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3.52 AVERAGE
3.52 AVERAGE
Very interesting. The fire gets into discussions regarding a variety of Venice topics from its beginnings through fascism, preservation, and a lot more. I gave it three stars because I thought it lost its way during a portion of the book, but the last third was really interesting.
Berendt took 10 years following-up his mega-hit Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil. In another travelogue, he’s swapped Venice for Savannah. There’s a crime (a 1997 fire destroyed the city’s famed opera house), but he’s mostly interested in the scenery & eccentric characters like a legendary glassblower & assorted counts & expats. Oddly wastes more pages investigating restoration contracts & charity infighting than the arson. (“Everyone in Venice is acting,” everyone hints with forced intrigue.) Never a Midnight fan, Angels didn’t take off for me either. Berendt may travel on, but this is my stop.
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
I love Berendt style of writing and how he manages to find quirky people with interesting stories. I loved "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", so I was very eager to read this book. It was ok. I enjoyed it, but not half as much as midnight... I think Venice and it's inhabitants were just not as interesting as Savannah. I would still recommend this book though. I was entertained, even if it didn't live up to my high expectations.
I loved Berendt's first book, and it made me want to visit Savannah. This book is nowhere on the same level. I don't think the story he made the centerpiece of the book carried the book at well as Jim Williams' murder trials, and while the side stories (the characters) in "Midnight" added layers of texture and interest to that book, the side stories in "Falling Angels" just seemed a disjointed series of distractions. It all didn't hold together well, and didn't make me fall in love with Venice the way I did with Savannah.
Very informative and well-written, but sometimes there were unnecessary passages.
If youve been to Venice you will get some amusement and some understanding out of this book. If you havent been you will want to go. I love this author, I highly recommend this book.
Nice overview of people Berendt met in Venice where he visited just after a fortuitous (unfortunate for the theatre, but fortunate for him) visit to the city just after the Fenice opera house burned down in a mysterious fire. Although this often is considered "true crime" the crime bit (what happened at the opera house and eventual trial) is minimal - the real story are the lives of the people Berendt met and how they make up the character of a very unique city.