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sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
A body is found in a canal in Venice and Guido Brunetti tries to find out what really happened even though his superior officers seem to want everything glossed over.
artemiscat's review against another edition
4.0
Tempted to give this whole series a full 5 stars. Mystery novels are rarely to my liking, but something about Brunetti and the Venice he inhabits has me hooked.
minn3h's review against another edition
4.0
The mystery suffers for the ambition Leon exhibits in taking on corruption, the military industrial complex, the casual application of American power, etc.
ms_dzt's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this Brunetti mystery after almost a year without the Commissario. While all the books follow a formula the presence of the US base in Vicenza added an element of art imitating life considering Leon's husband (?) is based there. Or was based there.
d_audy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
After writing Death at La Fenice as a probable one-shot, Donna Leon seamlessly transitions to a series with this second, already more sophisticated entry. She again skillfully avoids giving her readers the "tourist tour" of Venice while still bringing the city to life in colourful touches of daily life and culture, showing the city of the Venetians. Here in this second novel the secondary characters start taking more volume and definition, while Guido himself returns with all that made him loveable in the first novel. The plot is expertly woven, and this time around adds interesting layers of social, economical and political questions, touching on environmental and public health issues, the behaviour of the US government abroad, corruption and the complex web of interrelationships between those holding the reins of power. It makes for a fascinating tale with a very suitably ambiguous yet very satisfying ending.
margaret21's review against another edition
4.0
Sometimes what you want from a book is to spend time with old friends. I love Guido Brunetti, I love his wife Paola and their children and like to catch up with them over their delicious family meals in their Venetian apartment. And I enjoy the plots of all the Commissario Brunetti books too. This is however, quite a dark tale (murders always are, of course), with its suggestion that corruption in Italy as elsewhere, is endemic and underwrites everyday life. Here is a death in canal. Is it simply a robbery gone wrong, or something more sinister? Brunetti has his work cut out to establish that this death, like the two that follow, is indeed the result of corruption at the highest level. There is no happy ending in a situation like this.... or indeed any real conclusion to such a story
happyfamilyfuntime's review against another edition
5.0
This has been an incredibly challenging year and this series has been exactly what i needed. As a longtime fan of mysteries, this series has it all and is set in Italy to boot (pun intended). As an Italian-American I love how this book lovingly makes fun of both Italians and Americans. This book has a great cast of characters and I have not yet guessed the ending! If you loved Jim Chee or Thomas Black, you will love Guido Brunetti!
This book was so digestible and wholesome fun, which may sound cheesy, but with all of the tumult in the real world, this book was a lovely respite.
This book was so digestible and wholesome fun, which may sound cheesy, but with all of the tumult in the real world, this book was a lovely respite.
butterfly2507's review against another edition
2.0
Commissario Brunetti kenne ich schon lange, habe die Bücher aber bisher noch nicht gelesen. Dass ich sie nun im Second-Hand Shop fand war natürlich super! Dies ist der zweite Fall, man muss den ersten Band aber nicht gelesen haben. Ich fand es äusserst langweilig. Das Setting ist super (sehr nahe meiner Heimat) aber die Story ... naja. Ausserdem mag ich den Konflikt (aka Rassismus) zwischen Italien und den USA nicht. Auch dass der WEIBLICHE!!! Doktor / Captain beschrieben wird wie ein Alien ... wow.
rinapina's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5