Local Color . . And Little Else of Interest
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Before writing my review, I waited two days after reading The Girl of His Dreams to see if I liked the book any better after sleeping on it. I didn't. Sorry, Ms. Leon. This one's a clunker. Why? Of two cases, only one is interesting. And the investigation of the interesting one isn't very stimulating. This book will only appeal to those who enjoy thinking about the injustices that victims experience.
As the book opens, crime seems to have taken a holiday in Venice and Commissario Guido Brunetti has plenty of time to investigate a mysterious preacher who is looking for big donations on the behalf of a priest he barely knows. Naturally, there's no crime to pin down, but Brunetti decides to look around anyway.
Before the preacher's background and motives can be understood, Brunetti has to deal with a most unpleasant duty . . . pulling a dead girl from the water. Here's where the local color comes in. The girl is a Gypsy (the P.C. term is Rom), part of a family that steals for a living. As you can imagine, Gypsies aren't interested in telling their troubles to the police.
How will Brunetti find out what happened to the girl? That's the real mystery of this book. A lot of the leads turn out to be misleading which provides a few mild surprises.
Once again, you'll learn that the police aren't able to do very much about crime, those in the establishment who complain often have things to hide, and the poor aren't as bad as everyone else thinks. The explication of those points is, however, not very interesting compared to other books in this series.
Did I need to read this book to remain a fan of this series? Not really. You have the option to pass on this one.
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Leon's Brunetti is at the top of his form!
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Donna Leon's 17th Commissario Brunetti book continues, well, Donna Leon. There's nothing new about this 17th episode, other than the crimes they're investigating, but Leon's fans don't necessarily want anything new. They're happy with this series just being Donna Leon: well written stories, great characterizations, excellent plot, and, of course, her penchant for socially significant issues, the least of which is not the corruptive practices of some elements of the Italian establishment (to put it kindly). As she told me last November, "My books aren't published in Italian!" Which is probably why she continues to enjoy living in Venice. In her books she looks scathingly at various facets of official Italian life and not kindly. That said, the other elements are like dazzling gems. And she does love her Venice.
Brunetti is a sensitive, honest policeman who never continues to be amazed at the "human condition." Crime after crime doesn't deter him, although he often calls into question some of society's "thinking." He does so with the support of his learned wife Paolo (who teaches English literature at a local university). This personal relationship is also one of the strong points in Leon's works.
In "Girl of his Dreams," a young girl is found drowned in one of the canals; on her person are two items of value, jewelry that lead not only to the owners but to the pursuit of what looks like murder. Here Brunetti faces the political and social concerns involving "non-Italian" residents (in this case Gypsies) and the discrimination and social injustices they not only suffer, but sometimes lead into. It also addresses the double standards of justice for the poor and the rich and well-placed. Where will the leads take Brunett , his Inspector Vianello, and his inimitable secretary Signorina Elettra?
At the same time, following the burial of his mother, Brunetti is visited by the administering priest, who reports that an "outside" minister seems to be involved in a money-scam and seeks Brunetti's help. This is in typical Leon fashion in having more than one story line progressing at the same time. With this series, the author does not merely pursue crime or confront a viable socially significant issue, but she provides us with continued insight into her well developed characters (Brunetti's family, his co-workers, and at various times other local citizens).
"Girl of his Dreams" moves along at a fast pace (a strong point in Leon's prose), but she never permits the pace to interfere with her objectives. Some readers have objected to her because Leon rarely provides a "Polly Anna" ending; instead, she chooses probably what is more of a realistic culmination. Occasionally, the real culprit may appear to go unpunished (although the crimes are always solved), due to bureaucratic snafus, legal fine-points, or just the fact that some problems perhaps aren't to be solved in this world. Leon, no doubt, prefers the realistic to the idealistic. Regardless, she's worth a read. This latest is no exception.
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Another intriguing death in Venice
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Having come late to Donna Leon, it has taken a while to catch up with now extensive back catalogue. I started in the middle and each time a new instalment arises I read an earlier one at about the same time. While there is a constancy in the atmosphere and standard of all the Brunetti books, what is evident is just what a compelling individual Brunetti has now become, and how closely integrated are his home and work life (and the way Leon uses family and colleagues in the separate spheres to expose Brunetti's ruminations is excellent). The surrounding characters too have deeper dimensions, and I like the way Vianello has become a larger part.
The primary story of the outsiders and the separateness of the gypsy camp and lifestyle (and the sensitivity with which the interaction is handled) is first rate, and I'm inclined to agree with other reviewers that this is the best yet.
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Time for a change?
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This new book bears all the marks of Donna Leon's previous Commissario Brunetti books--superb atmosphere and location in Venice, the charm of the friends and family characters (not withstanding the unpleasantness of the rotters!)and an intriguing plot and sub-plot.
As with all non-believers (I'm making an assumption here) the author falls down when it comes to portraying religious characters. Mutti's sermon, for example, is weak, and unbelievable--certainly it wouldn't make much appeal (she suggests that his followers are in thrall to him.) On the other hand, the sections dealing with the gypsies ring true (even though many readers will probably feel that she overdraws their character, but not knowing Italian gypsies I cannot really make a judgment).
Is Donna Leon somewhat in danger of writing to a formula?--apart from the differences in crime, most of the material could be changed from one book to another without significantly changing anything. In the end, one wonders, has she run out of steam? As a writer she has immense charm, and I shall continue to read her. But she might do well to consider striking out along entirely new lines--even leaving Venice behind? I know that's thinking the unthinkable, but maybe the time has come.
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The difference between good and evil
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Donna Leon's novels always leave the reader wondering about the fine line between good and evil. 'The Girl of his Dreams' is no exception. Two stories intertwine. A priest who officiated at the funeral of Brunetti's mother asks him for help, and a young girl's body is pulled from a canal. Leon's writing is understated to such an extent that you are completely unconscious of it as you read. Nothing strikes a false note. Venice comes to life through the five senses. People are by turns good and evil. Everything swirls in ever changing patterns. Brunetti works against the vested interests which influence the most trivial happening. Italy's ever present problem with poor migrants comes to the fore in this story amd questions are raised about the relative values of human lives and different moral values. There is never any gratuitous violence in Donna Leon's books and they are all the more powerful for it. Her characters are never two dimensional. If you like your crime novels with added depth then this book is for you.
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