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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
Not a good member of the series - too convoluted of a plot. But the context, history, and culture were great. Regardless of the plot flaws and loose ends, I definitely intend to read more!
Exotische misdaadroman die zich afspeelt in het Ottomaanse Rijk en het Venetië van de vroeg-negentiende eeuw. Doorgaans is dit soort van historische misdaadroman niet m’n ding, maar het wordt gedreven door een inventieve plot (met veel verwijzingen naar de Sherlock Holmes-traditie) en enkele opvallende personages, waaronder een eunuch-privédetective. (***)
I really liked the previous Yashim books and I love Venice, so I had high expectations for this book. While I enjoyed it, I felt it was rather jumpy and fragmented. I had a hard time at points following the action. The ending felt a bit abrupt to me.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was good enough that I've put the two prequels in my reading list, but I did get a little lost in the rather convoluted--and only partially satisfying--solution.
This series is so good! I love Yashim! And this one has the added bonus of being set largely in Venice. Wonderful characters, interesting history, great story.
Another in my collection of "honest detectives working for corrupt regimes": This time is is 1840 in the crumbling Ottoman Empire and the hero is a court eunuch.
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
I became a Goodwin fan with his non-fiction history of the Ottoman Empire, "Lords of the Horizon." In the Bellini card he stretches his passion from Istanbul to Venice with this mystery.
The novel reads as a nice escape. My mind traveled the canals of Venice, and looked into hidden corners. Like wandering the real streets of Venice, it is easy to get lost in this novel: I never understood Pawleski's role in the plot, when the action doesn't really start until Yashim arrives. One other complaint is the similarity of the character names: Bellini, Benari.
Overall, I enjoyed the book--and the trip to another place and another time that it took me.
The novel reads as a nice escape. My mind traveled the canals of Venice, and looked into hidden corners. Like wandering the real streets of Venice, it is easy to get lost in this novel: I never understood Pawleski's role in the plot, when the action doesn't really start until Yashim arrives. One other complaint is the similarity of the character names: Bellini, Benari.
Overall, I enjoyed the book--and the trip to another place and another time that it took me.
I love this series for the ambiance that the author imbues the stories with. He describes the food, the people, the cities and the attitudes with such a flair that you almost feel that he was there and that you are there.
This story was not my favorite as it moves the setting to Venice and give the Polish Ambassador a much larger part than Yashim. Venice never comes alive like Istanbul did for me in the previous books and the mystery wasn't as interesting as the others.
This story was not my favorite as it moves the setting to Venice and give the Polish Ambassador a much larger part than Yashim. Venice never comes alive like Istanbul did for me in the previous books and the mystery wasn't as interesting as the others.