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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Auntie Poldi is a force to be reckoned with. She’s a sixty year old German woman who decides to retire to Sicily, and her visiting nephew tells us of how Poldi, with a drink in hand, becomes concerned for her missing handyman and then finds him murdered nearby. This sends her off on an investigation involving a handsome detective inspector, statuary and the Mafia (which of course, “is just an invention of North Italian fascists designed to give us southerners a bad reputation” 😆).
Poldi is delightful and multifaceted and tenacious, and there were quite a few laugh out loud moments. This is a lovely cozy mystery with an unusual setting (at least for me!).
It's good, but I'm too distracted. I will have to pick it up again later.
The very best part of this book is the strong sense of place. Who wants to go to Sicily with me?
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“On her 60th birthday, my Auntie Poldi moved to Sicily, intending to drink herself comfortably to death with a sea view.”
And so starts this cozy mystery adventure, with quirky and endearing Auntie Poldi at the helm. Poldi begins to investigate the murder of her handsome handyman and ends up with wonderfully funny Sicilian friends (to her dismay).
I admit that I had to wrestle with this in the beginning. There are a LOT of characters and the narration by Poldi’s nephew can be confusing at times. (Translation flaw maybe?)The benefits outweigh the negatives and I can’t wait for the next installment. Hopefully Giordano can iron out the writing style and omit some of the exposition next time. :)
I’m also picturing this as an amazing movie starting perhaps Melissa McCarthy?
And so starts this cozy mystery adventure, with quirky and endearing Auntie Poldi at the helm. Poldi begins to investigate the murder of her handsome handyman and ends up with wonderfully funny Sicilian friends (to her dismay).
I admit that I had to wrestle with this in the beginning. There are a LOT of characters and the narration by Poldi’s nephew can be confusing at times. (Translation flaw maybe?)The benefits outweigh the negatives and I can’t wait for the next installment. Hopefully Giordano can iron out the writing style and omit some of the exposition next time. :)
I’m also picturing this as an amazing movie starting perhaps Melissa McCarthy?
Thank you to HMH (and BookishFirst) for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions introduces a fun new amateur detective with its titular character. Auntie Poldi is a gregarious, impetuous widow who retires to a quiet seaside town only to embroil herself in a murder investigation. While she's an interesting character, for this reader, the plot and the character development of other characters was a bit lacking and I wasn't terribly engaged with the story. There are a TON of characters in this story, however, so that may have been part of the reason why there was little in the way of development of lesser characters.
Poldi herself and the Sicilian setting were what make the story worth reading. Poldi's outrageousness is entertaining, and if additional novels in the serie are translated I think I would give it another try just for that character's sake.
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions introduces a fun new amateur detective with its titular character. Auntie Poldi is a gregarious, impetuous widow who retires to a quiet seaside town only to embroil herself in a murder investigation. While she's an interesting character, for this reader, the plot and the character development of other characters was a bit lacking and I wasn't terribly engaged with the story. There are a TON of characters in this story, however, so that may have been part of the reason why there was little in the way of development of lesser characters.
Poldi herself and the Sicilian setting were what make the story worth reading. Poldi's outrageousness is entertaining, and if additional novels in the serie are translated I think I would give it another try just for that character's sake.
Ik verwachtte eigenlijk een middelmatige thriller, maar dit was wel echt boven verwachting!
Het is grappig, met een uniek sfeertje en een doordachte detective. En dat is ook meteen de reden dat ik 3* geef: ik snap het einde niet helemaal, het voelt alsof er iets te grote gedachtensprongen gemaakt worden. Ik vind het iets te rommelig. En dat zal ongetwijfeld aan mijzelf liggen.
Het is grappig, met een uniek sfeertje en een doordachte detective. En dat is ook meteen de reden dat ik 3* geef: ik snap het einde niet helemaal, het voelt alsof er iets te grote gedachtensprongen gemaakt worden. Ik vind het iets te rommelig. En dat zal ongetwijfeld aan mijzelf liggen.
A good and entertaining mystery with a very interesting main character. The setting was charming and the style of writing interesting.
Recommended.
Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley
Recommended.
Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley
*didn't finish on the first pass; might pick it up again later
*translated from Italian, and much of it is still in Italian
*great cover though!
*translated from Italian, and much of it is still in Italian
*great cover though!
Didn't care for the characters or writing style