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jlk64's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kleonard's review against another edition
3.0
Like all of Smith's books, The Girl from Venice is beautifully written and carefully plotted and paced. The evocations of the city and lagoon, its numerous small islands, and what it may have been like at the end of the Second World War are all things that make the book worth reading. But I felt that there was too much similarity between this book and Smith's breakout novel Gorky Park. Two men, both having had experience in a police state, both acquiescing to and resisting the regime in their own ways, both with the wrong wives who leave them for unpleasant men, seek to assist or help or save a smart, beautiful, passionate young woman who is a political liability. Cenzo is just too much like an Italian Arkady Renko; Giulia, Irina Asanova. Ultimately, things are too easy: of course Cenzo has the unexpected necessary skills and knowledge to get them out of danger.
I received my copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I received my copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
sara_o's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
An enjoyable romp. Reading this made me realize that I actually don’t know much about Italy’s part in WWII. I found the politics super interesting. I also loved the bits about fishing.
Cenzo was pleasant enough to spend time with. Overall, a pleasing read, but for me, not in the level of Gorky Park.
Cenzo was pleasant enough to spend time with. Overall, a pleasing read, but for me, not in the level of Gorky Park.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
Somehow I went on vacation with three novels that all have the word 'girl' in the title and take place between 1939-1945. This one was a page turner. Cruz Smith writes with a beautiful economy of words. As WWII is ending and the German army is retreating from Italy, there are still plenty of people willing to kill, betray, and capitalize on the disarray caused by Mussolini and the war. Cenzo is a fisherman trying to stay out of trouble when he comes across the body of a young woman in the lagoon. Guilia turns out to be quite alive but she's Jewish and a wanted woman. After Cenzo rescues Guilia, life gets very complicated for both. To be published in October 2016.
nigellicus's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
5.0
In the dying dyas of WW II a Venetian fisherman rescues a girl from a lagoon, She's on the run from the SS, he's trying to palm her off to partisans to get her to safety, but things ain't that simple. Smoothly written, romantic, albeit squicky older-man-with-teeneger, adventurous, has lots of fish in it.
ashleysilver7's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this book, and I admittedly love historical novels, and this was interesting as it was from the perspective of the Italians during WWII. The main character in the novel, Cenzo (short for Innocenzo) is a fisherman who wants to remain neutral during Italy's Facist regime. However, that all changes after he encounters the "girl from Venice."
I would have given the book 5 starts, but it was a little confusing at times. The author, at times, assumed the readers knew more about Italian facism. I did not...I had to google search a lot about "Il Douce" and how he handled himself during the war, and pre-war. However, even from doing a little minor research, it sounds as though Italy was confusing, as there were a lot of "rougue" fighters who didn't align themselves with Germany or Italian Facism, but their loyalties were ever shifting during the war and as the American Allies drew nearer.
If you love historical novels, you will love this book.
I would have given the book 5 starts, but it was a little confusing at times. The author, at times, assumed the readers knew more about Italian facism. I did not...I had to google search a lot about "Il Douce" and how he handled himself during the war, and pre-war. However, even from doing a little minor research, it sounds as though Italy was confusing, as there were a lot of "rougue" fighters who didn't align themselves with Germany or Italian Facism, but their loyalties were ever shifting during the war and as the American Allies drew nearer.
If you love historical novels, you will love this book.
meshuggeknitter's review against another edition
3.0
The story started out strong, but really petered out. The audio narration was a bit odd. The narrator had no accent for the 3 main Italian characters, but everyone else had origin appropriate accents, be they Italian, German, etc. made it seem like the main characters were American. Very odd.
sashasoderlund's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
gtwelch's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5