Reviews

Venezianisches Finale by Donna Leon

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alliepeduto's review against another edition

3.0

So I almost bumped this up to a 4 star because the twist at the end was completely unexpected, but ultimately I wasn't as enthralled with this mystery and I wanted to be. I actually guessed the ending (or at least the part pertaining to the crime) so in my mind it made it rather predictable, and it was long winded on subjects that didn't have relevance to the investigation. I felt like the author was just commentating on general views, not providing red-herrings with the information or moving the plot forward. For that I was disappointed, but this was her first in this series, so maybe I'll bop ahead to see if the writing improved since I thought the ultimate "motive" was very well done.

jennfs10's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

griesgrau's review

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Content Warnings

skyring's review against another edition

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4.0

I have not only another long and complex detective series to devour, but a new destination!

The city of Venice is a lead character in these books. Not the tourist city of gondoliers and campaniles, but the little nooks and bars that the residents frequent. The Undercity, as it were, that the guidebooks don't mention. Oh, sure, the Grand Canal is here, as is St Marks and all the rest, but the city is shown as a place where people live, where people love, where people commit murder and all manner of crimes.

Brunetti makes his appearance in this book, as does his wife and children and the even more childish colleagues of the Venice Police. A very family-oriented book, and family is close to the heart of the death Brunetti must solve, as it is to Brunetti himself.

There are some poignant and pungent scenes here, beautifully described by Donna Leon, who clearly knows and loves Venice. Warts and all. And out of a tangle of motives, and days where progress is measured in bottles of wine, Brunetti finds the truth, and with it a new dilemma.

ddksouth's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

noelle_tofigh's review against another edition

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4.0

I've known for a long time that I should try this series because of my love for Three Pines. I'm so glad I finally jumped in. The mystery was engaging and the inspector was sharp and witty. My favorite part was the strong sense of place. I felt like I was in Italy every time I opened the book. I'll definitely keep going with this series, even though there are over thirty books and more coming!