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rodica_b's review
Wow. I didn’t give this book a rating. I don’t know how to rate it. It was grim, I think the grimmest so far. It was painful. The plight of human trafficking, of women being tricked into prostitution reminds me of the stories I used to hear as a child in a post-soviet country. About women taken illegally to Italy or Spain, promised jobs and forced to become prostitutes. Left no choice, without a passport and without knowing the language, the laws or the customs. From time to time, a story of such a victim would be published by a newspaper, a story of how she escaped and managed to return home. Many never did.
Then, there are the war crimes committed during the Yugoslavian war. I spent over 4 years in Montenegro and worked with people from all over ex-Yugoslavia. People found it very traumatizing to speak about it. About neighbor turning on neighbor, friend on friend. I don’t know if the plot is based on a real story, but it serves well to depict endemic corruption and organized crime spread through state institution like a plague.
As you can see, the book affected me. But I can’t rate it. It felt rushed. The characters were underused. And (spoiler alert), while the killer dies in the end, you know justice was not served. You root for the killer to escape, you want Brunetti to get more time with the killer and with this story. You want more Paola and the children, as they usually are the normalizing element, the people that bring Brunetti back to normalcy.
Then, there are the war crimes committed during the Yugoslavian war. I spent over 4 years in Montenegro and worked with people from all over ex-Yugoslavia. People found it very traumatizing to speak about it. About neighbor turning on neighbor, friend on friend. I don’t know if the plot is based on a real story, but it serves well to depict endemic corruption and organized crime spread through state institution like a plague.
As you can see, the book affected me. But I can’t rate it. It felt rushed. The characters were underused. And (spoiler alert), while the killer dies in the end, you know justice was not served. You root for the killer to escape, you want Brunetti to get more time with the killer and with this story. You want more Paola and the children, as they usually are the normalizing element, the people that bring Brunetti back to normalcy.
margaretefg's review
3.0
I'm getting fond of Brunetti, his Eng prof wife Paola and sweet daughter Chiara. And Brunetti's Venice doesn't seem as stinky as I remember. But Italian politics are a cesspool of corruption and this book has Brunetti facing that and the from effects on women from all over the world exploited by it. Pretty grim.
nuska's review against another edition
3.0
Un prestigioso juez asesinado a balazos en el último vagón de un tren. Y entonces todo se enreda, aunque a veces no baste con conocer la verdad para poder entenderla. Ni siquiera con el punto de vista que otorga ser el lector de los hechos. Muy buena crítica al sistema, deja desazón en el cuerpo.
wanderlustsleeping's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Very readable as always! Much darker than I expected though, combined with a depressing ending. It has taken me by surprise how much of these books have entailed powerful men getting away with crimes so horrid they should be classified as crimes against humanity.
Nevertheless, I am enjoying the series. Guido and his family are fun to read about, and these books go by very fast!
Nevertheless, I am enjoying the series. Guido and his family are fun to read about, and these books go by very fast!
usbsticky's review
4.0
I haven't been reading these in order but this happens to be my 4th Brunetti book that's also 4th in the series.
Setting: Commissario Brunetti is a Venetian cop solving crimes in Venice. He's ably assisted by sergeant Vianello a big gruff veteran and secretary Elettra Zorzi, an elegant fashionista. His helpers allow him to solve crime in easy mode as both of them are very competent in what they do. In contrast his boss Vice-Questore Patta is a self-serving bureaucrat and politician whose only goal is to make himself look good without doing any work. Fortunately he also operates in easy mode as he doesn't put many obstacles in Brunetti's way. Also in the cast of characters are Brunetti's family who provides some drama away from the office.
I like the books not because of the crime but because of the characters and the setting. The author does a good job of making the characters real and also telling us what real Italian politics is like (corrupt and incompetent).
Spoilers ahead:
I read somewhere that Donna Leon focuses on a particular subject in each book and in this book she focuses on white slavery where women are tricked or coerced into coming to Italy where they are forced to work as prostitutes. There's also a bit on snuff films and CP. It makes for serious reading and cogitation.
Spoilers end.
As usual the start can be slow but builds up as we follow Brunetti on his dogged investigation. The ending (also as usual) is a bit abrupt.
Setting: Commissario Brunetti is a Venetian cop solving crimes in Venice. He's ably assisted by sergeant Vianello a big gruff veteran and secretary Elettra Zorzi, an elegant fashionista. His helpers allow him to solve crime in easy mode as both of them are very competent in what they do. In contrast his boss Vice-Questore Patta is a self-serving bureaucrat and politician whose only goal is to make himself look good without doing any work. Fortunately he also operates in easy mode as he doesn't put many obstacles in Brunetti's way. Also in the cast of characters are Brunetti's family who provides some drama away from the office.
I like the books not because of the crime but because of the characters and the setting. The author does a good job of making the characters real and also telling us what real Italian politics is like (corrupt and incompetent).
Spoilers ahead:
I read somewhere that Donna Leon focuses on a particular subject in each book and in this book she focuses on white slavery where women are tricked or coerced into coming to Italy where they are forced to work as prostitutes. There's also a bit on snuff films and CP. It makes for serious reading and cogitation.
Spoilers end.
As usual the start can be slow but builds up as we follow Brunetti on his dogged investigation. The ending (also as usual) is a bit abrupt.
richardpierce's review against another edition
5.0
Very very dark, this one. It leads you mentally and physically up any number of blind alleys, and then, when the twist comes, it's not the final one. Also exposes the conflict between duty and love, and how parenting is quite often more brutal than anything else in our lives.
raphaliest's review against another edition
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
vita_s_west's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5