "interpretation"... our key word... is meant to announce the potential reader that it is not about dealing with an ordinary case, but with one that excites the brains and logic and intuition, that is theirs (the litereary heroes) and ours (especially ours).

Still, Jed Rubenfeld's book caught my eye in reference to Freud's name and presence as one of the caracthers... should he be the main one?...

I have this habit of peeking at the end of a book I read, especially when the range of characters is quite large, but never with mystery and police novels. Those who know me should know why. And you can't imagine my satisfaction whenever I manage to guess "who did it" on my own while reading.... trust me: the butler never did it! :)

Of course, Rubenfeld's "The Interpretation of Dreams" was not one of my famous moments when I could show off. It's not so easy to manage through the overwhelming situations, happenings, psychological interpretations, Shakespearean obsessions, personal feelings and interests and the amount of information about New York. Perhaps the city has its influence in creating the vertigo meant to build dramatic tenssion and confusion. I bet Jed Rubenfeld first wrote the end of the book as everything seems so clear and easy in the end.

The author definitely has the talent of a dramatist (Shakespeare's influence) to build tenssion and mentain it, set it loose at times and tighting it the next moment.

Everything begins with Freud and his travel to the United States. He and his companions are warmly welcomed by three very enthousiastic and promising doctors. Among them young dr. Stratham Young who, only by reasons of living in New York, is given the opportunity to develop his skills under the observation of his mentor, dr. Sigmund Freud, and in a real basis situation: the terrible Murder of Miss Riverford, the attack of Miss Nora Acton and its consequences, and several other unappropriate situations taking place in a New York finding its way through high class and through sexuality.

I can say for sure that "Interpretation of Murder" is not for those who want to test themselves and their intuition and logic, it's for those who thirst for human knowledge, it's for those passionate about the detail and background and concious or unconcious motifs.

I was on the verge of daring Rubenfeld say how could one or several imagine so many maneuvres and remember lies and dissimulate when only New York in the 1900's could've dazzed the people and make them disoriented. But the grand finale made me see very clearly that it could have been possible and no one would have made a better choice than.... than Rubenfeld's option. (I'm not a spoiler!)

I really cannot tell even now if the "hero" of this story is either young dr. Young or famous dr. Freud, the detective, the story itself and its background. But the literary value of a book stands in its power of involving the reader in the act of creation, that is making him excited and curious about the flow of happenings, and in the skill of the narrator to create "opera apperta", that is giving us the humble honour of interpreting the denoument... and the crime.