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nuska's review against another edition
2.0
Segundo caso del inspector Brunetti. Si en el primero se criticaba la homofobia, especialmente por aquellos que están lejos de ser un ejemplo de moralidad en cualquier ámbito, en éste Donna Leon la emprende con los vertidos tóxicos, los intereses económicos del gobierno en ello y sus nefastas consecuencias para el ser humano. Asistimos a la impotencia del comisario, que poco puede hacer ante el teatro de marionetas desplegado por los poderosos y sus influencias ¡Ah, sí! Es un novela negra. Hay un crimen. Bueno tres o cuatro en realidad pero eso es lo de menos ¿no?
thelaurasaurus's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting premise let down by an unsatisfying ending. I enjoyed the American aspect, and it was interesting to have an environmental element to the story not hammered home by Great Environmentalist Vianello.
kaffee_auf_ex's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I was surprised by how much I liked the first book, so I was really frustrated with this one. The first book felt quite progressive. This one had a lot of sexist and racist stereotypes which annoyed me to no end. I also did't enjoy the plot this time at all. The unlawfullness of Brunetti as an officer was also hard to read as somebody who works in law.
talljoy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
usbsticky's review against another edition
4.0
This is my 3rd Brunetti book and he's like an old friend now.
Setting: He is a police commissario in Venice, ably assisted by his sergeant and secretary and obfuscated by his boss. Other supporting characters include his family of wife, daughter and son.
As with many police detective series that I've read, I like the settings and character a lot. The story itself can be sometimes slow. These books aren't thrillers but are police procedurals where the police work through their cases with slow and steady footwork.
Spoilers ahead (this is more for my reference than anything else):
There are two cases here:
1) A rich connected Milanese industrialist finds himself in financial trouble after one of his armament shipments is stolen by pirates. He engineers a fake break in by a local small timer to steal 3 expensive paintings so that he can collect the insurance money (and probably sell the paintings privately).
2) An American soldier is found dead in Venice. Investigation reveals that he is a public health sergeant. Brunetti finds his lover and commanding officer. Later on she is also killed and covered up as an overdose. Brunetti finds a kindred spirit in a Carbinieri major at the US military base. Together they find that the US military and an Italian businessman are complicit in dumping dangerous US military garbage in the Italian wilderness. But the criminal is too powerful and connected to be held accountable.
Brunetti even tries to enlist the help of his father-in-law who is nobility and also connected at the highest levels. But his FIL's hands are tied as pretty much everyone is corrupt and he laments the fact. In the end, the garbage dump is covered up, the murders are blamed on the thief of the paintings and the Carbinieri major is punished by being sent to Sicily.
I guess there is a lot of commentary of the state of affairs in Italy. There is also some discussion of the mafia and the differences between the northern and southern Italians. Overall I enjoyed the book because of the setting and the characters.
Setting: He is a police commissario in Venice, ably assisted by his sergeant and secretary and obfuscated by his boss. Other supporting characters include his family of wife, daughter and son.
As with many police detective series that I've read, I like the settings and character a lot. The story itself can be sometimes slow. These books aren't thrillers but are police procedurals where the police work through their cases with slow and steady footwork.
Spoilers ahead (this is more for my reference than anything else):
There are two cases here:
1) A rich connected Milanese industrialist finds himself in financial trouble after one of his armament shipments is stolen by pirates. He engineers a fake break in by a local small timer to steal 3 expensive paintings so that he can collect the insurance money (and probably sell the paintings privately).
2) An American soldier is found dead in Venice. Investigation reveals that he is a public health sergeant. Brunetti finds his lover and commanding officer. Later on she is also killed and covered up as an overdose. Brunetti finds a kindred spirit in a Carbinieri major at the US military base. Together they find that the US military and an Italian businessman are complicit in dumping dangerous US military garbage in the Italian wilderness. But the criminal is too powerful and connected to be held accountable.
Brunetti even tries to enlist the help of his father-in-law who is nobility and also connected at the highest levels. But his FIL's hands are tied as pretty much everyone is corrupt and he laments the fact. In the end, the garbage dump is covered up, the murders are blamed on the thief of the paintings and the Carbinieri major is punished by being sent to Sicily.
I guess there is a lot of commentary of the state of affairs in Italy. There is also some discussion of the mafia and the differences between the northern and southern Italians. Overall I enjoyed the book because of the setting and the characters.
wanderlustsleeping's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.5
A bit longwinded, but I am enjoying this series.
The last paragraph of this book squeezed my heart:
“Brunetti stood beside the mother of his only son, thinking of parents and the way they love their children. He said nothing for so long that she [his wife, Paola] turned and looked up at him. ‘Guido, why are you crying?’”
The last paragraph of this book squeezed my heart:
rcpope's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
richardpierce's review against another edition
5.0
Superbly plotted. Worldly wise. We shoukd have been paying attention to the environmental concerns (and corruption at the highest levels) that Leon wrote about 27 years ago, and which was when I first read this book. Not a simple crime novel, but a multi-layered and aware book, drivwn by an obvious love for Venice.