averagereadin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mick_travel's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
jess_segraves's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
j_u_l_1_a's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
thelaurasaurus's review against another edition
4.0
Venice's favourite detective takes a dark look at, amongst other things, Roma, the Mafia, corruption within government and the police, and the Roman Catholic Church.
usbsticky's review against another edition
2.0
2 star = it was ok by GR's rating system. I dnf'd this book and here's why:
I've read 16 books in this series in chronological order and liked it a lot in the beginning. It's a police protocol series. The police part has always been meh but the characters and the setting drew me in. I loved all the characters and the author does a great job of making them real. I also loved the setting and almost feel immersed in the city and the culture after reading so many books in the series. What was also great is that the author is a keen observer of people and often slips in a few interesting passages on human nature or interactions. I would often save those to think about.
The police protocol part was never great because there was never any suspense or thrill. The police would often do their due diligence in the investigation of examining witnesses and following up clues. But too often questions would be answered in easy mode by Signoretta Elettra finding stuff via her friends or with her computer. An easy way for the author as Signoretta Elettra's skills got more and more powerful in the series. Often the mystery would be solved in easy mode as well and this got worse and worse.
After a few books I realized that another thing the author did was to expose issues of the Italian state or culture. I mean some of her hobby horses were pretty interesting and some definitely bore thought on the state of human excesses. However as the series went on, the books focused more on that and less on what a police protocol was. The last book I read seemed to drop all pretense at that. In fact, many of the last books I read often had unfinished side plots or the main plot was left hanging after the author got her point across.
Spoilers here:
With this book, a priest who has returned from Africa is warning Brunetti that a man or "priest" or cultist is brainwashing people into a cult and getting them to give him money. One of the priest's acquaintances is even selling his house to give money to the cultist.
At 25% I decided to dnf the book and the series. I still like Brunetti, his supporting cast and the city but by this time I just feel they are just vehicles of the author to get some point across. Not really writing to entertain readers. So this is the end of the series for me: lazy writing that went in a different direction. I would recommend perhaps the first 5 books in the series.
I've read 16 books in this series in chronological order and liked it a lot in the beginning. It's a police protocol series. The police part has always been meh but the characters and the setting drew me in. I loved all the characters and the author does a great job of making them real. I also loved the setting and almost feel immersed in the city and the culture after reading so many books in the series. What was also great is that the author is a keen observer of people and often slips in a few interesting passages on human nature or interactions. I would often save those to think about.
The police protocol part was never great because there was never any suspense or thrill. The police would often do their due diligence in the investigation of examining witnesses and following up clues. But too often questions would be answered in easy mode by Signoretta Elettra finding stuff via her friends or with her computer. An easy way for the author as Signoretta Elettra's skills got more and more powerful in the series. Often the mystery would be solved in easy mode as well and this got worse and worse.
After a few books I realized that another thing the author did was to expose issues of the Italian state or culture. I mean some of her hobby horses were pretty interesting and some definitely bore thought on the state of human excesses. However as the series went on, the books focused more on that and less on what a police protocol was. The last book I read seemed to drop all pretense at that. In fact, many of the last books I read often had unfinished side plots or the main plot was left hanging after the author got her point across.
Spoilers here:
With this book, a priest who has returned from Africa is warning Brunetti that a man or "priest" or cultist is brainwashing people into a cult and getting them to give him money. One of the priest's acquaintances is even selling his house to give money to the cultist.
At 25% I decided to dnf the book and the series. I still like Brunetti, his supporting cast and the city but by this time I just feel they are just vehicles of the author to get some point across. Not really writing to entertain readers. So this is the end of the series for me: lazy writing that went in a different direction. I would recommend perhaps the first 5 books in the series.
richardpierce's review against another edition
5.0
At one point in this novel, Brunetti tells his wife that life isn't like novels in which wverything is tied up in the final chapter. And he's right, of course. And there's nothing we can do about it. I guess we need to decide if that's depressing or realistic, or both.
cheryl6of8's review against another edition
4.0
I do so enjoy spending time with Guido Brunetti. I can't say that either of the "mysteries" in this book were really pursued as "mysteries" in terms of clues and red herrings and other standard mystery novel fare, and neither were exactly solved. But it was a lovely period of time spent with Brunetti doing police work and trying to understand the world, while enjoying all that is Venice despite all that is the nation of Italy. The worries of bureaucracy and government employment are familiar to me, because I am a government employee who sees too much of the bureaucracy of the agency I work for. I continue, as always, to adore Signorina Elettra and her ability to understand the system and play the system, and her friendship with Brunetti that allows him to utilize her skills in furthering the work of the "forces of order."
forestsapphicc1's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0