Some Day Tomorrow

Rating:
Summary: Astute portrait arouses little compassion
Review: A psychological portrait of a man who might be a murderer, Nicolas Freeling's "Some Day Tomorrow," depicts a Dutch flower grower facing old age and mortality and not much liking what he sees. As the police seek the murderer of a young female student in his neighborhood, Hubertus van Bijl reflects on his comfortable life and what it has come to.

Van Bijl's long-respected family history in the flower business culminates with him, a well-educated, well-off, respectable sort of man disappointed with his daughters and, by extension, himself. The narrator, he slips into the third person, to describe "Bert's" inabilities to cope with age and the changes in stolid Dutch society.

"Bert" strikes up a friendship with a young girl. "Stupid Bert. Susceptible Bert." Has a brief affair before he loses the ability entirely in an operation for prostate cancer. It's "Bert" who rages furtively, accosts the wife of a friend, befriends the dead girl. The "I" remains aloof, tasteful and intelligent, maintaining a staunch allegiance to his athletic, conventional wife, a mild disdain toward his daughters, an indulgent smile for the antics of "Bert."

Freeling, whose many awards include the Edgar, fleshes out his narrator with a sharp knife. His staccato style reveals a complex, layered man. Unable to articulate his fears and insecurities and rages, he expresses his disappointments by draping them on others and keeps much of his character hidden even from himself.

A well done, thoughtful portrait but it's been done before and van Bijl arouses little sympathy

Rating:
Summary: Astute portrait arouses little compassion
Review: A psychological portrait of a man who might be a murderer, Nicolas Freeling's "Some Day Tomorrow," depicts a Dutch flower grower facing old age and mortality and not much liking what he sees. As the police seek the murderer of a young female student in his neighborhood, Hubertus van Bijl reflects on his comfortable life and what it has come to.

Van Bijl's long-respected family history in the flower business culminates with him, a well-educated, well-off, respectable sort of man disappointed with his daughters and, by extension, himself. The narrator, he slips into the third person, to describe "Bert's" inabilities to cope with age and the changes in stolid Dutch society.

"Bert" strikes up a friendship with a young girl. "Stupid Bert. Susceptible Bert." Has a brief affair before he loses the ability entirely in an operation for prostate cancer. It's "Bert" who rages furtively, accosts the wife of a friend, befriends the dead girl. The "I" remains aloof, tasteful and intelligent, maintaining a staunch allegiance to his athletic, conventional wife, a mild disdain toward his daughters, an indulgent smile for the antics of "Bert."

Freeling, whose many awards include the Edgar, fleshes out his narrator with a sharp knife. His staccato style reveals a complex, layered man. Unable to articulate his fears and insecurities and rages, he expresses his disappointments by draping them on others and keeps much of his character hidden even from himself.

A well done, thoughtful portrait but it's been done before and van Bijl arouses little sympathy

Rating:
Summary: Not for everyone but this is definitely a good mystery
Review: The Dutch police question retired flower grower septuagenarian Hubertus "Bert" van Bijl of the crime. Bert tells the police a rambling tale about his current life and much of the major events in his previous seven decades on the planet.

Through his meandering confession, Bert proves that he recently has become more and more isolated from his family and friends. Even his wife who Bert in some distant way cares about seems just out of reach for the elderly man. His efforts to connect with anyone, including wives of former associates, and family members only leave him further segregated from society. However, segregating one's self is not a crime, but is his babbling confession ultimately going to lead to his admitting that he murdered the young woman or is it just the inane chatter of a lonely old man?

SOME DAY TOMORROW is a different type of police procedural. The story line focuses inside the mind of the prime suspect, a senior citizen, who may have killed a younger woman. Readers obtain an incredible psychological and emotional look from the inside at an intelligent, educated individual who has been forced into retirement before he is ready to do so. Nicolas Freeling's novel is not action-packed, but packs quite a wallop through its ingenious "autobiographical" psychological character study.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Not for everyone but this is definitely a good mystery
Review: The Dutch police question retired flower grower septuagenarian Hubertus "Bert" van Bijl of the crime. Bert tells the police a rambling tale about his current life and much of the major events in his previous seven decades on the planet.

Through his meandering confession, Bert proves that he recently has become more and more isolated from his family and friends. Even his wife who Bert in some distant way cares about seems just out of reach for the elderly man. His efforts to connect with anyone, including wives of former associates, and family members only leave him further segregated from society. However, segregating one's self is not a crime, but is his babbling confession ultimately going to lead to his admitting that he murdered the young woman or is it just the inane chatter of a lonely old man?

SOME DAY TOMORROW is a different type of police procedural. The story line focuses inside the mind of the prime suspect, a senior citizen, who may have killed a younger woman. Readers obtain an incredible psychological and emotional look from the inside at an intelligent, educated individual who has been forced into retirement before he is ready to do so. Nicolas Freeling's novel is not action-packed, but packs quite a wallop through its ingenious "autobiographical" psychological character study.

Harriet Klausner