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djr100's review
4.0
Typically great writing from one of my favorite authors, Richard Russo. Would like to have had more...but really enjoyed this.
lizwisniewski's review
4.0
Lovely writing and compelling characters, but the ending came to abrupt. I wonder if he is going to turn this into a novel? Still, so well done it gets a 4, maybe as a novel it would get a 5.
danchrist's review
4.0
Classic Russo told with wry wit and a smattering of telling insights, this is one his fans won't want to miss.
joshvet's review
4.0
An excellent little story full of pathos and humor. Russo, like usual, crafts sympathetic and wholly human characters that readily reflect reality. The story is entertaining and possesses insight and forgiveness, as much as you could hope for in a novella that only approaches 100 pages.
acton's review
5.0
Richard Russo's novella about a just-retired English professor is an engaging page-turner. The simple title had me expecting a coming-of-age story, which I suppose it is, but not the kind I was expecting. Nate is sixty, not twenty, but in some important ways, he still needs to find his way, and it's a relief to this reader that it's never too late.
Nate in Venice is a very short piece of fiction, so I hate to say too much, except that the narrative ended before I was ready. That's okay, though, I can let it go (good advice).
Happy reading!
Nate in Venice is a very short piece of fiction, so I hate to say too much, except that the narrative ended before I was ready. That's okay, though, I can let it go (good advice).
Happy reading!
glabeson's review
3.0
I wanted this to be better, being a fan of R. Russo. Perhaps my expectations were too high for a novella, but I got very little sense of place (which is a shame, being set in Venice), and the characters felt underdeveloped, like there was something going on off camera. Part of that could be due to the fact I just finished [b:Heft|11381910|Heft|Liz Moore|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327958826s/11381910.jpg|16313425] which in contrast to Nate, portrays a remarkably vivid English professor.
nferre's review
3.0
Nate has a close encounter of the unpleasant kind in his college classroom and pretty much hangs up his gloves and retires from life. He has an opportunity to maybe return to the living with an excursion to Venice, Italy with some other people and his brother and goes. Within that trip we learn in bits and pieces what happened in the classroom with a young lady with Asbergers Syndrome, except that no, we really don't. In the meantime, Nate and his brother Julian battle out old grudges and hostilities on the streets of Venice.
In general I enjoy russo, and especcially loved Bridge of Sighs. This one, not so much. I wasn't all that happy with the character with Asberger's, maybe a bit too stereotypical and unresolved; also didn't find Julian's grudges worthy of decades old hostilities. In the end, I wanted more.
In general I enjoy russo, and especcially loved Bridge of Sighs. This one, not so much. I wasn't all that happy with the character with Asberger's, maybe a bit too stereotypical and unresolved; also didn't find Julian's grudges worthy of decades old hostilities. In the end, I wanted more.
hlandes1's review
4.0
I love Richard Russo. I have read everything he's written except his most recent memoir which is on the "to read" list. I love the way he develops characters and weaves stories together. I love the uncomfortable feeling of getting lost in Venice (been there, done that) from this story. It made me want to be in Venice...reading Richard Russo!
ld2's review
4.0
There is no question that Nate, the main character, is in a pathetic state. He is dealing with depression and the dramatic end to his teaching career while trying to reconnect with his estranged brother. I quite enjoyed this short story--the subtle transformation from pathetic self hate to a strange hopefulness left me feeling satisfied.
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