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3.05 AVERAGE
3.05 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I like period murder mysteries & like to read about the country I am visiting, so when I found this book in Delhi just before leaving for a holiday in Florence, I picked it up. I found the evocation of Italy good, but the plot weak. It was quite enjoyable though, and the genre (period Italian murder mysteries translated in English) is rare, will read some more.
Another Italian detective, but not nearly as good as Donna Leon's Commissario Guido Brunetti. Vichi does a good job with the perils of an Italian summer, and there is a bit of a mystery to solve in the death of a wealthy older woman. But the "who" in the "who-done-it" is figured out pretty quickly by Inspector Bordelli and his assistant.
Much of the time is spent talking about what Bordelli eats and his memories of World War II and his discussions with his friends, including a long dinner party he sets up. I didn't see the point of most of it. Finally, he figures out the key evidence to convicting the murderer(s), but I had figured it out long before. And I'm not very good at guessing.
Read Donna Leon's books if you want Italian atmosphere in a detective story.
Much of the time is spent talking about what Bordelli eats and his memories of World War II and his discussions with his friends, including a long dinner party he sets up. I didn't see the point of most of it. Finally, he figures out the key evidence to convicting the murderer(s), but I had figured it out long before. And I'm not very good at guessing.
Read Donna Leon's books if you want Italian atmosphere in a detective story.
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting and unexpected style. I don't know if it's the translation, but the only other times I've encountered this style of writing, the books were categorized as magical realism. Perhaps that suits here as well, because the mystery seems primarily a vehicle for presenting the Inspector's recovered memories of sexual abuse as a child and traumatic events as a soldier in WWII Italy, as well as his relationships with his assorted and unusual friends. Being damaged as he is, coping with PTSD can, in fact, lead to departmentalizing and his world does seem to him to be somewhat unreal much of the time. Although he's struggling with his life [and the August heat in Florence], he's warm-hearted and delightful, and very good at his job.