Reviews

Testamento mortal by Donna Leon

mschrock8's review against another edition

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3.0

"She's the mother of my son's former veterinarian." Made me laugh.

sophiebillekens's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

jackie_marion's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-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? It's complicated

3.75

notizhefte's review against another edition

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3.0

Tatsächlich zum ersten Mal gelesen bzw. gehört. Ich war seinerzeit nach dem achtzehnten Fall ausgestiegen, weil ich fand, daß es zunehmend um Mißstände gehe und nicht um einen Kriminalfall. Außerdem wurde mir der Ton zu belehrend-aktivistisch. Das ist hier anders. Die Mißstände - Gewalt gegen Frauen und der Umgang mit alten Menschen - werden mit einer allgemeinen Behörden- und Staatskritik verblendet, ohne unangenehm aufs Ohr zu fallen. Der Ton ist aber auch nicht resigniert.

Wie das Mordopfer tatsächlich zu Tode gekommen ist, wird weniger ermittelt als schließlich vom Täter erzählt. Dadurch ist alles wenig spannend, und das Buch liest sich mehr als Venedig-Roman denn als Kriminalroman.
Was mir beim Hören auch auffiel: Die Beschreibungen sind ungeheuer kleinteilig. Brunetti trat zum Tisch, zog den Stuhl zurück und setzte sich - so in dem Stil. Offenbar lese ich darüber leichter hinweg.

stmchester's review against another edition

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3.0

I rated this a 3, but I think it was closer to a 2...as the book progressed, it seemed boring. But how bad can it be with Guido Brunetti and the usual gang of characters, as well as the Venice location.

ms_dzt's review against another edition

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4.0

Like all the Brunetti series this book spends as much time describing the maze that is Venice as it does the actual crime. For the first time it leaves you hanging at the end, and definitely not for the first time, you can taste paola's meals from the pages.

susansdg's review against another edition

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5.0

Love Guido Brunetti-hate that she left you hanging.

deballen21's review against another edition

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5.0

I love Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti crime novels set in Venice. The crimes are often subtle, with no winners or losers. She has a mordant wit with sharp observations about Italian political and social life. I particularly like the way the character of Paola, Brunetti's wife, is often the moral compass of the story. Their discussions over the family meal (fabulous cooking) often tease out the dilemmas Brunetti may face throughout the story, but in an oblique way. Well worth reading.

flutter_bye's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced

4.0

turrean's review against another edition

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4.0

I'm still thinking about this one. In a way, it's sort of a look inside the detective's mind: we get to know suspects, then we never see them again when it becomes clear that they were not responsible for the crime.

I did find it annoying, however, that we never do find out what was making the son of the victim of this crime so nervous. Did he have knowledge of what the victim was up to?