turrean's review
2.0
A sad letdown. I have little interest in baroque opera, so the pages and pages of historical background were wasted on me. I was impatient with the tease of a possible love interest, and INCREDULOUS at how the supposedly sensible main character handled a supremely creepy encounter with a bad guy. I did not buy it. The solution to the "mystery" was facile and anticlimactic. Very disappointing.
thelaurasaurus's review
4.0
I didn't realise this wasn't a Brunetti book when I picked it up, but it was still an enjoyable read - just a historical mystery, rather than a crime mystery. As with the other Donna Leon books I've read, the main story took quite a while to get going, and then rushed to its conclusion. I'd prefer it if the books were just longer, so that I could enjoy the ending playing out with a bit more subtlety. Having said that, I still enjoyed this book, as I have her others.
hubsct's review against another edition
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
mary_elizabeth's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
xavi3r's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Caterina Pellegrini, experta en ópera del Barroco, rastrea la existencia de una valiosa herencia en unos documentos hallados por los descendientes de un genial compositor vinculado a la Iglesia católica. Caterina se adentra en la Venecia de finales del siglo XVII, investigando, sin proponérselo, la supuesta implicación del músico en el crimen más famoso de la epoca. En "Las joyas del Paraíso", Donna Leon reúne sus tres grandes pasiones: la novela negra, la ciudad de Venecia y la música barroca. Una trama magistral, como la mejor aria, la partitura perfecta, aquella en la que cada nota, cada protagonista, esconde su propio secreto.
Traducción: Maia Figueroa Evans
Traducción: Maia Figueroa Evans
cjeanne99's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Hmmm - not really a gripping tale - but it does give a dose of intrigue, music, history and greed.
Caterina Pellegrini is hired to research the contents of an Italian baroque composer's estate - which is believed to include a treasure and is being claimed by two distantly related cousins.
As the author says somewhere in the middle of the book - they are contesting an estate from over 400 years ago - why do they think they have a claim?
Caterina Pellegrini is hired to research the contents of an Italian baroque composer's estate - which is believed to include a treasure and is being claimed by two distantly related cousins.
As the author says somewhere in the middle of the book - they are contesting an estate from over 400 years ago - why do they think they have a claim?
sheilaokeefe's review against another edition
2.0
I saw a new title from Donna Leon and checked it out from my library without really looking at it (my bad), so I was expecting a Commissario Brunetti novel. This is not a Brunetti novel. I don't know if it's a standalone or the start of a new series. Maybe if I'd been expecting it I would have been more open to the new main character, but I really didn't like her. It's rare I can get involved in a story if I actively dislike the main character and this book was no exception. I didn't enjoy it and don't recommend it.
mazza57's review against another edition
1.0
this is the most stunningly boring book i have read in a while. The author fails to doany of the things authors are supposed to do such as create characters that are believable, string togethere a narrative build a bit of pace or tension. I have tried other books by this author and I think it is time totake her off my reading list
polyhy_14's review
3.0
This book is a departure from her usual modern mysteries set in Venice. The location hasn't changed, but the subject is a much older mystery involving an obscure composer of early baroque opera, his legacy and possible involvement in a crime of the times. The emphasis is more on research than on action or character development, but I nevertheless found the methodology interesting. The style is witty and there's a delightful twist at the end.